Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Favorites

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Favorite thing: Glaciers are formed in high mountains where snowfall exceeds the snowmelt. As snowpack builds up, the weight of the snow presses upon and deforms the snow beneath, which first changes to granular snow, then eventually morphs into ice. As a result of being formed slowly under high pressure, the individual ice crystals can be as large as a football.

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Favorite thing: The glaciers in Glacier Bay are left over from the bay’s latest period of glaciation, called the Little Ice Age, that began about 4,000 years ago. The existing glaciers are mere remnants of the ice that formerly occupied the region. The glaciers are moving at a rate of about three to eight feet a day. Depending on the slope of the terrain and the length of the glacier, the ice at the face of the glacier is somewhere between 75 and 200 years old. Water that fell upon Alaska as snow at the time of the American Revolution is today finally breaking off from the glaciers as ice.

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Favorite thing: When you sail into Glacier Bay, you will not see any glaciers for a while. That is because the glaciers have retreated significantly over the years. You will encounter your first glacier only after cruising the bay for a couple of hours. Nevertheless, the shoreline is stunning, with snowy mountains descending to the water, where snow rests along the shore. Also, near the mouth of the bay, keep your eyes open for whales and other marine mammals. The sights throughout the bay along the way to the glaciers should not be missed. Enjoy the view and keep in mind that only 200 years ago, this area was completely covered with ice.

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Favorite thing: Glaciers that extend into a body of water, such as Glacier Bay, are known as tide-water glaciers. Ice will periodically break off the face of the glacier and fall to the water below. The act of the ice breaking from the glacier is known as calving. Prior to the ice falling, a loud bang can be heard as the ice breaks free. The amount of ice that falls will vary. But the sound and sight of the ice separating from the glacier and falling into the water can be spectacular.

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Favorite thing: As recently as 1750, a single glacier covered the entire area known as Glacier Bay. When European explorer Captain George Vancouver sited Glacier Bay in 1794, he noted a five mile indentation in a gigantic glacier. This massive glacier stretched over 100 miles inland. It was up to 20 miles wide. At places, it was more than 4000 feet thick. Naturalist John Muir noted in 1879 that the ice had retreated over 30 miles and formed an actual bay. By 1916, the big glacier had retreated 60 miles.

The massive glacier that once occupied the entire bay is known as the Grand Pacific Glacier. It is credited with caving out the bay. The remains of this once great glacier reach the bay today at Tarr Inlet.

For the last seven million years, ice has been a major force in the Glacier Bay. The glaciers present today are what remain from a general ice advance called the “Little Ice Age” that began about 4,000 years ago. About 1750, the ice began to melt and signaled the decline of The Little Ice Age. It is believed that the end of the Little Ice Age was brought about by natural process. However, it is interesting to note that the date coincides with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. One can only speculate as to how much global warming is contributing to today’s continued demise of the glaciers.

As you sail through the bay, it is hard to image that the entire area was completely covered by a massive glacier just over 200 years ago.

Favorite thing: If you take your camera - and if you didn’t, what is up with that?? - you will be in constant action. The digital revolution is just what you needed. 512mb and 12. Gb cards allow you to go crazy - as long as you don’t have your camera settings set for 8 meg mural walls! You might need an extra battery though. The extension plug would have to be very long out here!

Favorite thing: With mountains rising all around bedecked wit glaciers tumbling down their sides, it is easy to forget where you are. Park Rangers have a whole list of silly questions asked by tourists, but one, here, that always is near the top is the question, “How high are we here, exactly?” The answer on the tour boat is usually, “Oh … about 10 feet.” :-)

Favorite thing: Glacier Bay has about a dozen tidewater glaciers (where the glacier meets the brine of the Bay). These phenomena generally are the first attractions of the cruise ships that enter Glacier Bay daily, and for individual kayakers are often the pinnacle of their visit (no pun intended). The former tidewaters of the east arm are accessible only by kayak or extensive hiking (easier to reach by the former), while the park's tour boats and cruise ships visit the west arm, which holds the lion's share of the park's tidewater collection.