Glacier Bay…..a land reborn, a world returning to life, a living lesson in resilience.
I’m not sure what I most wanted to experience on this trip, but each new thing provided a special thrill, none more so than the glaciers. It is said there are more than 1,000 in Alaska continually retreating and advancing, often creating changes to their environment.
Whatever is seen at sea level is only a portion of the glacier which is likely to have originated some distance away and higher on the mountain.
The visible portion may not look large from a distance, but do not be deceived. It is likely to be hundreds of feet tall and more than a half mile wide.
Much of a glacier appears to be some shade of icy blue which I learned is a function of density and the way light is reflected.
The more color the denser the ice meaning that it contains very little air.
Sometimes a glacier has dirty looking areas resulting from mudslides that leave behind dirt that gets locked in the ice.
On occasion there is a loud crack followed by a chunk of ice breaking off and becoming an iceberg only 10% of which is visible above the water. These lovely pieces of floating ice can be very dangerous as the Titanic sadly experienced.
Though spotted in other areas, Glacier Bay is glacier heaven. There are hundreds of glaciers here most of which form in the Fairweather Mountains where snow builds up over the years and becomes ice. This one, that from a distance looks like a cloud, is Grand Pacific Glacier and stretches some 24 miles from the Canadian border to Glacier Bay.
Even with climate change being a concern, as long as snow keeps falling on the mountains it will be a long time before the glaciers disappear.
i so appreciate your visit and the comments you leave behind
Lulu's Musings 
These photos are spectacular…I cannot imagine how awesome it was in person!….the colors of glacier lakes are breathtaking!
Wow!
Alaska’s glaciers are unbelievable! On a trip to the Canadian Rockies we rode a Big Cat out on a glacier and were able to get out and walk on it. We also took a helicopter ride over a glacier! Magnificent scenery of God’s creation! I hope you are doing some more travel posts on Alaska!
Really enjoying your posts on Alaska. Had hoped to go with Vicki and family this year , but it just didn’t fit in their schedule. Thanks so much for sharing all of the beautiful photos!!
You have been doing some traveling all over the world. I went on a Danube River Cruise for a week the end of
April and into May about the same time you did. Then on to France for a week. I haven’t blogged about our trip yet. How do you find the energy and time? I’m not ready to go anywhere for a while except to our kids homes.
We lived in Alaska in Fairbanks from 1986-1990. What an experience! Your post was very informative and interesting.
These stunning photos remind me the cruise we took a decade ago, but we didn’t get to see ice breaking off.
Oh, Linda, I learned so much in these two posts. We’re always scheduling a trip to Alaska; always getting cancelled. One day I will make it to experience the geography and beauty of that place. Until then I’ll take a trip through your adventures and see through your eyes what I am missing.
What we saw was full of wonder, sometimes reminding of Maine.
Wo-ooooooooooow!!!!!!!!!!! Nature at its “coolest” and best! Hard to imagine the enormity of the glaciers, so I’m sure that in person they are a sight to behold! This was a virtual field trip and geology lesson all in one!
Seeing the glaciers up close and hearing th Tlingit story of how they changed native land was amazing.
My heart is pounding, and I wasn’t even there! Is there any doubt…God is in control of Glacier Bay! I love that you caught the splash of the piece of glacier becoming an iceberg, and the dirty glacier with the blue ruffle made me think of a little girl making mud pies in her pretty blue sweater with a big ruffle at the neck. Loving this adventure. CherryKay
For sure a power mightier than man is in control of nature. Love your glacier image.