Glacier Day Hiking Experience:
All I Can Say Is Wow!
By Diane Spicer
These glacier day hiking tips are meant to give you an accurate picture of what it's like to step onto a glacier and spend time exploring it.
The limited amount of time I spent on this particular glacier lends itself more to the term glacier walking.
And for the record, I'm no expert on this type of hiking.
These tips are a compilation of my own brief experience with one river of ice in Alaska's Wrangell St. Elias Park, and do not reflect conditions in all parts of the world.
My experience spanned four hours on a dry, calm July day.
- This is simply an eye witness report, to whet your appetite for safe glacier day hiking.
Photo credit: All photos by Rhane Pfeiffer and David Midkiff
Safety disclaimer
Do not attempt glacier hiking without an experienced guide and the proper equipment.
The hazards and pitfalls of this type of hiking are outlined in these glacier hiking tips to acquaint you with this unique type of hiking.
But Hiking For Her is not responsible for any decisions you make about glacier travel after reading this trip report.
Glacier hiking on an
Alaskan glacier: Nizina
Wrangell St Elias National Park and Preserve (southeast Alaska) is blessed with a multitude of glaciers.
The glacier I explored was the Nizina Glacier, accessed via bush plane from the town of McCarthy.
- Plus a long, rocky hike to its terminus.
MORE HIKING TIPS FOR YOU
Every hiker wants to stay clean. Hiking For Her shares which female hiker hygiene supplies to carry on your backpacking trip or day hike.
Foot injury prevention for hikers involves boots that fit and knowledge of how your feet work during a hike. Plus a little tough love and some self care. Tips here!
Lacing hiking boots seems straightforward. But you need these boot lacing tips to prevent blisters, pressure and sliding heels inside your boots.
Do you notice swollen fingers after hiking? Here's how to tell when it's normal (or not), and what you can do about swollen hands and fingers as a hiker.
Basic skin care for hikers covers what you need to know to keep what covers your body clean and healthy during your hike. Let's get started!
Hiking inflammation happens to all hikers.Use these Hiking For Her tips for sore muscles, swollen fingers, toes that ache and more post hiking problems.
Hikers rash has some fancy medical terms to describe it, but what you really need are these facts about how to recognize it and what to do about it as a hiker.
Do you ever wonder what causes feet to swell inside your hiking boots? Use Hiking For Her's tips to discover how to deal with your swollen feet after hiking.
Nature therapy: unplug and go sit in the dirt! It's good for you, and here's why.
Hiking hydration affects your endurance and overall health. Be sure you have enough water before and after a hike.
Do you experience sore feet after hiking? Try these eleven tips from Hiking For Her to make trail time more about fun than sore feet.
Hiking soreness, pain and fatigue can be managed with these tips and remedies for fast recovery after a hike.
Hiking toe problems? Here are tips for swelling, hot spots, blisters, nail problems, calluses, itchiness, odors and all the toe woes a hiker faces.
Hiking For Her shares the best post hike recovery tips, because being stiff and sore after a hike isn't going to motivate you to put on your boots tomorrow!
Hiking hygiene for women on the trail can be tricky. Wondering how to handle your body fluids on the trail? Read this for some practical hiking hygiene tips.
My guided exploration was part of a 12 day base camping trip in the Wrangells, July 2017.
- You can read my full Wrangell St Elias trip report here. (coming soon)
- Or my Wrangell dayhiking tips here.
Three
of us hiked a big loop around the relatively flat terminal area of the
glacier, so did not need to use crampons or ice axes.
We did use trekking (hiking) poles and had sturdy soled hiking boots on our feet.
If
it had rained recently, we would not have tried to access the glacier
due to unstable surfaces around the access point and potentially
hazardous slick, icy surfaces.
Glacier day hiking vocabulary primer
That's a whole lotta glacier to explore!
Geology has its own language, and you will need some toothy words to understand this glacier day hiking trip report.
Formations and features of a glacier are outlined below from a lay person's (my) perspective:
- Glacier: a long lasting deposit of ice and snow on land which is being pulled by gravity so it flows (slowly)
- Glacier terminus/nose: where the ice ends, and perhaps a lake is formed
- Terminal moraine: a pile of rocky rubble which marks the furthest point the glacier achieved
- End moraine: similar idea, but marking the recent retreat(s) of the glacier
- Lateral moraine: piles of rocky loose rubble on the sides of the glacier; may be used to access the glacier itself
- Crevasse: a deep open crack on the surface of the glacier caused by tension (pulling apart forces); easy to see in summer conditions; to be scrupulously avoided
- Moulin: a crack running in the upslope/downslope direction with respect to the surface of the glacier; when water flows into these cracks you'll hear a loud, exciting roar
- Glacial lakes and streams: melting water has to go somewhere!
- Blue ice: a rich blue color because water molecules are reflecting visible light's blue wavelengths to your eyes and all of the air bubbles have been squeezed out beneath immense pressure from the ice layers
- Rock flour: pulverized rock from the glacier in surface water, giving it a milky appearance and a wide range of blue hues
Just for the record, the Nizina Glacier is a temperate glacier, with frozen and liquid water during warm summer months.
The Malaspina Glacier, which can be accessed elsewhere in the park, is a piedmont glacier: it terminates at the ocean.
Want more glacier words?
- For an exhaustive glacier glossary, use this.
Now you're ready for the description of my glacier hiking adventure!
Looks deceptively easy, doesn't it! But keep a sharp eye out for surface water, crevasses, and slick spots.
Getting onto the glacier
A big problem in glacier day hiking is how to get onto a glacier, which sits higher or lower than your access point.
We solved the problem by hiking for a quarter mile on a lateral moraine, looking for a safe spot to access the glacier itself.
A few cautionary notes about this type of approach:
- Rock fall is common in this area, especially after the sun has had a chance to start warming up the rocks.
- Unstable ground may surprise you when you put your weight on it.
- Sun protection for eyes and skin is important to shield yourself from the UV rays bouncing around.
The glacier had relatively few crevasses where we were exploring (good beta from our guide Rhane), all of which were easy to spot from a distance.
Due to the warm cloudless weather, there were a lot of glacial rivers, streams and rivulets to cross or avoid.
- Throughout our hike, we were treated to deliciously pure glacial melt (actually, carefully aged H2O molecules finally liberated from the ice) in our water bottles!
Some new hiking tricks to learn
The dirty surface of the glacier means you stay upright as you walk.
As a hiker, you've trained yourself to either avoid ice, or tread carefully when you have to traverse it.
On a glacier, you can walk confidently on ice!
But you need to be sure you've picked a relatively dry time to step onto it.
- Recent rain will slick up the ice and create treacherous walking conditions unless you wear crampons.
Your first few steps on the glacier will probably be tentative."Will I fall?"
Then your brain switches over to "This is amazing!!!" and you can truck along at whatever speed the terrain and your curiosity permit.
On a relatively flat glacier, crampons would just get in the way of exploration.
- As soon as you try to ascend or descend a steeply sloped glacial surface, they become vital for your safety.
Wearing tiny steak knives on your feet is one way to get a grip on a glacier.
As mentioned, we did not wear crampons on this glacier.
It really helps navigation if you've had a chance to fly over the glacier first.
- This
was possible at the Nizina Glacier, because we camped at the glacier's
Nizina Lake (pooled glacial melt water that creates a river at the
outlet) after a fly over to scope out the landing strip.
Nizina Glacier and Nizina Lake at its terminus
Why glacier day hiking is amazing
Any time I can learn a few new hiking tricks, I jump at the chance.
No jumping on the glacier was involved, but I certainly came away with a whole new appreciation for the power of hydrogen, oxygen, and cool temperatures!
I also enjoyed the creaks, grumbling, burbling and splashing noises coming from the glacier. Like nothing I'd ever experienced!
Surprisingly easy to keep your grip, thanks to dirt and debris under your boots. Note the glacial river in the foreground, making a lovely sound.
Will I try it again?
Definitely!
And you should, too!
- New skills, new vocabulary, and a new way to explore Mother Earth, what are you waiting for?
So much to see, and lots of daylight hours in July's Alaska summer for a long day of exploring the Nizina Glacier's surface
If you're headed into the backcountry for some glacier day hiking, my Wrangell St. Elias gear checklist might be helpful :)
You might like to read these next
You've found the best day hike tips to get out on the trail as a beginner. Use these easy to do steps for your comfort and safety on a hike.
Looking for the best hiking trails in the United States? They are easy to find right here, and come in a variety of lengths, access points, and terrains.
A spring hiking gear list takes the guesswork out of a hike in variable weather conditions. Break your list into 3 big chunks: comfort, safety and fun.
I've narrowed down my hiking resources to eleven trusted categories. I'm happy to share them with you right here.
Planning a backpacking trip should be done carefully using checklists. Do it right with detailed tips from Hiking For Her.
Female hiker hygiene erodes quickly on a backpacking trip. Use the best personal hygiene tips for women hikers to stay clean and comfortable on the trail.
These hiking tips for cold weather prevent hypothermia and keep you safe and warm on the trail, regardless of what Mother Nature tosses your way.
Hiking with dogs: Decide if your dog is a natural born trail hound (or not), and treat your canine companion right on the trail with these Hiking For Her tips on how to hike happily with canine companionship.
The best hiking gear reviews are written by people who use the gear, not those who design or sell it! Want some opinionated hiking gear reviews from a seasoned hiker? Hiking For Her is here for you.
Hiking boot care: it's a pain to spend time maintaining your boots, but it's also a pain when they fail on a hike. These tips make it relatively painless to keep your boots in top shape.
Discover how to start hiking safely and with confidence including foot care, food, water, safety and weather planning beginner hiking tips.
Here's how to get the right kind and the right amount of hiking water to keep you safe from dehydration problems on your next hike.
Double check this Wrangell St Elias gear list to make sure you've got everything you need for your Alaska adventure.
Hiking and sore calves go together. Use these detailed Hiking For Her tips to minimize your sore muscles after a hike.
Hiking advice for beginners should come from someone who hikes a lot. So here's some great advice for all levels on how to hike from a veteran hiker.
These tips for car camping for hikers gives you the best of both worlds, hiking all day and the comforts of camp for a good night’s sleep.
These essential hiking tips and tricks are your detailed guide on how to hike with the best gear, food, apparel, plus safety tips for Hiking 101 beginners.
From day hikes to backcountry wilderness trips, explore your options for hikes using this comprehensive guide to types of hiking.
Home page > Types of Hiking >
Glacier Day Hiking Tips
I get emails all the time about what I wear, eat, carry and love to use on the trail. That's
why I provide affiliate links to you: the best gear that I use myself and have seen used by other hikers is instantly
available for your consideration, and the gear company sends a few
pennies per dollar to this reader-supported hiking website.
There is no added cost to you! Everyone ends up a winner: Great gear for you, strong gear companies, and more free hiking tips for everyone.
Thanks
very much for your support. It's warmly and sincerely appreciated. It
also helps send these hiking tips to all your virtual trail buddies
around the globe.
|
|