Yakutat Bay and Glacier Bay - 16-17 June 2016

On our first two days of cruising southbound, we visited Yakutat Bay and the Hubbard Glacier and then Glacier Bay. We saw the Malaspina Glacier which is the world’s largest piedmont glacier. According to Google, piedmont glaciers occur when steep valley glaciers spill into relatively flat plains, where they spread out into bulb-like lobes. This is also Alaska’s largest glacier, covering 1,500 square miles and 1,000 feet thick. I think it is more impressive when seen from above – a lot of it was obscured by low hills which lined the bay.

We spent about an hour turning in circles in front of Hubbard Glacier. I have never heard such noises coming from a glacier! Loud groans, rumbles and snaps. These occur as the glacier moves over the rocks. The glacier is very active, advancing rapidly at times, leading to its nickname “The Galloping Glacier.” The ice, at the edge, is about 400 years old. The glacier often calves 10 story high icebergs, though we didn’t witness ones of that size. But, we did see quite a bit of calving.

The next day, we revisited Glacier Bay.  Never get tired of seeing the wilderness and enjoyed seeing Marjerie Glacier and the Grand Pacific Glacier again. I was a bit sad to be leaving the park. We will see more glaciers on our cruise south, but none so closely clustered and majestic.

The peak is Mount Logan - the highest peak in the Saint Elias Mountain Range at 19,551 feet.

 

Approaching the Hubbard Glacier. The mountain in the far distance is Mr. Hubbard at 14,951 feet.

 

Mount St Elias, the 2nd tallest mountain in both Canada and the U.S. It is on the border between the two countries.

 

 

Getting closer to the Hubbard Glacier. Only two cruise ships are allowed to visit each day, we are waiting for the other cruise ship to leave.

 

In the meantime, we enjoyed waterfalls and icebergs. Not much wildlife today. The whales don't like the water because of the silt from the glaciers.

 

 

You can see how large some of the icebergs are in contrast to the other cruise ship which is about the same size as ours.

 

 

Lots of blue ice in this glacier. The face is about 100 feet tall.

 

 

 

This calving resulted in splashes about 20 feet tall. 

 

 

 

 

One of the many U-shaped valleys formed by glaciers. This one has been empty of ice for some time - the trees don't come until many years after the ice has left.

 

Leaving Yakutat Bay for the Inside Passage.

 

In Glacier Bay National Park, there are many hanging glaciers in addition to the tidewater glaciers.

 

 

We spent about an hour in front of Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers.

 

 

 

 

Saw some good calving.

 

 

Margerie Glacier is about 21 miles long - you can see it winding up into the mountains.

 

It is one of the few glaciers advancing, growing by about 30 feet a year.

 

Another glimpse of John Hopkins Glacier, about five miles away.

 

The forces at play when glaciers advance and retreat, scraping the granite in ridges, are impressive and visible everywhere.

 

A fairly recent "landslide" on the Grand Pacific Glacier can be seen (it is the blue ice area in the center)