The two RV Gypsies hiked on
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Below: Matanuska Glacier as seen
from the main road |
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Matanuska Glacier
is the largest glacier accessible by car in Alaska. The Matanuska Glacier
is a large ice flow, 24 miles long and 4 miles wide at the terminus, averaging
approximately 2 miles in width. This glacier is a valley glacier; it exists
on a valley floor. The rocky dirt part at the beginning of the glacier
has 600 feet of ice below the surface. Upon arriving at the ice part of the
glacier, there is 900 feet of ice below the surface. |
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The two RV Gypsies
drove to the parking lot closest to the Matanuska Glacier and hiked over
the gravel, sand and large boulders that have been deposited by the glacier
as it advances. The two RV Gypsies stopped at the office to pay the fee required to walk on the glacier. |
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Lee Duquette walked the trail beside
beautiful wildflowers growing on the glacier. |
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The majority
of glaciers in Alaska today are smaller alpine glaciers which hang off
mountain slopes. The Matanuska is an active glacier which advances at
one foot per day. It takes approximately 250 years for the ice to form
up glacier and advance to the terminus. The ice of an active glacier always
moves forward due to gravity; like water in a river, the ice will flow
down valley. When ice melts at a higher rate than snow accumulates the
glacier margin 'recedes'. (The term 'receding' does not refer to the ice
actually traveling back up the valley.) |
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Don't fall in .......... |
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The two RV Gypsies approached the ice part of the glacier and encountered two signs. They proceeded past this point even though they did not have a guide, because they had permission from the office where they paid a fee to enter the glacier area. | |
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Frozen
"blue" ice that looks like water |
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The two RV Gypsies met up with a fellow hiker on the glacier. They were the only 3 people on the glacier. They crossed several small streams of water and went all the way to the lake in the middle of the glacier. They spent about two hours exploring this wonderful glacier. | |
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Lee Duquette liked this big boulder that was in the middle of the glacier. He pointed to the top of the boulder, which had a triangle filled with water - see the photo on the right, below. | |
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crystal clear water |
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Lee Duquette thought this looked
like "butt cheeks" - LOL |
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Lee Duquette reached the lake in the middle of the glacier and took a photo of Karen Duquette |
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The two RV Gypsies hiked on this glacier June 10, 2009 - these photos - and again on July 22, 2009 - only to find it looked entirely different - and they were unable to reach to the lake. Only tours with crampons could get there. (Crampons are outdoor footwear that include pointed metal parts and are worn on boots to provide traction on snow and ice.) In 2016, the two RV Gypsies did a guided crampon tour on this glacier and again, it was totally different. You can get to the second tour from the Alaska button above and choose item 18, OR just continue the journey in order by viewing the photos of Palmer below. Don't worry because you would still see the second glacier hike if you continue these pages in order. All glaciers can also be reached from the TOC button at the top of any page, and choosing the letter G. |
see a travelling mailbox, and road conditions in Alaska, a moose in the campground, ATV adventure and more |