Monday, July 12, 2010

Worthington Glacier

Today Helen and I started out to climb up to Worthington Glacier, about 32 miles from Valdez. About 20 miles into the trip we came across Horse Tail Falls and Helen wanted to take a few pictures. In only a few seconds she was back in the car asking what the message on the camera screen meant. I looked and thought, Oh S**T. The last time I downloaded pictures I didn't put the memory stick back in the camera. twenty miles later we got back to the RV. I've been getting in the habit of shutting off the engine and coasting the last 100 feet to the camper. The dogs don't know I'm coming and they don't bark. If they hear us in advance, they raise quite a ruckus and I don't want that in the campground. The dogs were asleep, Coco on the couch and Jodie beside our bed. We had the couch covered so we didn't care. I got the stick and we were back on our way.

Below is Horse Tail Falls. This may be impressive, but there were waterfalls everywhere.



Below is a picture that shows the scale of the canyon to my little Jeep.



Helen, on the way up to the glacier.



This is where we are headed.



You will notice a lot of rubble on top of the glacier at this point. I wanted to get over to the ice, but this crevasse was in the way. Going further up the glacier was no longer an option.



Here's Helen posing on the glacier. We were both surprised to see all the rock on top of the glacier. It made for good traction, but it wasn't the white surface we expected.



And this is where water was rushing down the glacier and disappearing into this hole. I had to walk across this spot ans hoped that it was solid near the hole. It was.



Here's the old man of the glacier. I DID get to it.



Here Helen is showing her elation at getting to the glacier and getting back. It was more of a climb than we had expected and I know that I'm already sore in areas.



I drove Helen back to the motorhome and then I went fishing. The river that was so clear a few days ago was gray with silt today. I tried, but it was half hearted due to the water. I went back and picked up the family and we took the dogs for a swim. That ends another day at Valdez.

2 comments:

  1. Well...you guys are just about the only ones on my Alaska blogroll that I have not met yet. Yesterday we met Gene http://kb7q.blogspot.com/ in Ninilchik. We are in Anchorage today but will be heading up the Glenn Hwy tomorrow. We might skip Valdez so we can have a few extra days to visit friends in Washington on the way home.

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  2. Looks like a great day at the glacier, bloy that is something I look forward to seeing someday, your pictures like always are great and informative. looks like you both had a great time. Glad to hear that Jodie & Coco got a chance for a swim, I know they enjoy that. Be safe out there Sam & Donna..&Rigg's

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