LeConte Glacier Ice Garden, Alaska

Ice Garden at LeConte Glacier Bay

 LeConte Glacier is the southernmost tidewater glacier in the United States. It empties about 12 miles southeast of the fishing town of Petersburg. The fish packing plant at Petersburg gained prominence early on for using the abundant ice breaking off from the nearby glacier to pack the fresh fish and ship it to far off places like San Francisco.

  LeConte glacier has receded about 9 miles from its terminal moraine. Now, a very shallow mud bar is all that remains to show how far the glacier once advanced to. This bar is a worry to boats trying to navigate through these waters, but it creates a pretty incredible sight just inside of it. All of these huge icebergs created by the actively calving glacier get grounded on the shallow bar and remain stuck inside the bay until they finally break apart or melt away. It was my goal to anchor safely outside the bar, then use small zodiacs to zip in and among the icebergs. I call this area the LeConte Ice Garden.

  Walking around the exposed intertidal area at low tide gives you a perspective like you are walking through an ice sculpture garden. Ice bergs big and small...and massive gives you a chance to immerse yourself into this otherworldly experience. The icebergs are a bit more stable when they are beached, but the danger of pieces falling off and shattering is still very real. Some of the small pieces you are able to lean up against or climb on top of. But huge chunks like the one pictured should be approached with caution. I only stood under this one for a moment, after which I admired it from afar. It is one of my favorite new places in Southeast Alaska. Maybe one day I can show it to you.

  The ice garden here is reminiscent of McBride Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park. Check that out here.

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