Matanuska Glacier, AK : Day with MICA Guides

Our first day in Alaska- what a way to start! We landed overnight and drove 35 miles to Palmer, AK and stayed there for the night. The next morning we drove out about 90 minutes on Glenn Highway. The scenery is pretty all along the highway. Watch out for moose- I guess that applies everywhere in AK. 

The folks at Mica are really friendly. They will suit you up with pretty much anything and everything you need. You are required to wear a helmet and crampons throughout your time on the glacier. Here is a useful tip- when it gets warm or sunny, people keep their jackets on the glacier. Folks walking around with crampons on uneven surface many a time lose their balance and step on these jackets/backpacks leaving holes in them. Watch where you keep your things! 

Get a hot chocolate (cash only) at Mica Mocha before you head out onto the glacier. The glacier is accessible to the public as well. There is a $40 access fee to enter the glacier. If you are here without guides be very careful where you tread. The glacier has lots of black ice. To compound things- the small stream you see with brackish water could be 10-20 feet deep. Do not step into any pools or streams.

This is what the glacier looks like from the Mica Guides parking lot.

Matanuska Glacier from far

About the photograph:

ISO 200, 59mm, f/5.6 1/500

Below is the view from the last point you can drive upto. After this there is no trail.

Matanuska Glacier from car parking lot

About the photograph:

ISO 200, 85mm, f/16, 1/80

After walking about quarter of a mile from the parking lot, you will reach the glacier. Crampons are recommended. Watch for black ice and quicksand. The color of the water is brackish apparently from all the minerals in the glacier.

On the glacier

About the photograph:

ISO 200, 42mm, f/16, 1/125

About half a mile inside the glacier the guides found a spot which was stable and rigged up the ropes for some early training. To get to this spot we traversed a big stream of water. The water was brackish color and was flowing at a decent pace but the depth was unpredictable.

 

The first climb as not too hard, about 20-25 feet in height.  We got comfortable with the crampons and ice axes on ice.

The climbing begins

There were these huge cracks all over the glacier. This crack was about 2 feet wide and 40 feet high. Notice the blue color- the glacier absorbs all other colors of light.

Glacier reflection

After spending almost 3+ hours in the beginner wall, we walked a mile into the glacier to find a more advanced spot. In the picture below our guide is setting up the ropes as we hiked in. Try to spot him.  I took this picture with the guide in the frame just to give an idea of the scale.

Spot the guide setting up the ropes

Zoomed in to show the scale.

More blue light being reflected off the glaciers

The ropes were all set for the advanced climb. We found this huge crevasse, I couldn't see the bottom. The climb was probably around 40 feet but the angle of the cliff was more than 90 in some sections especially at the beginning of the climb which made it very hard. The rope on the left was intermediate level.

Ropes all set for the advanced climb

That was me doing the advanced climb

 As we walked out of the glacier, I had time to change to a wide angle lens. It was about 7pm.

Glacier lake - just as we exited the glacier

As we exited the glacier, I was looking for that one shot that captured the entire day, I rearranged the ice axes to capture this shot. It summarized the day for me.

Finally.. just wanted to say-

Spiderman, Spiderman,
Does whatever a spider can.

Also check out Day 2 in Alaska