| By Roy Witman | | | | anyplace else in the world." Truly thrilling |
| | | | to watch! But glacier discovery goes far |
| When you say, "Alaska," most people begin to | | | | beyond watching from afar. |
| conjure images of bears roaming the | | | | |
| wilderness, moose grazing in the valley and | | | | Explore Via Canoe |
| salmon leaping from the rushing river | | | | |
| currents. But did you know Alaska has… | | | | When you want to get up close and personal, |
| | | | step into a 31-foot canoe and pull alongside |
| · more coastline than all other states | | | | the Davidson Glacier in Haines, Alaska. In |
| combined? | | | | addition, you'll encounter whales, sea lions |
| | | | and other native creatures often so close you |
| · 3 million lakes? | | | | would want to reach out and touch them. |
| | | | (Resist that urge!) |
| · 40% of its area protected in reserves | | | | |
| and national parks? | | | | Step Out Onto A Glacier |
| | | | |
| · over 100 glaciers spanning 14 million | | | | The king of all tours is chartering a |
| acres? | | | | helicopter to fly you in, then actually |
| | | | stepping out onto a glacier. There's a |
| It's the incredible blue-ice glaciers that | | | | certain reverence you feel when standing next |
| have become an enormous draw to wildlife | | | | to massive, jagged ice juts knowing the |
| lovers all around the world. And, since | | | | glacier they rise from took millions of years |
| Alaska has so many to offer, it has become | | | | to form. Outfitted with special glacier |
| the playground for glacier discovery. | | | | boots, your guide will take you trekking |
| | | | across one of numerous glaciers including |
| Cruising is one of the most exciting ways to | | | | Chilkat Glacier, Ferebee Glacier or Meade |
| explore glaciers because you are actually on | | | | Glacier. Along the way, you'll thrill at |
| the water. Many cruise lines, including | | | | cascading waterfalls and crystal-like rivers |
| Holland America, offer tours to Glacier Bay | | | | of ice. |
| National Park, College Fjord, the Inside | | | | |
| Passage, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and | | | | Flightseeing At Its Best |
| Hubbard Glacier. | | | | |
| | | | For photography buffs, flightseeing over |
| Glacier Bay National Park | | | | wilderness areas and glaciers is a must. |
| | | | Helicopters get you closer than any plane |
| A Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage | | | | could as you swoop over waterfalls and lush |
| Site, a protected ecosystem of plants and | | | | rainforests on your way to the Juneau |
| animals… Glacier Bay National Park is | | | | Icefield with 36 named glaciers. A frozen, |
| all these things. But what excites most | | | | serene wonderland, just being in this area |
| visitors are the glaciers themselves. | | | | commands respect. Perhaps it's a sense of |
| | | | awe at this rare beauty. It could be concern |
| According to Holland America's website, | | | | for the future of this region. In fact, |
| "… when a monumental chunk of ice | | | | while most glaciers are retreating due to the |
| splits off a glacier and crashes into the | | | | possible affects of global warming, one in |
| sea, the sound is like thunder. The impact | | | | the Juneau Icefield is still advancing. |
| shoots water hundreds of feet into the air. | | | | |
| You hold your breath as you catch the moment | | | | From icy spires to deep crevasses to eagles |
| on film. Then you wait for it all to happen | | | | flying overhead, the photo opps on Alaska |
| again. And it does. Glacier Bay has more | | | | glaciers are fantastic and sure to provide |
| actively calving tidewater glaciers than | | | | memories that will last a lifetime. |