It was a nice 3 nights in Girdwood but time to head down to Portage. It's only about 10 miles to the turnoff
Portage Valley lies within the Chugach National Forest
At the end of the road is the town of Whittier - cruise ships arrive there - looks like one might have landed recently
We're hoping that since it is Wednesday we won't have trouble finding a spot at the National Forest campground.
On the first loop we see this site with a view of Middle Glacier. It is a double wide site so it is $28 instead of $18. I decide we should spend the big bucks since we have the Senior Access Pass and that brings it down to $14.
Look Mom! There's a trail behind the camper!
and it leads to a creek! He didn't stay in long - its from glacier ice melt.
The site is also adjacent to the Trail of Blue Ice - a 5 mile hiking trail that goes the length of the Valley
We decide to check it out and do the 1.5 mile hike to Black Bear campground. It is a nice boardwalk trail.
With Stunning views
and cool bridges
It follows and crosses Williwaw Creek
Wildflowers are blooming.
A view of Portage Creek
A pleasant warm-up hike before lunch
After lunch, we drive up to the visitor's center and do the Bryon Glacier Hike. We visit the Begich Boggs Visitors' Center named after two Alaskan politicians killed in a plane crash in 1972.
A great film of the history of the area
At the end they lift the screen and this is the view
I stopped to show Smokey some pictures of the bear at the campground, he said bears like that give all bears a bad name. Then he reminded me that only I could prevent forest fires.
Next is the Byron Glacier Trail.
It is a beautiful warm sunny day
A creek from the runoff of the Glacier
The Glacier has receded quite a bit but there is still some snow and ice down below
People in the picture offers some perspective on size
It has dropped massive amounts of boulders in its path
View looking back
You have to be very careful where you walk as you never know how deep the ice is, where there might be a crevace and what is underneath
Time to head back
Portage Glacier is no longer visible from the road, as it is receding an average of one
foot a day,
but sometimes its icebergs can be seen in the lake, in front of
the parking area
No comments:
Post a Comment
Talk to us! Let us know what you think!