Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop
South of Portage, Alaska
A couple friends and I drove
to Portage on this rainy day to catch the Alaska Railroad at 11:30 am for a
little autumn adventure. First stop, Whittier, for a 40-minute stopover. As
expected, it was raining there with a light wind.
The colorful Begich Towers
and a trailer loaded with orange and red kayaks popped in the overall grayness.
Tour boats were still going out and a few businesses near the harbor were still
open, but the end of the season was drawing near. Gray clouds blotted out most views
of the surrounding mountaintops and glaciers, though one glacier near the
tunnel seems to have retreated quite a long way up its valley since last year.
We boarded after our short
walk and headed back through the two tunnels to Portage. After a very short
stop there, the train rumbled along the wide Placer River valley away from the
highway. Along the way, we crossed into the northeast corner of the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
About 70 SANDHILL CRANES
flushed from the wetlands upon our noisy approach, my first sighting of the
fall. A NORTHERN HARRIER hunted nearby, flashing its white rump. Dozens of
ducks paddled in the numerous ponds, but were difficult to identify through the
rain-streaked windows. An adult BALD EAGLE and a juvenile perched near their
nest in a large cottonwood. A falcon, possibly a PEREGRINE, flashed down the
valley.
Red and gold carpeted the
mountains on both sides of the valley; numerous streams cascaded down their
sides. Valley glaciers, shrinking every year, clung with icy-blue stubbornness.
The train stopped briefly so
Chugach Adventures could load two large green rafts for the Placer River trip.
The rafts are stashed at the take-out after every trip. A battery-powered
electric fence protects them from curious bear maulings.
A few minutes later, the
train arrived at the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop. We piled out with a group of
lucky homeschoolers from Mat-Su and a smattering of tourists. Miraculously, it
was calm and not raining. It actually felt warm! We peeled off our rain pants,
gloves, and fleece layers and headed down the well-maintained gravel path to
the lake while the others took in the USFS ranger-led interpretive walk, headed
up the trail to the beautiful Spencer Glacier public use cabin, or took the bus
to the rafting trip launch. The few folks left on the train went on to
Grandview for the rest of the afternoon.
Spencer Glacier, a broad,
blue-tinged, impressive mass of ice, seemed to flow from the clouds to the lake.
Calved icebergs had drifted from the face to the end of the lake where the
spectacular blue-tinged sculptures lay grounded in the shallows. Tiny red
kayaks paddled through them, heading for the glacier face.
We walked along path along
the lake, enjoying the scenery and fall colors. It was surprising to see
several large beaver lodges along the shore not far from smaller icebergs. That
water is cold! Tough, Alaskan beavers to live here!
All too soon, it was time to
turn around and walk back to meet the train. We met hikers who had just spent
the night at the beautiful Spencer Glacier public use cabin and the next couple
heading up for their adventure perched at the top of the switchback trail on the
mountainside.
Once again, the train stopped
briefly to pick up the happy rafters and stash the rafts behind the electric
fence. Once again, we saw the Bald Eagles perching by the nest tree, the ducks
dabbled in the ponds, the Northern Harrier floated along the train, and the
Sandhill Cranes rose up from their feeding only to settle back down after we
left.
We arrived at Portage at 5:15
pm, loaded in the car and drove back home into the rain. What a fine fall trip
with good company and a wonderful break from the rain!
Happy Travels!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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