NaturePhoto Wikimedia CommonsMatanuska Glacier
Alaska · United States
At 27 miles long and 4 miles wide it is Alaska's largest glacier accessible by road. It also is boasts one of the most accessible areas to walk on of any glacier in Alaska. Marvel at ice that formed 10,000 years ago high in the Chugach Mountains. Your day will start with a magnificent scenic drive along the Glenn Highway with stunning mountain vistas and plenty of time for photo stops. Next we will drive to the toe of the glacier to dawn our ice cleats and helmets to and begin exploring the glacier by foot. Each day is unique due to the dynamic nature of the glacier. We generally spend two hours and walk three miles on the ice. Finally, we will stop for lunch at a local eatery with stunning views of the glacier. This is a once in a lifetime bucket list opportunity to explore glacial ice!
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Matanuska Glacier
Welcome, intrepid traveler, to the profound, awe-inspiring presence of the Matanuska Glacier. As you step out of your vehicle at the check-in area, prepare your mind to comprehend a geological phenomenon of staggering proportions. …
Listen in the app2The Terminal Moraine
Our approach to the pure ice takes us first across a chaotic, muddy landscape known as the terminal moraine. Notice the incredibly rugged, uneven terrain beneath your feet. …
Listen in the app3Basal Ice and Rock Flour
As we proceed onto the solid surface, I want to draw your attention to a specific, highly unusual coloration in some of the ice around us. You may notice patches or streaks of ice that appear dirty, or possess a strange, milky,…
Listen in the app4Internal Deformation and Creep
To truly appreciate the surface we are walking upon, we must pause and briefly discuss the bizarre physics of glacial ice. We intuitively think of ice as a rigid, brittle solid. …
Listen in the app5Navigating the Crevasses
We now find ourselves carefully picking our way through a dense, highly active field of crevasses. These massive, gaping wounds in the ice are the direct, dramatic result of the brittle failure we just discussed. …
Listen in the app6The Serac Amphitheater
Prepare to have your sense of scale entirely distorted. We have stepped into an area that can only be described as the Serac Amphitheater. …
Listen in the app7Moulins and Subglacial Flow
Our final specialized stop on the ice brings us to the edge of a truly terrifying and fascinating hydrological feature: a moulin. The word moulin is French for 'mill', a highly appropriate name for these vertical, perfectly…
Listen in the app8Closing
As we carefully step off the pure, blue ice and back onto the rocky, muddy terminal moraine, take a moment to look back at the chaotic, magnificent expanse of the Matanuska Glacier. You have just completed a journey that few…
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What is Matanuska Glacier?
Matanuska Glacier is a place in Alaska · United States with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Alaska · United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Nature |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 61.6558, -147.5811 |
| Last updated |