 |
Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
(and Professional Travelers)
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
Matanuska Glacier in Glacier View,
Alaska (the two RV Gypsies hiked on this glacier) |
Matanuska Glacier as seen
from the main road |
|
 |
 |
| Matanuska Glacier
is the largest glacier accessible by car in Alaska. The Matanuska Glacier
is a large ice flow, 24 miles long and 4 miles wide at the terminus, averaging
approximately 2 miles in width. This glacier is a valley glacier; it exists
on a valley floor. The rocky dirt part at the beginning of the glacier
has 600 feet of ice below our feet. Once you get to the ice part of the
glacier, there is 900 feet of ice below your feet. |
|
| The two RV Gypsies
drove to the parking lot closest to the Matanuska Glacier and hiked over
the gravel, sand and large boulders that has been deposited by the glacier
as it advanced. |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Lee walking the trail through
the beautiful wildflowers growing on the glacier |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
| The majority
of glaciers in Alaska today are smaller alpine glaciers which hang off
mountain slopes. The Matanuska is an active glacier which advances at
one foot per day. It takes approximately 250 years for the ice to form
up glacier and advance to the terminus. The ice of an active glacier always
moves forward due to gravity; like water in a river, the ice will flow
down valley. When ice melts at a higher rate than snow accumulates, the
glacier margin 'recedes'. (The term 'receding' does not refer to the ice
actually traveling back up the valley.) |
|
 |
 |
Don't fall in .......... |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Now the two RV Gypsies are approaching the ice part of the glacier and encounter two signs. They proceeded past this point even though they did not have a guide, because they had permission from the office where they paid a fee to enter the glacier area. | |
 |
 |
Frozen
"blue" ice that looks like water |
|
 |
 |
| A frequently asked question concerns the cause of the blue ice. The density of glacier ice allows the entire spectrum of light to be absorbed with the exception of the blue light which is reflected, and can therefore be seen by your eye. | |
 |
 |
| Now the two RV Gypsies meet up with a fellow hiker on the glacier. They are the only 3 people on the glacier. They crossed several small streams of water, and went all the way to the lake that is in the middle of the glacier. They spent about two hours exploring this glacier. | |
 |
 |
| Lee liked this big boulder that was in the middle of the glacier. He is pointing to the top of the boulder, which is a triangle filled with water - see the photo on the right, below | |
 |
 |
A very cool looking Karen
- LOL |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
crystal clear water |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Lee thought this looked
like "butt cheeks" - LOL |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Lee reaches the lake in the middle of the glacier and takes a photo of Karen |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| (The two RV Gypsies hiked on this glacier June 16, 2009 - these photos) & again on July 23, 2009 - only to find it looked entirely different - and they were unable to reach to the lake. Only tours with crampons could get there. (Crampons are outdoor footwear that include pointed metal parts and are worn on boots to provide traction on snow and ice.) You can get to the second tour from the Alaska button above and choose item 18, OR just continue the journey in order by viewing the photos of Palmer below. Don't worry because you would still see the second glacier hike as you continue in order. | |
