Kenai Fjords National Park: Beauty Born From Ice

 

We had heard that the scenery around Seward, Alaska is spectacular. Deep fjords support a coastal area rich in wildlife and beauty. Huge glaciers from the nearby Harding Icefield carve out valleys between the mountains. Lush green forests claim the rocky terrain left by retreating glaciers. Musical waterfalls flow down the mountainsides as the melting snow makes its journey to the Gulf of Alaska.

Kenai Fjords National Park, located near Seward, deserves much of the credit for the area's beauty. Its dynamic ecosystems of ...

coastal rainforests,

rivers of ice,

and glacial fjords

make it a place where

beauty is born from ice.

Kenai Fjords National Park is one of only three of Alaska's eight national parks that it is actually possible to drive to. The other five are in such remote and protected areas that visitors need to arrive by boat or plane. We took advantage of seeing Kenai Fjord's icy beauty by hiking the trails near Exit Glacier and taking a boat cruise out of Seward.

Exit Glacier

Exit Glacier got its name in 1968 when the first mountaineering group to successfully cross the Harding Icefield ''exited'' the ice field from this glacier. It is one of 35 glaciers that flow from this huge ice field and the only one in Kenai Fjords National Park that is accessible by road. From the Visitor's Center, it is an easy one mile hike to some great views of Exit Glacier. It is also possible to walk along the glacier's rocky washout area that is formed as the glacial ice continues to melt and retreat.

For more of a challenge, it's possible to hike up a trail for an up-close view of the Exit Glacier and the Harding Icefield above it. This 8.2 mile (round trip) hike includes a 3800 feet vertical climb and is described as a challenging yet very rewarding experience.

The first day we attempted it, the sun finally came out after a morning of rain, so while the scenery was amazing,

...we ran short on time and were only able to make it half way to the glacier overlook at Marmot Meadows.

2.5 miles and about 2000 feet more

of climbing to reach the top of the icefield!

Yes, this trail is a pretty relentless uphill climb, so we realized that besides needing more time, our next attempt would also have to include more water and snacks.

Partly cloudy skies greeted us on the morning of our second attempt. 

When we reached our previous turn-around spot, we hoped that we would have what it would take to ...

continue the steep accent

across the boulder fields,

and over patches of snow.

Unfortunately, the higher we climbed, the thicker the cloud cover became until the ice field completely disappeared in a monochromatic white fog. But this, too, is the reality of the beauty of Alaska. 

So we smiled as we took our selfie because we knew that when we turned around, we had a nice four mile downhill hike to look forward to! We were also able to enjoy the unique wonders around us ...

like curious marmots,

colorful wildflowers,

and courageous (and slightly crazy) glacial rappellers.

At that point I checked, and I was quite relieved to find out that glacial rappelling is not one of Doug's bucket list items!

Kenai Fjords Boat Tour

Because much of  Kenai Fjords National Park is nestled between mountains and the ocean, one of the best ways to discover the beauty of this seaside paradise is by a boat tour. Several local companies offer wildlife and glacier viewing cruises, and we were grateful to have a mostly sunny day to enjoy the beauty of the area where the mountains, ice, and ocean meet. 

The naturalist on board filled us in on the science and history of this national park's glaciers and inhabitants. Over 190 species of birds can be found on the rocky cliffs of the fjords ...

including one of my favorites, the puffin!

She described the different types of glaciers that can be found in the park and how the ''health'' of these glaciers reflects the ''health'' of our planet.

Bear Glacier is a hanging glacier that is nestled high in the mountains. Despite its high and cold surroundings, its rate of retreat continues to increase each year.

Aialik Glacier is an example of a tidewater glacier in that its terminus flows into the ocean. Its loss of mass is visualized when chunks of ice break off the face of the glacier and float in the water. This process is called calving and while its pretty amazing to be able to get close enough to see the calving of the glacier, it also means that these icy giants are continuing to disappear.

By the time we heard the sound of the crashing ice, bits of the glacier had already fallen into the ocean. See if you can tell what section of the glacier calved in the following short clip.

Our guide also told us about the number of whales who call the waters of Alaska ''home'' for the summer including humpbacks, belugas, and orcas.

We were quite intrigued by how apparently unconcerned these stellar sea lions were with the pod of orcas hunting close to their shoreline hangout.

Never admitting defeat, this orca just gave them a flip of his tail before diving deeper for his seafood dinner.

Kenai Fjords National Park is truly a place where beauty is born from ice.

These rivers of moving ice create the ...

landscapes,

seascapes,

river valleys,

and wet,

frozen playgrounds

for all to enjoy!

In Search of The Great One in Denali National Park

The Great One was eluding us. First the clouds and then the smoke from distant wildfires hid this natural wonder from our view. 

But a visit to Denali National Park and Preserve is about so much more than just seeing a mountain ... even if it happens to be the tallest mountain in North America. During our five day visit, we discovered a plethora of Alaskan wildlife, plants, and scenery that is being protected and preserved for all to enjoy.

If you're like me, you learned a gazillion years ago in elementary school that Mount McKinley is the highest mountain in North America. I somehow missed the memo that the name had officially changed back to its traditional native Alaskan name in 2015. While planning for our Alaskan adventures, I realized that I needed to get up to speed. Denali, whose name means ''the great one'', was what I needed to search for as it rises above all the other snow-capped mountains in the Alaska Range.

Denali National Park and Preserve, the third largest national park in the United States, encompasses six million acres in the southcentral region of Alaska. Despite its vast size, there is only one road that leads visitors 92 miles into the park. Private vehicles can drive the first 15 miles of the Denali Park Road, but in order to preserve the park's natural beauty and protect its wildlife, the remaining stretch of road is only accessible by hikers, bikers, and the park's tour buses.

Unfortunately, half of Denali Park Road is currently inaccessible due to a massive rock slide that occurred at mile marker 45 in August of 2021. From what we saw, it's going to take a lot of ingenuity and hard work to get this road reconnected. And until then, the best park views of Denali lie hidden just beyond the rock slide area.

At 20,310 feet, Denali towers above the horizon and can be seen from 200 miles away. But despite its massive profile, it's estimated that weather and lighting conditions prevent it from being visible 60 to 70% of the time. As we hiked along the Mountain Vista Trail during our first day in the park, a faint silhouette was the best we could hope for due to the haze on the horizon.

But, as we soon realized, other treasures were waiting to be discovered including ...

Bears!

Yogi Bear?? ... No, I'm Yoga Bear

The only way to really explore Denali National Park is by bus, and there are two types of buses available. Narrated bus tours in the tan buses are led by trained naturalists who explain all about the park and its inhabitants during the 4 to 5 hour ride. While there are short stops along the 42 mile route, disembarking along the way is not allowed. It also is the more expensive option at $128/adult.

The other option is to buy a day pass for the green transit bus. For $30/adult, the bus drivers may not have a set narrative, but most of them shared a lot of interesting stories and answer any question you may have about the park and its inhabitants. And with the transit bus, it's possible to ride for the entire day; disembarking at any location in order to hike or bike. We took full advantage of this by putting our bikes on the front bike rack of the bus, taking the bus up a steep mountain pass road, and biking back downhill ten miles to our campground.

 

Starting up at the top of Sable Pass;

elevation 3900 feet ...

No peddling required for the first

couple of miles ...

Just enjoy the beautiful scenery ahead of us!

In fact, the ability to use the transit bus and our bikes to see the park was one of the main reasons we chose to stay another three days at Taklanika Campground which is located at mile 29 on the park road. Once we drove up to the campground, we had to leave our van parked for the three days that we were there. In order to get around, we were able to buy a $30 bus pass that was good for the whole time that we were camped there. Thus, our bus ride up to Sable Pass and bike ride back down became an enjoyable daily occurrence.

The transit buses, like the narrative buses, also stop whenever any wildlife is sighted on or near the road. This allows ample opportunities for photographing animals from the safety of the bus which was important during our ride along Denali Park Road when we saw ...

Grizzly Bears,

Moose,

Dall Sheep,

Caribou,

... and a friendly marmot

who decided that he would pose for

me before quickly disappearing into his hole.

Unfortunately, during our three days in the interior of the park, smoke from surrounding wild fires obscured our beautiful mountain views, and gave the ever-present sun an eerie orange glow.

But it also allowed us to notice the beauty of all the wild flowers that adorn the hillsides

... and provide a tasty treat for all the herbivores that call this alpine tundra home.

At the beginning and end of our visit, we were able to enjoy some of the sights that are located towards the entrance of the park.

We attended a free demonstration given by Denali's sled dog team trainers. These dogs are important members of the national park who help staff members reach remote sections of the park during the cold winter months. After the demonstration we were able to meet some of the dogs and talk with their trainers.  

We also did one of Denali National Park's most popular hikes around the picturesque Horseshoe Lake.

And we enjoyed a craft brew along with fabulous Alaskan halibut and seafood chowder at 49th State Brewing ... located just up the road in Healy, Alaska.

Thankfully the smoke haze was finally clearing as we drove out of the park. Sadly, I thought that a view of The Great One was slipping out of our reach as we headed south. But I was wrong!

As we came into the cute, touristy town of Talkeetna, not only did the colorful moose greet us, but his shop owner let us in on some not-so-secret information.

There ... at the end of Main Street ... in all its snow-capped glory ...

from a distance of sixty miles away ... Denali proudly showed us its magestic beauty! 

These are the moments that

make

us

grateful

... that we are able to search for and enjoy

so many ¨Great Ones¨ along our way.