| The Spectacular peaks of the Chilkat range define the boundary between Glacier Bay National Park and Haines. Glacier Bays ice fields and wildlife are just a few miles from Haines by air. The flight over the range and the Tongass National Forest is beautiful but prepare yourself as you witness the devastating effects clear cutting has on the environment. Thousands of square miles of forest have been removed with nary a twig in sight. Generally not visible by boat, it is quite noticeable by air. Everything taken. The land stripped bare. Canopies that once housed the rain forest are removed and the land is dry and barren. Regrowth is centuries away. I leave Haines for a three day camping trip to Glacier Bay. The Haines Airways flight is non-stop to Gustavus. I take the copilot seat in single engine Cessna. Early morning flights are risky in Alaska because the fog often keeps planes grounded for hours, but this morning was clean and sunny. We arrive in Gustavus and board a bus, a free shuttle to the Glacier Bay Lodge. Unfortunately, my budget does not include elegant lodge accommodations, I've brought a tarp, a sleeping bag, and some dehydrated goodies. A trail leads from the lodge into the beyond. I hike in several miles and set up camp. The next day I board the Spirit of Adventure, a day long ocean journey into the heart of Glacier Bay. Almost instantly we spot several whales, a mink and a humpback.  The weather is perfect and the seas are calm. We pass many islands, some inhabited by colonies of sea lions others by puffins and other sea birds. Its like a scene from National Geographic. Most animals pay little notice as the boat motors by. After an hour of cruising up the bay, we stop at a natural landing on the shore. Here kayakers disembark leaving only a float plan. The boat will pick them up on their scheduled return date. Most kayakers I talked to stayed out between 5 to 7 days. This is my plan for 2002. The boat continues on. Our goal is the Muir Glacier at the extreme north end of the bay. We begin to pass floating ice and soon icebergs, evidence of  calving glaciers. The seals consider the ice somewhat of floating sofa. A nice place to soak up some rays. We pass many Glaciers on the way north. Below is just one of many you will see, but none as spectacular as Muir. Some glaciers recede and some move forward. They are all unique in color and composition. The size of the ice fields are not done justice by the photographs. The photo of the Muir glacier on the next page was taken over a mile away. |
