So Saturday, Day 5, we woke up in Girdwood and headed up the Alyeska Mountain tram nearby. The ride was less than 5 minutes so no time to get nervous!
When we got up there, there was still plenty of snow. In fact, ski season just ended a few weeks ago. So, since they had a big winter, the hiking trails weren't open. So we did the next best thing.
Made snow angels. Of course!
We know how to have fun no matter what!
After coming down the mountain, we headed to Portage Glacier area and saw the ice bergs from it then visited nearby Byron Glacier. Started sprinkling and ended up being a soggy 3+ mile roundtrip hike. But worth it of course. We touched it!!
Byron Glacier
Ice bergs on Portage Lake.
Idiot photographers who weren't supposed to be climbing it. Not me this time!
On our drive from. There to Moose Pass area, we were struck again and again by the pretty blue-green glacial waters flowing into lakes and streams.
Seriously Alaska, you keep surprising us!
When we got to tiny Moose Pass, there was a summer solstice festival going on, so we did a little shopping and a little ice cream eating.
Caribou Caramel something or other.
Our campsite view at Ptarmigan Creek. Always a view!
This morning we trekked south toward Seward and stopped to hike out to Exit Glacier. A bit challenging and, oh, soggy again. I cannot believe how much that glacier has melted, even the past 20 years. They had date markers indicating where the glacier once ended. Crazy.
So much for a slow melt. Pretty to see it while we could!
After that hike, we went into Seward, where we had a 3 1/2 hour boat tour. One of the few things we got tickets for months ago. How would we know it would rain the whole time??
Still, it was pretty and we saw three glaciers, two humpback whales, tons of birds, including our first puffins and common murre (which are the penguins of the north), lots of sea lions, a pair of mountain goats, and a handful of otters. Ope, and an eagle to greet us on our return. My camera got more wet than I planned, but it still works fine. And our rain jackets and rain pants work amazing. Here's a few highlights anyway...
After the chilly tour, we grabbed some hot pizza and stopped to see the Lowell Point waterfall down the road.
It's roaring so hard and fast out of the mountain side! If you didn't have to go to the bathroom already, you do now!
We reserved a campsite on the waterfront in Seward. Again, not knowing it would be a rainy eve.
But again, not a bad view. Sorry to throw so much at you. Tough to remember two days of stuff when I feel like we've been here a month!
Happy Father's Day!
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