Seward, Alaska
The parking lot was less than half full this afternoon, plus a tour bus and a few RVs. As I walked down the path, I heard several different languages and encountered friendly people from all over the world. It’s amazing to me that so many people visit Exit Glacier this late in the year.
The surrounding cottonwoods turned bronze instead of gold this fall, and the alders simply turned brown as usual, shedding their crispy, crunchy leaves in the breeze. The mountainsides glowed with maroon and gold fall colors. Two startling white mountain goats grazing high on the slopes caused great excitement. I neither heard nor saw any birds.
Exit Glacier continues to retreat; the toe now lifted off the valley floor and out of sight of the overlook trail. Yet it was still spectacular. The rock-strewn medial moraine flowed down the center like a winding river, surrounded on both sides by blue crevasses. Fingers of ice clung to the steep valley wall as if reluctant to release their grip.
The glacier still dwarfed the marveling visitors busy snapping memories of their vacation. The road will be closed soon, generally October through May, so I was happy to be there too. What a day!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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