The following post features student writing.

Our final day in Girdwood certainly didn’t disappoint. We had the privilege of exploring the Matanuska Glacier. The four-hour trip to gain access to the glacier was totally worth it. Our four amazing guides met us at their camp and we loaded up and headed for the glacier. No one could stop talking about how excited they were to see, climb, and explore the ice. Nick, one of our guides, showed us how to put on our crampons so we could walk on the ice with stability and control. After a short scenic walk, we arrived at the ice wall. Thirty feet of vertical ice. Everyone’s jaw dropped in awe. We were all ready to to start ice-picking away. After everyone had the chance to scale the frozen waterfall, the guide offered some of us a challenge. To only use one or even no ice axes! Anna, Mac, and the guides’ encouraging words only made things easier and better! It was quite the experience and arguably the best part of our Alaskan adventure.

Up next we followed our guides across icebergs and over cravasses, which was super fun and exhilarating. Toward the end of the trek, Nick pointed out a massive pile of rocks that looked like they had been put there by a dump truck. However, he told us that when he had first moved to Alaska eight years ago there had been an enormous blue hole that plunged hundreds of feet deep. In only eight years the glacier had shifted, pinched off the water source, and flooded that area of the glacial moraine. Then rocks started to feed into the hole until it was completely packed, and began spitting up excess rock like a volcano. Now as more ice melts, more rocks are starting to become visible in the the “rock volcano.” It’s amazing yet sad to watch the glacier change so much, partly due to global warming. Our glacier certainly was worth the car trip and more. We would do that again and again and hope that you enjoy these couple of shots from the day. More photos of the adventure soon!

– Gardner T.