Page 33 - San Diego Woman Magazine Digital Version

TR A VEL

n August 12, 2017, The guides taught us
our cruise ship pulled a few strategies for glacier
Ointo port at Juneau, walking, and off we marched
Alaska. The air was cold and behind our guides to explore
crisp. Both my husband and I this magical world. We were
were excited and a little scared just learning how to coor-
about our next adventure. dinate all of our equipment,
We were going to tour in a crampons and trekking poles,
helicopter, then land on the when my husband com-
Mendenhall Glacier and walk mented, “You know that blue
on ice. To tell you the truth, color underneath the ice is
I had never written “walking deep rushing water? If the ice
on a glacier” as one of my breaks it will sweep us away?”
bucket-list-must-do-items, “Thanks, honey!” I mut-
but once I got into the thrill tered… I really didn’t want
of the activity, I was ready to to think about being sucked
try this new challenge. We into a swirling, bottom-
were driven to the Juneau less blue lake with freezing
airport. One amazing fact that temperatures.… I suggested
I didn’t know about Juneau we focus on walking in the
is that it is landlocked. There same footprints as our guides.
are no roads leading into or They seemed to know which
out of Juneau. The only way sections of the ice were safe
to get in and out is by boat or to hike on.
air. The large glaciers and the We spent an hour learn-
mountainous forests keep the ing to use our tools while we
city landlocked and unable to diligently stayed together ex-
expand. Photos courtesy of Dr. Deena Stacer ploring the changing textures
We were given a pair of of the glacier. We traipsed
snow boots, ski pants, a ski through mushy, crunchy,
jacket, and helmet to wear. WALKING on slick, and smooth ice. We saw
We were handed a pair of ice changes in the depth of the
axes, a small backpack for our blue water under the ice. We
equipment, and a trekking a GLACIER walked on white powdery
pole; a fancy word for a walk- snow.
ing stick with a metal point The guides told us that
that pokes the ice to deter- we were going to climb up an
mine depth. By Dr. Deena Stacer ice wall. I thought they were
They escorted us to the talking about us climbing
helicopter. I was seated by an ice wall like one of those
weight in the front seat of the by the majesty and power foot at a time, holding hands, rock climbing walls in a gym.
helicopter. I love helicopter of this glacier. Everywhere I slowing making our way We practiced walking up
flights. I’ve hovered over looked it was a breathtaking toward the tent 25 feet away. and down the hills using our
spewing volcanic lava, rugged view with swirls of snow and At the tent we were given trekking pole and crampons.
porous sandstone coastlines, ice blocks that kept changing Crampons to fit onto our I needed a little extra help
and on this flight, we glided shapes as we flew by. boots. They reminded me of from our guides to walk side-
over the most magnificent As the helicopter landed the vintage metal adjustable ways up the hills so I would
glacier in Alaska. The view on the ice, anxiety grabbed skates I skated on during my be prepared to climb this
was splendid, filled with my heart. We disembarked childhood. Once we put on mysterious ice wall.
mountains of massive snow and cautiously shuffled our the crampons, three metal One of the men in our
drifts, remarkable ice sculp- feet across the crunchy slip- prongs extended forward and group was a daredevil. He
tures changing with each turn pery ice to the guide’s orange angled down from the toe was having a great time
of the blades. I was awestruck tent staked in the ice to keep of our boots. They were our jumping from extra high
looking into the deep blue it from blowing away. The ice brakes and the ice cutters for mounds of snow and wan-
water that flowed beneath the was filled with a kaleidoscope our feet. They would secure dering off to find the newest
virtual winter wonderland of all shapes and sizes. It was our footing in the slippery ramp he could conquer. He
below. I was overwhelmed also scary as we shuffled one and hard-to-get-traction ice. reminded me of a little boy in

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