Matanuska Glacier, Anchorage (Part 4/4)

When I learned about hiking the Matanuska glacier, I was hooked. I wanted to try it out, because it was such a different experience. I have already skied, very poorly I may add, on the Matterhorn Glacier when I was 14. I also have fallen down on my behind on ice as a kid in Tehran when I tried to cross the street from my parent's home to the market, but I have never tried hiking on ice.

On our way to the glacier. Ben was driving, and told me to sit up front. Couldn't argue with that. I had a perfect view of everything. He was an efficient guide, talked about his native heritage, and tried to pace the ride so that we would get to the glaciers on time.

A scenic stop.

There was road construction going on, and one of the rangers stopped us for about 25 minutes, allowing the cars coming downhill to go through first. The "Pilot Car" led the way. Our van, and all the ones behind us, were not allowed to pass the pilot car, and had to follow it whereever it meandered. Its purpose was to keep everyone safe.

So, Ben was explaining that moose eats the vegetation because it's vegetarian, and I told him that that means I'm a moose 😀

To get to the Matanuska Glacier, You walk downhill for about 15 minutes before you get to a bridge. There are different groups of hikers, and each group has one guide.

In the above photo, our guide, Jason, is handing out ice cleats—a plastic gadget with spikes that go around your shoes, and provide traction. This makes your shoes like track shoes with cleats, so that when you walk on ice, you won't slip and fall. As for me, I had an injured right ankle before I went on this trip, and if it weren't for Jason, I would have never made it through. Besides being painful, an injured ankle, throws the balance off, making it difficult to stabilize yourself on the asphalt, let alone on ice.

So, why did I do this hike with an injury? I was pissed off at myself. It's always something, the back, the knee, the ankle, and so on. I refuse to give in, and let these setbacks stop me from doing what I want. I wasn't sure if I could make it through this hike, but I went ahead anyway. Jason said that if I reach a point where I can't continue, he would call it in, and put me on an easier hike. But that never happened, because I was stubborn, and determined to do this. Anyhow, Jason, if you happen to pass by my blog, many thanks for all your help.

A great great bunch. We were all from California. Also, our group was mostly Korean with the exception of myself, and a mom, and her son. Everyone was so wonderful, down-to-earth, and got along well. We had so much fun, and I felt like I was hanging out with family, and close friends.

Jason used an ax to chop chunks of ice for us. The 600-years-old ice was pure without all the pollution you find in our water today. And I have to say that, it was pretty darn good.

Despite Jason's warning, a few of the guys wanted to climb this slippery slope for the challenge, the fun of it, and a photo opportunity.

Frozen water has ice patterns with cracks, and abstract design caused by temperature fluctuations, and repeated freezing and thawing. Moving water shapes the ice surface, forming veins, ridges, or smooth patches. Our guide knew where these were hidden beneath the frosted overlays as he cleared them with his hands to reveal nature's artwork.

Glacial ice is different from regular ice. Where there is fresh snow, the color appears white because it allows all lights to travel through it. However, in areas where ice has been compacted for many years, and is dense, the structure of the ice is different. This ice absorbs all colors except the blue wavelength, causing the ice to appear blue or turquoise.

It wasn't easy to walk with spikes on water and rocks. The water makes it slippery, and you have to be careful when you walk on gravel, and rocks. You kind of need three different types of shoes.

 

Jason told us that it's easier to do this hike during winter because snow is easier to walk on. And I agree, as I have walked on thick snow. It's more doable than on ice. 

On the way back, you turn in your ice cleats, and hike uphill for about 20-25 minutes to get to where you started. I would say that anyone can do this hike if they are not injured, and if they have a good balance. 

Tips: 

• During summer, wear a long sleeve cotton turtleneck, a windbreaker or a puffer jacket, water proof pants with fleece lining, a pair of gloves, a baseball cap, and a good pair of tennis shoes.

• Wear a windbreaker with zippered pockets, put your wallet and anything important in your zippered pocket, and leave your backpack in the car. That's what I did. People in our group were complaining about the weight of their backpack. Remember that no matter how light your backpack is, it's a whole different experience when you're moving on ice. Just take a small water bottle with you. Your guides, who are used to hiking on ice, carry a 30 pound emergency backpack. So, make sure you tip them for all their hard work.   

 

• If you feel that this hike might be a bit challenging, ask them for a trekking pole. Also, do as I say, and not as I do, meaning, if you have an injury, wait for it to get better before you go. My ankle has still not recovered from all the abuse I put it through 😏 

Anchorage Wildlife and Cruise (Part 3/4)

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Valley.  According to our guide, Patrick, who is also conscientious about animal welfare, this center is a sanctuary for injured animals. Their website indicates that there are over 200 acres of land so that animals can roam free, and their purpose is to educate students, and visitors about wildlife.

In the photo above, it looks as if I were close to these moose, when I was actually behind a wired mesh with several feet of space between us. Patrick who knew a lot about photography, took this shot so that the wired mesh would not show up in the picture. Yeah, you don't want to get too close to a wild moose.

Muskox. Native to the Arctic, these ice age survivors are named after the strong musk odor they give off to attract females during mating season.

Their two layers of coat—long hair that reaches the ground, and qiviut, an inner wool—protects them against harsh winters. Similar to lamb's wool, but lighter and softer than cashmere, and eight times warmer, qiviut sheds during spring, the molting season. 

Qiviut is quite expensive, and is made into unique garments, scarves, and gloves for their softness, and warmth. Although some of this wool is gathered after these animals shed, they are often gathered after a hunt in Canada, or in Alaska from animals kept in captivity, or from killing farm raised animals for their meat. So, if you are a vegetarian/vegan like me, you may want to avoid these garments.

Visitors were excited when they saw these bears. Everyone had their cameras out. The bears were probably thinking, get a life, don't you guys have better things to do than to take our picture? 😀

As you drive through Anchorage, and beyond, you will see a lot of "Dead Bark Trees." Most are caused by beetles infesting spruce trees, cutting off their nutrients, and causing their death. The disappearance of these trees in the parks, and forests, causes sunlight to hit the ground faster, which increases the risk of wildfires. The city of Anchorage is working toward getting rid of these beetles, and spending millions to take out the killed trees.

The Conservation Center with Chugach Mountain backdrop.

Alaskan Elks. Members of the deer family, they share traits with deer, caribou, and moose. Elks in Alaska are decedents of Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elks imported from Washington in the 1900s, because the native elks disappeared during the ice ages.

Caribou, also known as reindeer, are species of deer found in the Arctic. In the wild, they are constantly on the move, and besides some seasonal migration in large groups, they are solitary animals, and not easily spotted.

Moving on to the glaciers, and silt. Glacial silt is a powder produced when the glaciers melt. Glacier is basically ice that forms from accumulation of snow. Over the years, as more snow comes, and gets compacted and heavy, it starts to break off, and flow downhill. 

In the above video, Patrick was explaining that this movement causes a grinding action against the bedrock, turning it into powder, smaller, and smoother than sand. The powder is called silt, or glacial flour. When silt enters lakes, and rivers, it changes the color, and turns it into brown, gray, or aqua. The sound you hear in the above video is Patrick grinding two rocks against each other, creating silt.

So, I took two pieces of glacial rock and brought them home with me. I rubbed the two rocks against each other, and some of it formed into silt, a silky powder. It took effort to produce the tiny amount of silt in the above photo. Silt is also rich in minerals, and retail stores sell them as a form of clay facial mask. I was told that it leaves the skin silky smooth. Although, I have not tried it, yet.

Portage Glacier. Long ago, this glacier covered the entire 14-mile valley, and was connected to other glaciers. Today, the only way to get there is to take a tour. The area is called Portage because it was the hub of transportation for coastal shipping.

Portage town, referred to as a ghost town, is near Portage Glacier. After the massive 1964 earthquake, the town dropped about 10 feet, sinking under the tides, destroyed by salt water. Once a thriving community with restaurants and bars, a rail service for moving freight, and an important stop for thirsty and hungry travelers with cargo, is now covered with mudflats, abandoned buildings, and dead vegetation, and trees.

The cruise took us up close to the water streaming down from the melting ice, and to the ice laden glaciers. My video, and pictures don't do it justice. Best to experience it in person.

Dinner at MyThai. As I said before, the food in Alaska is meh, but this hole in the wall had yummy Thai food. I ordered green tea, and chicken fried rice, minus the chicken, add in the tofu. Both the tea, and my dinner were excellent. This is a good choice if you visit by yourself, and don't want to end up with a bunch of food you cannot finish. It has everything in it—vegetables, protein, and carbs. Do recommend this place, and the service is great.

Downtown anchorage has outdoor concerts for free, and I ran into bunch of them by accident. People dance, drink, and are friendly. 

Anchorage, City Tour (Part 2/4)

Alaska is at the northwest of North America, situated between Russia, and Canada. When I told people that's where I was going, they said, "Oh, it's close to the North Pole." Well, it depends on which North Pole you're talking about. There is a place called North Pole which is a small city in Fairbanks, Alaska. 

But there is also the Geographic North Pole which is at the northernmost part of the earth, does not belong to any country, is not inhabited, sits on a shifting sea ice, in the middle of the arctic ocean (there is no land). To get there from Alaska or from anywhere is a challenge, quite expensive, and you need to be part of a tour/expedition.

The Ulu Factory. At the Ulu Factory, they demonstrate how they make the Ulu knife, and how the rocking motion makes it easier to use with one hand.

This knife was made, and used by the Alaskan natives 5000 years ago for preparing food, and making clothes from animal skin. Originally, the blade was made of stone. I bought a few as souvenirs, and one for myself. It cuts well. Do recommend.

There is a sled, and food cache outside the store. The Russian couple in the above photo had a great sense of humor, and were super friendly. They agreed to pose for me with the sled. 

Since Russia is right next door, Russians used to get on a sled, cross the snow, and come to Alaska without having to go through border control. They would meet up with friends, and sometimes with a friendly community, willing to share their food. They would gather, have fun, and then return home in their sled.

Food Cache hiding behind a tree. Food cache was used to conceal food from wildlife. When there were no refrigerators, people also kept their food outdoors under the snow.

Earthquake Park. This area was home to a community before it collapsed because of the 1964 Alaska earthquake. It's now a memorial, and there are educational boards along the park's path to give visitors a better understanding of what exactly happened, how the earth shifted, the land slid, and the geology changed. 

The earthquake had a magnitude of 9.2, lasted 4 1/2 minutes, and was the most powerful earthquake in the U.S. history, causing tsunamis that travelled across The Pacific from Oregon, to California, to Hawaii, and to many other places. 

Tip: There are a lot of mosquitos here. Make sure you take a repellent before your visit. I had none. A very kind lady had an extra one, and gave it to me. I was grateful. 

Also, if you plan on walking in the park, beware of wildlife such as moose. I learned that they are stubborn animals, and don't like to be surprised. So, take a small bell with you, and make noise every now and then, letting them know that you are nearby.

Point Woronzof. On a clear day, you can see views of Anchorage, and Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America.

The above photo is of Devil's Club, a healing shrub. It's used by the natives for medicine. The bark, and root can be made into teas. You can purchase it in the form of Salve to apply it to joints, and muscles to help them heal. I had an injured ankle before my travels. Melissa taught me how it works, and when I returned home, I bought one. It does work, but it takes time, and you have to massage it in the injured area at least once a day.

 

Cook Inlet. The inlet has powerful tides. The water is a combination of salt water, fresh water from the rivers, and silt from the glaciers. When the tides recede, they leave behind mudflats. There are signs around warning not to walk on mudflats. 

The Cook Inlet is actually called Tikahtnu (means big water river), and Cungaaciq (means blue), named by the natives who inhabited the area for thousands of years, long before the Europeans got there. When the British explorer, Captain James Cook, landed there, he named it after himself.

Lake Hood Harbor. This area is close to the Anchorage airport, and is where seaplanes land and takeoff. Melissa told us that all you need is 40 hours of flight experience, to get licensed. She also said that some pilots love their aircraft so much that they want to be buried with it. Since this is not possible, their burial request is to use their seaplane propeller as a headstone.

My tour guide, Melissa, and me. She is an Alaskan native, an Inuit tribal member who can speak Yupik. Many refer to Inuit, and Yupik as Eskimo. But some natives may find the word Eskimo offensive, and prefer to be referred to as Alaskan native or Inuit. She said that she didn't mind to be called Eskimo. Many live in the U.S., Canada, Greenland, and Russia.

Wild Berry. When you walk in, there is a large version of a chocolate fountain you would find when you go to a holiday brunch, except that you're not allowed to eat from this fountain. In the video, I was thanking someone for not jumping in front of my camera.

They are quite generous to their customers. They not only have samples sitting out, they also let you try something from behind the window before you purchase it.

In the back of the Wild Berry building is the "Rock Man," and behind it is the Awaken Church. The Rock Man monument was like a street sign, marking settlements, hunting grounds, and food caches used by Inuit as a guidance. This monument is a large version of what was found throughout the Arctic.

There is a pretty area outside of the Awaken Church. It's nice to sit there, read a book, take a lunch break, or simply chill, and listen to the sound of nature. 

 

Beluga Point. According to the State of Alaska: "Beluga Point is situated along the 'Turnagain Arm' of Cook Inlet in Alaska." Turnagain Arm is named after Captain James Cook, who was forced to "turn again," in 1778 when he realized the waterway did not lead to the Northwest Passage, an important trading route. 

The Beluga Point has views of surrounding mountains, and the inlet with evidence of early human habitation in the area. It's known for sightings of beluga whales, and wildlife. Called the "canaries of the sea" for the variety of vocal voices they make, the beluga whales' spout is inconspicuous. They blow sphere-shaped bubble rings under water as a form of a play, and communication.  The young belugas are blue gray, and turn white when they are five or six years old. They are the only whales that are white.

If you turn away from the water, and look behind you, you will find a mountainous area. I was trying to find the white Dall sheep climbing the mountain, but they were hard to spot. Here, Melissa was asking me to get in a group photo. Instead, I offered to take pictures of all of them. I prefer being behind a camera 🙃