Exploring Northwestern Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park for the First Time

 

One of my favorite pictures from the trip. Our kayak team sits in a sea of ice, watching and feeling giant pieces of ice calving off the face of Northwestern Glacier.

Kenai Fjords National Park is located on the Kenai peninsula, just south of Anchorage, Alaska. It is where we finished our ten day expedition, at a place called Northwestern Glacier. The huge Harding Ice Field sits in the high coastal mountains here, and multiple glaciers tumble out of the ice field, winding their way down to the ocean below. Northwestern is where one of these glaciers meets the ocean. We had never been there before as a company, so this was a true expeditionary moment.

We traveled for miles down the fjord without seeing the glacier. The water was calm and the wind was non existent. These are perfect recipes for adventuring by kayak and small boats. There is a bend in the fjord which provides an unveiling moment where you finally see the glacier. We had planned to just check it out with the big boat and continue on to a more well known glacier closer to Seward, but what we discovered this morning made us change our whole itinerary for the day. I immediately said, "lets get the small boats and kayaks ready. This is where we are doing activities today!"

We sent off our adventurous guests on kayaks and skiffs from about a mile and a half away from the glacier's face. There were thousand foot waterfalls cascading off the walls of the fjord, and lots of floating ice. We could hear thundering as we neared the glacier anytime a piece of ice would fall of the calving face, into the water below. Harbor seals watched us from their icy haul outs on the floating icebergs.

Once we got as close to the glacier as was safe, we just turned off the engines of the small boats and opened up our senses. The glacier was very active from all sides, giving us a surround sound, almost as if we were inside the glacier. Calvings were happening all around us, dumping more ice into the bay below. We even had a few big snow avalanches from high up on the mountainsides. We watched as house-sized chunks of ice tumbled, almost as if in slow motion, down the glacier, finally careening into the water next to the kayakers.

I sat their amazed that we had this kind of place and experience, and that we were the only boat there. It is a remote location, but I can't help but think that if this were somewhere more accessible, there would be ticket booths, boardwalks, RV parks, and lines for days. This is the beauty of Alaska. Sometimes those big empty places on the map are just what the world needs. Wild places do still exist, and I love being a visitor to them and being able to share the adventure.

We would have stayed in front of the beautiful glacier longer, but I knew we had to get back to the mother ship before lunch with enough time for the much anticipated 'Polar Plunge.' It was an icy challenge, but several guests joined me. It was an incredible finish to a wild and wonderful Aleutian Islands UnCruise expedition trip. I'll definitely be coming back here on future trips.

A curious harbor seal bravely checks us out. He kept getting closer and closer as we sat and silently drifted in front of the glacier.

I thought at first that there were three seals on this iceberg, then I realized it is just two, with a pet rock.

One of our kayakers backing away from a huge calving from the glacier.

There were quite a few harbor seals hauled out on the ice flows in front of the glacier.

There is nothing quite like being in front of a glacier. We got up close to Northwestern Glacier with skiffs and kayaks today. Incredibly calm conditions made for excellent glacier viewing.

Dave's skiff tour, heading out from the Safari Explorer in the background.

The cracks and crevices of Northwestern Glacier, a close up.

The glacier was active today. Lots of ice crashed down into the fjord while we watched.

This was a big calving from 2000ft up, cascading ice and snow down the mountainside for a couple minutes.

Our kayak team, led by Christian today, heading out from the Safari Explorer. They had to paddle through ice for over a mile to get nearer to the glacier.

And they had to paddle past thousand plus foot waterfalls, cascading down the walls of the fjord.

A lone paddler in front of a massive wall of ice. This is how you explore a glacier!

Kayakers paddling in pristine conditions in the fjord created by Northwestern Glacier.

My coworker, Emma, braving the polar plunge.

Young Odin, tasting ancient ice from the glacier. We go for the whole sensory experience here.

Exploring Northwestern fjord for the very first time in UnCruise's history.

Hitting the backflip into the icy cold waters of the fjord.

Team kayak on their way back from the face of Northwestern Glacier, here in Kenai Fjords National Park.

I drove one of our small boats this morning up to the face of the glacier. We turned off the engine and listened to the creaks and groans and thunderous roars. The glacier was active all around us.

Not bad conditions for a kayak. It is so unbelievable that we can have places like this all to ourselves.

Anyone for a icewater bath?

These waterfalls cascaded down thousands of feet from the snow and ice melt high up on the fjord walls.

There are some pretty wondrous places in the world. Northwestern Glacier is one of them.