Glacier Bay did not exist when Captain Vancouver and Captain Cook passed by in the late 1700's because the glaciers extended right up to the mouth of Icy Strait.
About half of the current park had melted into deep fjords when John Muir paddled up with native Tlingets in 1879.
When we entered in mid-summer 2010 it was pretty damn thawed out - but there is still lots of ice to explore.
Joe and Muz Ibach built a cabin in Reid Valley before it became a National Park. We tried to find the cabin using Kim Heacox's book, The Only Kayak, as a guide. We never found it - but that is not to slander Kim. We all like Kim's book - we just never found the cabin. But we did find some of Joe's mining claims.
This is the only timer picture from our journey with the three of us in the frame. We just walked up the shoulder of Reid glacier. Reid is not a shiny blue glacier - its a dirty glacier, but that shouldn't take away from the shot.
Three old friends resting on their haunches on a dirty, receding glacier.
Kitson knew the glacier would be grayish, so he planned his wardrobe accordingly.
Reid Glacier was a tidewater glacier but in the past few years it has receded to the point where only a high tide will slap salt water at its ankles. It is enjoying its last few months of enjoying tidewater status.
1 comment:
which two rode double on the kayak???
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