When you first arrive at the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska, you're greeted by a series of signs that inform you about this here great state. Reading through these posters, you'll most likely find yourself thinking "how could I ever hope to see all of this in one visit?" So naturally you decide to narrow down the choices and identify those key locations that would make for the best experiences. And who knows, maybe one day you'll return, but for now, you want the best bang for your buck- or so to speak. One of the of the most spectacular things you can lay your eyes upon is the ice that still blankets our mountains, having been here since the last ice age. These glaciers carve out the land, creating new valleys and beautiful blue lakes, providing some of the best views and most delicious water in the world. So they should be a must see on your list.
Luckily for you, one of the signs says "60 glaciers within 60 miles of Anchorage." 60 glaciers!? That's crazy, but what is even more unfathomable is that those sixty only represent a small percentage of the 100,000+ glaciers in Alaska. Currently, the USGS has only named 616 of them. Many of those happen to be within an hour's drive of Anchorage. So in order to help you decide upon which glaciers you may want to check out on your next visit to Alaska, I have provided some images and information on a few of them below! Which one would be on the top of your list?
Sony a7R II | f/4.5 | 1/500s | 24mm | ISO 320 - Knik Glacier: I snapped this shot as our friend Rick was checking out one of the tall crevices that split into one of the larger ice chunks. I absolutely loved the deep blues of the ice and the scale he added to the scene.
DJI Phantom 3 | f/2.8 | 1/800s | 3.61mm | ISO 100 - Knik Glacier: I decided to fly the drone to get some aerial views of the ice. Many of the other glaciers in the sixty mile radius are in state parks, where it is illegal to fly drones. So I took the opportunity at hand and grabbed a bird's eye view of some of the ice formations. This shot here in particular shows those fissures and crevices from the previous photo, running along the glacier itself.
DJI Phantom 3 | f/2.8 | 1/800s | 3.61mm | ISO 100 - Knik Glacier: Just for another sense of scale. You can see all of our vehicles lined up here along one of the icy walls. It was great to see all of the colorful jeeps contrasting against the bright, blue ice.
Sony a7R II | f/4.5 | 1/80s | 24mm | ISO 100 - Byron Glacier: As my favorite glacier in all of Alaska, Byron has some of the best ice caves I've ever seen. They're immense and track all over the valley floor. The intense blues of the ice can be seen in almost any lighting conditions and they're an absolute must see.
Sony a7R II | f/4.5 | 1/200s | 66mm | ISO 320 - Byron Glacier: @chaseburnett can be seen here standing in awe of the ice surrounding him as a light snowfall moves in upon us.
Sony a7R II | f/8.0 | 6s | 24mm | ISO 200 - Byron Glacier: What an evening this was... We had the great idea to hike out to the glacier in the middle of the night, during a storm. We had our flashlights in one hand and cameras in the other and were determined to find the caves. It was our first time visiting them at night. We were hoping to shoot the stars looking out from a cave opening, but the infamously unpredictable weather of Byron hit us hard and dumped a mixture of snow and rain down on us for what seemed like hours. Tragically, @chaseburnett and his equipment lost the battle against the elements that night, resulting in no images and the desperate need for a new camera body. But these things happen; they're part of the adventure and the risk we take with every outing. Nine times out of ten, the journey is always worth it and so we keep on keepin' on.
Sony a7R II | f/10.0 | 1/250s | 24mm | ISO 100 - Portage Glacier: This nature-crafted, masterpiece of ice sits at the back of Portage Lake and is usually only accessible by boat. However, in the winter when conditions are right, the lake can freeze over entirely and a trek can be made. The hike is just over two miles from the shore to the glacier and is well worth the frozen toes.
Outside of the 60 Mile Radius
Now, I know that this post was meant to help steer you in the direction of the "60 within 60" idea, but here are a couple of other favorites that I've collected over the past couple of years. I hope these give you an idea of just how awesome glaciers can be and why visiting one should be a highlight of your visit to Alaska.
Sony a7R II | f/9.0 | 1/800s | 50mm | ISO 100 - unnamed glacier: This glacier is one of the thousands that remain unnamed by the USGS. It resides in the middle of the Chugach Mountains and is accessible only by plane. I was lucky enough to fly over this beauty in the first few months of my time here and have been obsessed with seeing more glaciers ever since.
Sony a7R II | f/9.0 | 1/1000s | 106mm | ISO 200 - Matanuska Glacier: This is just two hours from Anchorage and provides one of the easiest and most extensive glacier experiences in the area. You can practically drive right up to the base of the glacier and walk out onto the ice. The family who owns the land area upon which the face sits has made it very safe to access. There are even ramps and railings in some places to help those who require assistance. Guided tours are offered year round, but in the summer you can walk about and adventure on your own. - This image was taken last August when @chaseburnett, our friend Teo, and I visited the glacier on a whim.
I hope that these photos and tidbits of information will help you to find your glacier. We all have our favorite, as each and everyone is unique in its own way. My personal favorite is Byron and it will always hold a place in my heart. As I move on one day from this beautiful state, I hope to return, even if only to visit that prehistoric ice just once more.
Thanks for following along and good luck in your travels,
Dimitri