Aialik Glacier Calving

To continue from my previous post, What Is At The Other Side of Harding Icefield, another glacier that flows out of Harding Icefield is Aialik Glacier.

Aialik Glacier, When It Was Peaceful

Aialik Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier of Kenai Fjords National Park. A tidewater glacier terminates at sea level and calves directly into the sea. 

Aialik Glacier Terminating Into the Gulf of Alaska

The source of Aialik Glacier is the vast Harding Icefield. The face of the Aialik Glacier is 300 to 400 feet high from sea level to top, but its source, the Harding Icefield, is 3500-4000 ft thick of ice. 

One of the natural dynamic changes that occurs in a tidewater glacier is ice calving. Ice calving is the sudden release of a mass of ice from a glacier or from an iceberg, or from other huge masses of ice. When we were close to the glacier but still at a very safe distance, we were asked to become quiet and listen to our surroundings. With silence, we saw and heard glacier calmness, and the chilly winds glued us onlookers in awe.

Hoodoo Like Structures of Aialik Glaciers

Then, we heard a cracking sound somewhere, soft at first, that we onlookers were looking where it came from. Then, the cracking sound started to rumble and roar, and we saw flakes of ice falling into the frigid waters of the sea. 

Aialik Glacier Calving

The falling ice roared like thunder, maybe many times louder. The sea jumps as the ice threw water into the air.

Splash of Ice Threw Water Into The Air (can you see the bird flying away?)

Then, the ice fall became softer, and gentler, looking more like a waterfall.

Icefall Thinning towards the end of Glacier Calving

Thin Ice Fall Looked Like A Waterfall

When all the calving was over, the meeting of the mountains, sea and ice looked calm again, as calm as we first saw it. Birds were flying into the glacier again, not flying away.

After the Glacier Calving, Everything Is Calm and Birds Flew In

A lot more ice spread out in the sea.

Ice That Fell from the Calving

As the sea calmed, we started seeing wildlife which seemed to be rejoicing either for a life spared,or for the ice that fell to answer their needs.

Sea Otter thankful for having Escaped the Wrath of Ice Fall or Thankful for More Ice

Sea Otters and Harbor Seals often haul out on icebergs, which offer refuge from terrestrial predators such as bears. Also, orca whales don't usually hunt in ice-choked fjords. The reason why fjord estuary ecosystem is one of the richest assemblages of life on Earth. 

Seal Looking Perhaps for a Bigger Ice to Haul For Safety

Happy Sea Otters, 

perhaps they sing: "let there be more ice, don't make them too big we can't climb, but don't make them too small either we'll get caught"

As we left Aialik Glacier, the experience still continue to linger, and the memories of the dynamic changes in nature serves as one of the living lessons of why everything has a purpose. 

What Is At The Other Side of Harding Icefield?

A Hiker Enjoying the Scenery at the Harding Icefield

Our hike to Harding Icefield during our second day Alaskan trip is for me the best part of our seven full days wandering. When I was planning the itinerary for our trip, I thought I saved the best part for last, that is hiking in the glacier! I am not saying I did not enjoy our glacier hike, I actually enjoyed our glacier hike immensely. However, Harding Icefield totally blew me away, in maybe all aspects. Physically, because the wind at the end of trail of Harding Icefield was extremely strong that we had to really exert so much pressure on the ground not to be blown away. Mentally, emotionally and spiritually, the forces that shape Harding Icefield continue to inspire me. Maybe it is because I have never seen something like this before. Though we saw many glaciers on our first day, but it is at this day where we came very close to a glacier and looked at it in all directions. Harding Icefield covers 700 square miles of Kenai Mountains in glacier ice, connecting a network of 38 glaciers. During our hike, we only were able to take a glimpse of one of the glaciers, the Exit Glacier which I shared in my earlier post. In my two previous posts, Hiking Harding Icefield and Exit Glacier, I mentioned I will be sharing next the other glaciers of the Harding Icefield.

Bear Glacier

The first glacier I will share is the Bear Glacier. Bear Glacier is the largest glacier flowing out of the Harding Icefield. It was hard for me to imagine that we were at the other side of this glacier a day before, at 3500 ft level of a sea of ice. 

the other side of Harding Icefield is the Gulf of Alaska

Mentally, it is mind blowing for me to think that just the other day, we were sitting close to the peak of the icefield at the other side of this ocean. I guess being a lover of both the mountains and the ocean, this is what makes Kenai Fjords National Park very special for me, a place, where not only mountains and oceans meet, but mountains, oceans and ice. The Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 to " maintain unimpaired the scenic and environmental integrity of the Harding Icefield, its outflowing glaciers and coastal fjords and islands....This park is about ice and its legacy, glaciers, icefields and coastal fjords."- source: http://www.nps.gov/kefj/naturescience/naturalfeaturesandecosystems.htm . The fjord estuary ecosystem is one of the richest assemblages of life on Earth, and found only in 6 locations around the planet ( Chile, Norway, New Zealand, Alaska, Greenland and Antartica). Much of Kenai Fjords National Park cannot be accessed by foot, and I am glad we took the Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier and Wildlife Cruise to be able to see the other side of Harding Icefield. It gives me the dreamy thought that we have crossed the icefield to the other side, only that, we did not cross it on foot :)

Big Crumbles of Ice, Kenai Fjords National Park

In my next post, I will share one of the most magical experiences I had observing the dynamic change in nature first hand, where all those ice in the above picture came from, and another glacier of the Harding Icefield. 

Olympic National Park

Sea Stars and Sea stacks, Olympic National Park, WA

In my previous post, I mentioned about sharing some of the hikes we did at North Cascades National Park. However, while I was reviewing our pictures from our recent Washington trip, my excitement to share my favorite National Park among the three National Parks we visited seems to explode. So please pardon me if I just have to give in to this excitement and write about the joys I found in Olympic Peninsula, found in the Northwestern corner of Washington State. I will however go back to sharing the joys, hits and misses we have in each trails after I write about all the three National Parks in Washington.

Hole in the Wall, Olympic National Park, WA

Now, what makes Olympic National Park very special for me? First, this park has my favorite part of the world, hiking and the ocean! As much as I love the challenge of hiking up the slopes and see the different geological formations of the Earth, I also love listening to and riding  the ocean's waves with the fishes (and sometimes dolphins). And just like Big Sur and Redwood National Park, two of my favorite places in CA, here, the forested mountains is also kissed by the sea! It is for this reason perhaps, that there are more backpackers here than beachcombers. Though there may be no giant redwoods and redwood  forests here, but temperate rain forests mantle the western portion of the peninsula.

Quinalt Rain Forest, Olympic National Park

Walking along the trails inside the rain forest feels like being transported back in time. 

Maple Grade Trail, Quinalt Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, WA

I felt like I can stay here forever with probably the ghosts of the past guiding me. And since this is close to the ocean, whenever I felt like swimming with the fishes and be energized by the ocean's waves, like the bald eagles or the vampires in Twilight, I can probably just fly down to the sea :)

American Bald Eagle at Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, WA

But unlike the bald eagle waiting for fish,

 Two American Bald Eagles Perched on Rock Ready to Fish @ Rialto Beach

( you have to click to see clearly the bald eagles)

I will be probably just join the fishes enjoying the waves, or enjoying the tidepools at low tide. 

Sea Stars, Tidepool Area at Hole in the Wall, Olympic National Park, WA

The sea stacks here at Olympic National Park, also reminds me of Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve in Lee Vining, California. 

Sea Stacks, Olympic National Park, WA

These sea stacks, just like the tufas at Mono Lake, look like eerie guards of an Alien Kingdom. The sea stacks and the mossed branches and trunks in the rain forests,  

Mossed Maple Tree

together make this place very mystical for me. No wonder why the story of Twilight was inspired from here, in Forks, which is a little town by Olympic Coast. But Olympic National Park is more than just the ocean and temperate rain forest, this is a peninsula of great contrasts and diversity. Aside from the Pacific Ocean Beaches and rain forest valleys, there are gushing river and waterfalls, 

Sul Doc River and Falls, Olympic National Park, WA

glacier-capped mountain peaks, glacial lakes, wildflower filled meadows, 

Meadow at Lake Crescent

and a stunning variety of plant and animal life. 

In my next post, I will be sharing Mt. Rainier National Park, and after that, will be the different trails and activities we did at these three National Parks and other parks of Washington. 

Life is Beautiful!

Life is beautiful, jump!

Me @ Lake Lucille, Wasilla, Alaska

Life is beautiful, like a hike, it has lots of ups and downs, crossing trails, winding switchbacks and beautiful scenic turns. However, like a hike, some people are afraid to explore life. Some are afraid of taking taking chances because of the uncertainties. But isn't life about taking chances ever since? Had we not taken that first step when we were still toddlers, we would not end up where we are, how we are, why we are, and who we are today. Though we had grown older and taller, but we still keep on wondering, stumbling, struggling, pursuing and growing in many aspects that make us, well, forever young! Young, but not childish, with a child-like heart that always seek for answers to our inherently curious minds. Like a child, we explore our world and ourselves. We seek understanding, because we know that in our understanding of the world we live in, we will be more prepared to make decisions on which crossings to take. We will be more prepared to handle failures that will bring us to success. Life is beautiful, the risks are what makes it even more meaningful and beautiful. Yes, life is not without risks, and it requires us to jump! However, we don't jump blindly, but rather, we jump with smart preparations. Now that we are older and are more aware of the many risks in life we go through each day, we simply do not jump without preparing for our loved ones we may leave behind. One of those preparations we secure is life insurance, not for us, but for our loved ones. We do not want to burden our loved ones with our disappearing cost, which sadly, may cost them financial ruin if we do not prepare for it. But how do we chose which life insurance is best for your family needs? For a start, you can ask for free Life Insurance online quotes that will match your personal and family needs. There are various kinds of life insurance, each catered to personal and family needs. Insurance Information Exchange is also another site where you can make more informed decisions.

So, when we walk armed, do we turn around when we encounter manageable obstacles? Or do we jump? 

Hiking Harding Icefield

Hiking the Harding Icefield Trail is one of my most memorable hikes ever. A hike and a place I will never forget. Harding Icefield connects a network of 38 glaciers. One of these glaciers is the Exit Glacier which you can see below me in the first picture. I will show some of the other glaciers in a later post that flow out of Harding Icefield. Harding Icefield is about 4000 ft thick of ice, but it does not bury completely the underlying mountains as you can see in the picture.

Me, Jumping for Fun at Harding Icefield Trail, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska

(did not know I jumped with my camera dangling on my neck)

High On Ice, Hikers on Exit Glacier

A Closer Look of Exit Glacier

The trail however is not all about ice. The trailhead at the valley floor where the Exit Glacier terminates is a forest of cottonwood and alder. In about 1000 ft elevation the forest disappears to allow a hike that overlooks the Harding Icefield.

Harding Icefield Trail at about 1 mile of the hike and 1000 ft elevation gain

Above the treeline, thick wildflowers start to appear, and the combination of alpine glaciated peaks, the forest below, glaciers, river flowing across the valley floor and wildlflowers made it feel like almost hiking in heaven. Despite the trail seems like a continuous steep staircase of rock strewn slopes, gaining 1000 ft elevation for every mile, yet the challenge is worth it all.

Wildflowers Lining the Trail Above Treeline

At about halfway of the hike, the rocky staircase gave way to snow covered slopes.

Us @ The Harding Icefield Trail

The above picture was taken by my husband, capturing the moment where we would pose for photo opportunities, each of us taking turns to pose. In the above picture, I was photographing my cousin ( picture below).

Though raising of the trekking poles mean we have conquered the trail, but in this spot actually, we only have walked 3.5 miles and climbed 2800 ft. We still had to walk 0.7 miles and climb 700 ft higher.

Almost There, Reaching the Sea of Ice

After climbing 3500 ft and walking 4.2 miles, we reached the end of trail,  where after that to continue means to cross the Icefield.

Me @ the End of Trail

It is extremely windy and cold at the top, I feared the wind will blow me down to the Icefield. There was no way for us to repeat our jumping pictures at the end of trail since we even have to sit sometimes to avoid being blown by the wind. To learn more about the nature, science and hiking Harding Icefield, please visit Kenai Fjords National Park site here.  

Meanwhile, you can also check my other blog, for some of my firsts in Alaska. 

Of course, after reaching the top, means to go back down. 

Hiking Down

When we reached the valley floor, we added more distance to our hike by continuing to the edge of Exit Glacier. You can find my post about Exit Glacier here.

Lost To Summer Waves

It is my summer break, and I am supposed to have a lot of free time!! But how come it seems I am updating my blog less often than when I was busier before? I could no longer blame my lack of posts here and absence in blogosphere to my busy schedule of balancing both teaching and studying since I am now free from the classroom both as a teacher and as a student. And I could not blame it on Facebook either, even though I spend a million times over in FB than in this site, but then, it's my summer break and I am supposed to have a lot of free time. So, where did all my free time go? I spend them mostly with the waves :)



Since my school break, life has been chasing the waves mainly for me. For about a month now, I have not put on my hiking shoes :( I miss hiking, but whenever I plan to hike, I would see the ocean. I tell myself to boogie first for an hour or so, and hike after. But what happens is, once I am in the water, I forget about time! I end up body boarding for hours, and when I am done I feel my legs and arms so tired I hardly have energy to hike because I spent it all kicking and paddling to have a free ride with the waves.

Anyway, this summer waves won't last. Soon, the water will turn cold again, and I would not be motivated anymore to jump in and have fun with the waves.

So, while the water temperature is comfortable this summer, I might as well have fun with it! And yes, I am enjoying my staycation in San Diego. I may take a break from the waves though to go back to my other interests in life. Yes, back to hiking and clicking away. Did I not say before that my July 4th post will be that of my pictures of San Diego Zoo's Safari Park to follow my post on Faces-Part 2 that featured my husband's pictures of various animals' faces? Well, truth is, I have not been back to Safari Park :( I really had been conquered by the waves.

Maybe, next time. Meanwhile, I have to go back to wearing my hiking shoes again and swinging my trekking poles.