Have you ever found yourself scaling a vertical glacier ice wall? If you answered no, you have to add this activity to your bucket list!
We received recommendations to set up a tour with Greatland Adventures, a tour company which operates private and custom tours in and around Anchorage, Alaska. You may have also seen some ridiculously beautiful shots on NatGeo and from some of the most talented photographers who also took a few of the excursions in the beautiful back country of Alaska.
We woke up early to hit the road and drive about 2 hours from Anchorage to the Matanuska glacier park. Our eyes were glued to the windows as we took one of the most beautiful scenic drives I’ve ever seen. The road ran through canyons with warm autumn colored trees as far as the eye could see, snow cap mountains, and bright blue skies…with views that just grew more and more beautiful as we made our way up the canyon. While on the drive, our guide shared with us fun facts and stories about Alaska, the areas we passed, and the glacier itself. Matanuska glacier is nestled in a valley and runs almost 30 miles long by 4 miles wide. It is the largest glacier in the country that you are able to access via car and is absolutely breathtaking from the road as you approach.
Once you arrive, strap on those crampons and make your way down to wander through all the unique ice walls and small streams that have formed as the ice melts. We walked for about 20 minutes before coming to our first wall that we scaled. With crampons on and ice axes in hand, we each learned how to ice climb up over various walls (some steep and some not so steep). With the size of the glacier, luckily there are many different stages so both a beginner or an advanced climber could enjoy the glacier. It was perfect for us as we were able to slowly move to a steeper incline as we made our way up through the glacier.
There are many hazards that could occur so we definitely recommend going with a guide and remember..safety first! Wear those helmets and double check your equipment before starting the ascend.
For tours and bookings visit our friends at Greenland Adventures click here! Awesome tours, rad tour guide, memories to last a lifetime! Climb on!!
