Portage Glacier is located in the Chugach National Forest on the Kenai Peninsula. Glaciers are formed from compacted layers of snow and they move in response to gravity and pressure. I have always been fascinated by these slow-moving ice giants. The photos you see here were taken in the mid eighties when the glacier's face was much closer to the visitors center. Those big chucks of ice you see are icebergs from the glacier. If you look at the last photo the glacier is visible on the right hand side just above the parked cars.
Over the years the face of the glacier has retreated and now the only way to get to it is to drive further up along the lake and take one of the sightseeing boats. Glaciers are monitors of climate conditions and highly sensitive to climate change.
Please forgive the quality of the photos, these are from old 35mm slides that have traveled all up and down the West Coast. I have tried to enhance them as much as possible.
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6 comments:
No need for forgiveness .... they are still very good.
I keep on hearing about the retreat of our Glaciers .... very sad, and very scary. When are we going to wake up?!
Christine,
Oh, I think sometimes I'm too much of a perfectionist, but I guess that's not always a bad thing.
That's part of the reason I posted this one, to hopefull raise awareness just a tiny bit. Must now step down from soapbox, temporarily.
SQ
Well, thank you ----> Good Job!
Yep, Tigger has a marvelous imagination that she shares with the rest of us.
SQ
I am looking forward to the day when I can look at a picture of Alaska and not think about Sara Palin.
Nice photos!
Hi Matthew houskeeper,
When I lived in Anchorage she was Sarah the sports anchor.
Thanks for visiting.
SQ
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