Gilbert Point, Hubbard Glacier photos, Alaska

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Gilbert Point, Hubbard Glacier and Disenchantment Bay, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

hey Folks,

As I said, Mark got us closer. And Closer. This photo is of Gilbert Point, famous because the glacier has advanced enough at times past that it closed the gap, and dammed up Russell Fjord, which sits behind the gap – around to the right in this photo, behind the cliff face.

The Hubbard Glacier has been advancing pretty rapidly recently, and in 2002 it closed off Gilbert Point. This had occurred previously in 1986. It essentially turns Russell Fjord into a giant dam, stranding wildlife in the area, including whales, sea lions, fish, etc.

Eventually, the pressure builds up enough that the dam bursts, and water flows out of the strait at some insane volumes – Continue reading →

Hubbard Glacier photo and Disenchantment Bay, Alaska

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Disenchantment Bay and the Hubbard Glacier, near Yakutat, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

So ya can’t go to Yakutat without a trip up to get some Hubbard Glacier photos. I wanted to do a flight-seeing trip to shoot this glacier, but the light wasn’t that great. And when the light was great, I was out at the beach. I need to get back down there and shoot some stuff of this glacier from the air to complement the images I got from lower down.

The Hubbard is one of the most visited glaciers in Wrangell-St. Elias – you can’t really do a book on Wrangell-St. Elias National Park without at least some photos from the Hubbard Glacier.
Continue reading →

Pebbles on the beach, Yakutat, Alaska

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Rocks and pebbles on Point Carrew, near Cannon beach, outside Yakutat, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s a look at some of the pebbles and stones washed up on the beach at Point Carrew, a famous surfing beach near Yakutat.

On a clear day, the view from here across Disenchantment Bay towards the Malaspina Glacier and Mt. St. Elias is second to none! On this evening, clouds to the northwest meant the view was stifled – I could see the pyramid like peak of St. Elias poking out above the clouds, but it wasn’t such a great photo.

I liked this little collection of pebbles and rocks.

Cheers

Carl

Beach near Yakutat, Tongass National Forest, Alaska

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Sandy beach at sunset, Tongass National Forest, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

I do enjoy the beach. Especially late in the day. This was after I’d returned from the debacle at Icy Bay and was wondering what I’d do with the rest of my time – I wasn’t scheduled to return back to Anchorage for a week, so I tooled around at the beach for a while – that’s usually a pretty good option, I reckon. Especially on days like this.

Cheers

Carl

Mount Saint Elias from Icy Bay, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska

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Mount Saint Elias from Icy Bay, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

After paddling back from the island I wrote about the other day, the light got warmer. The lupine weren’t as impressive back in this area, but still pretty cool. My tent wasn’t quite as close as this photo implies, but this was pretty much the view out my tent door for the night. Suh-weet!

Cheers

Carl

Mt. St. Elias photo, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska

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Mt. St. Elias and a field of lupine, Icy Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s another image, pre-bear, from Icy Bay. This afternoon I paddled my still inflated kayak over to this little island and hung out. Beautiful spot for a rest. The lupine just COVERED the island, it was really cool how much more intense the lupine ere on the island than everywhere else.

They were awesome.

As the afternoon grew, a big storm seemed to be kicking up to the southwest, and I grew concerned about being stuck and not making it back to camp – the boat is not really made for a paddle in rough water.

So I packed up and headed back .. sure enough, the storm abated, and the evening grew calmer than ever, and I really wished I’d stayed out to catch some warmer light. But sometimes one takes what one gets.

This is another view of Mt. St. Elias from the Taan Fjord, Icy Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

Cheers

Carl

Clearcutting, Tongass National Forest photos, Alaska

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Clearcuts in the Tongass National Forest, Alaska (aerial photo)

Hey Folks,

One reason I really looked forward to getting down to this area was to see the Tongass National Forest. The Tongass is one of the last great forests remaining in the US, and probably the great temperate rainforest of the world (along with the forests of Pumalin and surrounding area, central Patagonia, Chile). I’ll try to write more on the Tongass as I get time.

What this shows is why the expectation is that someone will soon rename the forest, “Tong National Forest” – as clear-cutting and intensive logging continue to literally tear the ass out of the forest.

This kind of stuff is SO destructive, and heartbreaking to see.

Fortunately, much of the clear-cutting is no longer undertaken, and the older cut areas have started to grow back – but to regenerate an ancient forest and all its glory takes centuries.

Cheers

Carl