Ted Land and fellow hikers get some last minute instructions. (Zac Gooch/KTUU-DT) |
That would be a trip to Exit Glacier in Seward.
Guide Dan Schieffelin is not trying to scare us when he mentions the bears.
"That's where the bears like to hang out," Schieffelin said while pointing to some berries.
He just wants to make sure we know the steep ascent into the world's farthest-north rainforest is not easy.
"If you eat this," Schieffelin warns, gesturing to a plant I've never seen, "good chance you'll die from intestinal bleeding."
Fortunately we're not here to eat the plants, except for maybe a few ripe salmon berries.
The first hour is mostly uphill and exhausting. But it's nice to stop often and take in the views.
The glacier is always moving downhill and is basically a frozen river.
Soon the thick, humid air is punctuated by burst of cool, and we know we're close.
On this day, the glacier glows a deep blue because of the cloudy sky.
This summer, the ice is melting fast. Mount Redoubt's eruption covered it with dark ash, which absorbs heat from the sun.
Schieffelin says it's alarming how much it's retreated just in the past few months.
If you go:
- A five-hour hike will cost you $125, which includes gear rental.
- As always, take plenty of food and water, as well as basic survival gear.
Contact Ted Land at tland@ktuu.com
