TRAVEL AWAITS ARTICLES: Five Fabulous Glaciers of Alaska

The full article was published by Travel Awaits on Dec. 20, 2019

The Southwest where we live often experiences a heatwave. During such times, our trips to cold places come to mind. In three separate trips to Alaska, we experienced the cold at five fabulous glaciers which form when more snow falls than melts over time, compacting into ice. And this often occurs in regions least reached by solar heat — near the poles. Here are the glaciers we recommend you explore. It is so easy to get to them!

1. Worthington Glacier In Valdez, Alaska

 Because of a lot of wildfires around Anchorage, we proceeded to Valdez in the southeastern corner of Alaska north of Juneau. As we lost cell signals and our broadband communications, I exclaimed, “Gosh, the glaciers are puny around here! They’re just tiny patches of white.” A few minutes later,  a huge white mountain suddenly appeared on Richardson Highway. It was Worthington Glacier. At almost 6,000 acres, the glacier is part of the Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site and designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1968. My husband excitedly climbed it and brought me a chunk of blue ice to keep in our freezer. 

2. Surprise Glacier In Prince William Sound

The following week, we took the four-hour Glacier Bay Cruise from Whittier, Alaska only 62 road miles southeast of Anchorage. We had to go through a 2.5 mile long tunnel that is shared by alternating one-way auto and railroad traffic. That turned out to be an experience in itself. We rode in a high-speed catamaran with huge picture windows plus extensive outside viewing areas. The cruise took us to Resurrection Bay and the College Fjords to see 26 glaciers up close.

One strikingly blue glacier suddenly appeared as we slowly approached Prince William Sound. It was like a scene before tragedy struck the Titanic. And that’s why it’s called the Surprise Glacier. Many pieces of ice had calved and were floating on the icy waters around us where sea otters were playing. And the crew served us glacial blue margaritas from ice they harvested. This Inside Passage cruise was one of our most memorable  Alaska adventures.

3. Salmon Glacier

On the way back to the lower 48, we drove down the Stewart-Cassiar Highway, also known as Glacier Highway. I grew impatient because I did not see a glimpse of a glacier-topped mountain for a couple of hours — until we turned right to take a peek at the town of Stewart, British Columbia, toward the coast. The bigger surprise, however, is the small town of Hyder, Alaska, with its population of almost a hundred people, only two miles from Stewart’s border. It is Alaska's southernmost tip and home to the fifth largest glacier in North America.

As we drove slowly up the hill, all of 15 miles from downtown Hyder and Stewart, the long glacier slowly made its appearance. When we reached the summit, we saw its entire extent. The pictures do not give it any justice. But the road was dirt/gravel and since it was also rainy that day, it was also very muddy. But there was no other way to get there and we paid the price for the beautiful sight.

4. Exit Glacier In Seward

The following year, we flew to Alaska and rented an RV to camp at other places we had not covered. One of the weekends, we headed off to the town of Seward at the mouth of Kenai Fjords National Park. Eight and a half miles west of the town is the famous Exit Glacier that is part of the huge Harding Ice Fields (which span 500 square miles). It is so named because it has been receding slowly since the earliest recorded terminus in 1815 — the recordings are so marked all along the way—about two miles from the most recent one. I finally walked on this glacial ridge. But it felt like I was inside a freezer so I quickly turned back after the very short photo opportunity.

5. Matanuska Glacier North Of Anchorage, Alaska

On our third trip, we went to see the Matanuska Glacier with my sister and her husband who had also relocated there. From the access at Mile Post 102, we drove through an “unsafe road” to the small cabin office two miles down the valley. There, we paid an entrance fee of $20 and drove another two miles to park close to the glacier. We braved the challenging, muddy, and slippery hike on the ice, using the cleats lent to us by my husband’s daughter. Finally, Matanuska gave me a true glacier walk!At 27 miles long and 4 miles wide, Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier accessible by car in the U.S. 

You can find many glaciers that are car-accessible, walkable, and photographable in Alaska. Go during the summertime to have unparalleled thrills, escape the heat where you are, but not suffer extreme cold!

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Wonderings on Wanderings: In my Children's Eyes

Christmas in June

I was a jet-setting executive, away most of the time, and it sure cost me a lot. I ended up a single parent, had to stay away even more, and left my three daughters to the care of nannies. Now I try to compensate by helping them whenever possible, in their homes in San Francisco (Seattle before), Calgary, and Manila (London before, soon Melbourne). That, incidentally, is how I get to travel a lot!

the snowy woods

Recently, my career-oriented middle daughter Claudine needed help. For the fifth time after I retired, I flew to Canada to take care of three young ones. Weekend trips brought my husband Bill and me to Yoho and Kootenay, 3 ½ hours away from my daughter’s home, completing the four national parks, the World Heritage Site of the Canadian Rockies. The last visit was to the newly opened Glacier Skywalk in the largest icefields between Banff and Jasper, the two we had visited earlier.  

Scheduled late into spring, the weather was forecast to be good. But, true to itself, it took a sudden, nasty turn. We still proceeded with our plan and stayed in Banff for the night. We hoped it would clear out the following day, but it didn’t. The operator at the Columbia Icefields Visitor Center was encouraging, “It’s snowing, but it’s gorgeous out here.” I have suffered through many Philippine storms, but snow takes me directly inside a freezer. Bill, however, gave the final push, “I am not driving back here. It's now or never!”  We had to go. Our tour of duty was almost over.

a fashion show of RVs

We had passed through the Icefields Parkway, one of National Geographic’s“20 drives of a lifetime” in 2009.  We were driving our first motor home, hurrying to reach Jasper for a week of glamping.  It was the height of summer then, but this time it was still spring. At more than 6,000 feet in elevation, the evergreens turned frosty. Snow still settled on each branch.

“You have to take my picture!” I insisted. Bill explained, “You know I am just getting over a bad cold. I have to stay inside the car.” After a few seconds, I bravely stepped out into the cold. Wet fluffy things instantly brushed against my face. I shivered, but a different kind of warmth came over me as I “smelled” chestnuts roasting. It was wonderful to feel Christmas, in June!

There were already all kinds of RVs on the road: small camper vans, large motorhomes, and tagalongs like trailers and fifth-wheels. I murmured, “Wish we’d brought ours. We could now be having sweet hot cocoa. Remember I always made it during chilly drives?” Sigh. Our 37.5-foot motorhome would have struck a stunning stance against those glacier-draped mountains. She would have been part of the fashion show of current models of the cruising lifestyle on the road.

into the mountains

“No use crying over spilled beans,” Bill pronounced. Just then, I caught a glimpse of a car, driving straight into a massive glacier-draped mountain.  The road had a slight rise to it, very much like a ramp in a high-end fashion show, showing off this one particular model. I quickly grabbed the Nikon and, just before the car dropped off the edge, I got the shot. Then it vanished.  I thought a red car would have looked better. Bill disagreed, “Black adds to the mystique like those low-lying clouds that partly hide the mountain.” 

my yellow van

When we reached the Visitor Center, the snowfall got heavier. I certainly didn’t need a red carpet but having to negotiate a huge parking lot under those conditions was not the welcome we deserved. All of a sudden, I spotted a beaming bright yellow SUV prominently displayed in front. Bill chuckled when I asked, “How did they know my favorite color is yellow?”  She was the star of what had been parading before us all morning in a fashion show consisting of vehicles on ice. My day magically brightened. It was as if the sun had started shining.

the Observation Deck 

Once I stepped inside the Center, warmth enveloped me. I rushed to the tourist-filled Gift Shop, but Bill put an end to all the shopping, wanting to go to the Cafeteria. I was reluctant at first but, once there, we were comforted by bowls of chicken noodle soup so good, steaming hot, and tasting homemade.  Satisfied, we stepped into the Observation Deck for another whiff of the world of winter.

the Glacier Skywalk

The Athabasca Glacier is the Icefield’s biggest. But it appeared strangely smaller. We wanted to know why but it was time to board the shuttle. Besides, the snowfall was getting even heavier. It was

the driver who answered our burning question, “The Glacier recedes about 5 meters a year. Our operations may cease in as early as 15 years.”  What a hint of global warming. We were glad we made it in time.

I shouldn’t have been glad. What waited for me at the Skywalk was a huge disappointment. Pictures of it in brochures were the exact opposite! It was all there, the largest cantilevered platform in America with an enormous, polygonal steel support shaped like an H, holding the all-glass curved tension bridge that loops about 150 degrees around the cliff’s edge at a thousand feet high. The interpretive trail leading to it is about 400 meters long. Sadly, there was absolutely no hint of glaciers. I cried, “We have to get a refund! Bill merely shrugged, "Good luck!"

on the Glacier Catwalk

Taught to make the best of bad situations, I turned my attention to my outfit.  It had accidentally come together. The red beanie I just bought at the Gift Shop perfectly matched the red gloves Claudine lent me and the red scarf I had brought with me for the trip. The trio brightened her black winter jacket, giving color to all the gloom and gray. It became apparent to me why I was at the Skywalk despite the snow and why all day I had been seeing notions of models. I was going to have a fashion show of my own!

Custodians kept wiping off the snow from the slippery Skywalk, turning it into MY Catwalk. Bill stepped up to the plate of a fashion photographer, taking my photos at many spots and at different angles. Forgetting that Bill had taken off his gloves to fiddle with the Nikon settings and to set up the tripod, I snapped out of my trance only when he hollered, "Hurry up! My fingers are already frozen!”  Even that didn’t diminish the fun. I had gotten to like snow, and Bill had made me a glamorous model, at 67!

in my children's eyes

Hugged tight by my grandkids, I couldn’t stop showing off my photos. Claudine exclaimed, “Mama, you’re much more than a fashion model!” That’s when I realized that being a jet-setting grand nanny is not about compensating for my early shortcomings. In fact, it is the best job I could ever hope to have. Now I know why the notion of models stayed with me all day. In the Canadian Rockies, I had the most liberating moment of my life. I found out that, in my children’s eyes, I have been and will always be a good role model.

Our Lifestyle Adventures: Leaving No Stone Unturned in the Canadian Rockies, Part 3

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

The second Sunday of May is when much of the world celebrates Mother’s Day. Whether moms were heroes to their kids or not, most children do a lot for their mothers on that special day. I always say, despite what I did, they always made me feel special on Mother's Day. When Bill and I became full-time travelers in 2009, my three daughters Trisha, Claudine and April changed their gifts-giving from jewelry, apparel, or accessories to experiences like fine dining, activities, tours, and cruises. In 2016, it was a Weekend Getaway to the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Bill joined in and took care of all my memorable meals.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise in the middle of spring

On Saturday, May 7, he drove me to Lake Louise, that postcard-pretty place about thirty minutes from Banff, two hours from the home of my second daughter Claudine, whose kids I was babysitting for a few months. I had been there twice before, the first time without Bill. On the second visit, it was the height of summer and the glacier running down into the water was thin. While canoeing around the lake, I expressed much disappointment to Bill, blaming global warming. How wrong I was! It was the height of summer. It was just not the right time to be there.

from bottom left, clockwise: Pre-Mother's Day lunch & dinner, Mother's Day lunch & dinner, and post-Mother's Day breakfast

This time, in late spring, the glacier was still in its full glory and, though we could not canoe around the lake because the water was just starting to thaw, the sight was impressive. After many photo ops from many angles, Bill led me to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, that famous hotel with a commanding view of the lovely sight. He had reserved a table with a huge picture window looking out to the perfect scene for a pre-Mother’s Day lunch I will never forget.

Banff

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, clockwise from top right: our room, the view, and the pool

outdoor heated pool

After lunch, we proceeded to Banff where my daughters booked us for the night at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a large castle-like building for which the chain is noted. Built in 1888, this historic hotel from the time of railway tourism is today a Banff emblem. It is set off on its own in a wooded area, appearing like a dream as we wound up the road on the hill. Our well-appointed room at the floor just below the top looks out to lovely views, including the Bow River tumbling over a cliff-like rise.

The staff at Lake Louise told us to check out the pool area. And so we did. It exceeded our expectations! An Olympic-sized pool enchants you inside, including the secluded hot tub at one end and elegant chaise lounge chairs all around. But almost everyone was in the pool outdoors. It is heated and has magnificent views of the Bow Valley mountains. I could have stayed there forever, but Bill pulled me away. He had reservations for my pre-Mother’s Day dinner with more spectacular views at the Rundle Lounge. 

Me and my grizzlies, downtown Banff

The next morning we just walked around the town of Banff, having been to the city and national park before. We simply savored the crispness and coolness of the air bathed by the brightness of the sun. There is magic in shopping and strolling among stores and streets surrounded by towering mountains. Then Bill took me to a Mother’s Day brunch at an Irish Pub where Bill could have his shepherd’s pie while I had my first taste of Yorkshire pudding with bits of delicious roast beef inside.

Holiday Inn at Canmore

Canmore

After checking out from Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, we moved to Holiday Inn in Canmore, the town near the southeast boundary of the Banff National Park. Since the city was chosen to host the Nordic events of the 1988 Winter Olympics, tourism has flourished. The population is now over 12,000. We had not been there before so we shopped and strolled at a more leisurely pace. It has the small town feel but the same magic from the ever-present snow-capped mountains. Downtown Banff is bigger and has more establishments, but its population is smaller at less than 9,000.

Canmore: clockwise from top left: the mountains, the Head,
the original Hotel, and bubbles in a garden

At a small park on a river bank, a humongous head half-buried in the ground took my fancy. The Canmore Hotel sits on the main street as it has for over 100 years, making it one of the most distinguishable landmarks in the city. I was also fascinated by a garden that perpetually produced soap bubbles. Then Bill chose Santa Lucia Trattoria, a small Italian restaurant that sits about 40 people, for my Mother’s Day dinner. The next morning, we had a post-Mother’s Day breakfast at the famous Rocky Mountain Bagel Company downtown that had dozens of bagel varieties.

The girls and Bill outdid themselves in 2016! As I said, despite the neglect they suffered as I became more of a father than a mother as a single parent, focused on my career, they have always made me feel special on Mother's Day. It was not only a great break from babysitting but a Mother’s Weekend Getaway I will forever treasure. I wonder how they could top this in 2017?

Our Lifestyle Adventures: Stopping in Calgary, then Driving to Montana!

four wheeling in Montana

When one goes to Calgary, the places that come to mind are Banff, Lake Louise, and even Jasper National Park. But this time around, we simply stayed in Calgary for a family reunion.

at my daughter Claudine's brand new kitchen

Two months ago, my sixth apo (grandchild) Jax was born at the same time my book was launched.  I could not visit him right away, as I did for all my grandkids. There was also the matter of my daughter Claudine’s transfer to their brand new 5BR/4TB home. And, of course, the Calgary Stampede attracted my daughter Trisha and her family from Seattle. There were thirteen of us, six little boys, one grown lady, and three couples. Only April and her husband, who were both in the UK, and a granddaughter, who was working in California, could not join us.

at the Grey Eagle Casino in Calgary

When the whole caboodle trooped to the Calgary Stampede, which we had been to before, we went to the other side of town. We picked up a friend from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Corazon Pangcog, who was also visiting her grandkids. My Philippine Book Launch was so hectic that we could only really catch up with each other in Canada. We had a leisurely lunch at the Buffet Hall of the Grey Eagle Casino and Resort, courtesy of her son-in-law who works there!

flowers in Red Deer, Alberta

colors of  Red Deer, Alberta

Another day when the boys went to ride the Luge and the girls went to the Mall, Bill and I drove to Red Deer. It is only one and a half hours away from Calgary. We visited Wayne and Val Kuffler, another couple friend from Viewpoint in Phoenix, Arizona. After an American meal Bill had been sorely missing, the couple toured us around the town with the Red River winding through it and lots of flowers and greens. The family of Val’s great grandfather, the Reverend Leonard Gaetz, was the first family that settled the city.

view of Glacier National Park, Chief Mountain at the right

canola fields galore

After a week of family fun, cooking, eating and drinking, and babysitting, we were back on the road. Our next stop was Essex, Montana where another couple friend, Bud and Bonnie Boushele, stay during summers. Driving south on Highway 2 was a joy, especially with those blazing yellow canola fields draping the landscape on both sides of the road. And when we were nearing the border, the dramatic panorama of Glacier National Park, especially the distinctive profile of Chief Mountain, graced the skies.

at the border crossing between caraway,Alberta and Babb, Montana

found at the border

The Caraway border was not so busy with just a few vehicles waiting in line.  At the other side was the small town of Babb, Montana where we had Montana burgers at the Glacier Café with a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. After lunch, we drove south on US 89 and then turned right on Highway 2 which took us through mountain roads on the southern edge of Glacier National Park. It was such a scenic byway I couldn’t put down our Nikon and just clicked away!

view from the scenic byway

the rustic A-frame home of Bud and Bonnie

Little did we know that we would be in for a big surprise in Essex. For one, the A-frame cabin of the Boushele’s reminded me of my sister Ellen’s A-frame home she had loved in the Mountain City of the Philippines, Baguio before she passed on. Another reason is this: They took us four wheeling in the hills! Bud and Bonnie took the green ATV while, after a short lesson, I was Bill’s passenger in the red one!

with Mt.Nicholas at the background

terrific views while fourwheeling

We drove to see those patches of the forest leveled by strong storm winds that acted like focused tornados. Then we drove to Tunnel Creek, wished for more rain to increase the level of water, and inspected the damage to the evergreens up close. We also went to a spot with a great view of Nicholas, a peak in the remote southwestern section of Glacier National Park, in Montana that is particularly steep. With a pointed rock pinnacle, its distinctive profile is visible from many places in the southern half of the park. It is "considered the most dangerous and difficult mountain for climbers in Glacier National Park." Finally, Bud and Bonnie took us to a close-up view of their nephew’s huge brand new log cabin.

Dinner was another big surprise: huge Montana steaks with lots of sides: spinach and raspberry salad with that awesome dressing, baked garlic asparagus, potato salad and sautéed mushrooms! We all had so much to eat that we trooped to the river to shed off a few ounces. Upon our return, Bonnie surprised Bill with his favorite pie for dessert, banana cream pie!  In the morning, Bonnie sent us on the road again with a large traveler’s breakfast, huckleberry pancakes, another rare treat.

what a log cabin!!!

We had only passed Montana once to go to Calgary from Denver, the home of Bill’s first daughter. But this trip to the Boushele’s cabin in Essex will definitely be hard to forget!  

Exploring Massachusetts' Coastline in Spring! OLA

a blue and yellow gingerbread cottage in Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard

nice  Cape Cod welcome!

It should be fall! But we have to be in Nova Scotia in July so we are here at springtime instead. And the long coastline, cute lighthouses, fresh seafood and a multitude of pretty flowers are so refreshing in these parts of Massachusetts we had not yet explored. Bill and I have each been to Boston several times but not Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and New Bedford! The Gateway to Cape Cod in Rochester, Massachusetts where we were camped made all within our easy reach!

The Bared and Bended Arm of the Sea

Plymouth Rock, marked 1620 when the Pilgrims came

Cape Cod

Heralded as The Bared and Bended Arm in the Sea, Cape Cod was formed as the recessional moraine of a glacier, resulting in a peninsula in the Atlantic Ocean. But in 1914, the Cape Cod Canal was cut through the base, forming what may be loosely termed an island. Unofficially, it is one of the biggest barrier islands in the world, shielding much of Massachusetts, including Boston, from North Atlantic storm waves but also suffering erosion of its cliffs, at the same time.

Mayflower II, the ship that carried the Pilgrims to our shores

the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Hyannis

At its shoulder is Plymouth where the Plymouth Rock and a replica of Mayflower II are well-known tourist attractions. The Monument to our Forefathers, on the other hand, is a hidden gem!  In the middle of the upper arm is Hyannis where the Kennedys maintained a compound, now donated for government research, though still closed to the public. The city also has an elegant JFK Memorial and a simple JFK Museum surrounded by Rose Kennedy’s roses.   Harwich, Chatham, and Brewster counties form its elbow. There, at the Stony Brook Grist Mill, we saw a herring run.

where the herring ran, beside the grist mill at Stony Brook

remnants of the Marconi's site for the US station
in the first transatlantic wireless transmission to the UK

The Cape Cod National Seashore is its lower arm. Near the Salt Pond Visitor Center are Captain Penniman’s House and the oldest windmill in the US. Near its wrist, at Wellfleet, there is only a mile of land between the gulf and the ocean. Marconi chose the site for the first transatlantic wireless transmission because it had an undisturbed line of sight to Cornwall in the UK.  Along the beach is also where I savored my first bowl of New England clam chowder! Finally, Provincetown, where the Pilgrims first landed before proceeding to Plymouth, makes its fist. A Pilgrim’s Monument and four small lighthouses are highlights of the area, beautifully dotted by flowers that thrive even on its sandy soil.

getting some rest from the sun at a seafood place on the beach at the Cod

Martha’s Vineyard

Steamship Authority ferry to Martha's Vineyard

One sunny day we took the one hour drive to Woods Hole at the Cod’s armpit and rode the 45-minute Steamship Authority ferry to the island called Martha’s Vineyard. The captain who discovered it named it after his daughter Martha and the wild grapes he found growing there. With a land area of almost 90 sq. mi., it is the largest island not connected to mainland US by a bridge or tunnel. The year-round population is about 15,000, swelling to over 75,000 in summer. A study found that cost of living on the summer colony is 60% higher than the national average; housing prices are double.

Tabernacle in the middle of the Camp of gingerbread cottages
 Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard

Ricky and Megan with us at Coop de Ville harbor resto

We docked at Oak Bluffs and immediately proceeded to the well-known pretty gingerbread cottages which surround the Camp whose center is the giant Tabernacle. There were all kinds of pastel colors and designs but I favored those that had yellow, of course. A real estate listing showed that one such small cottage is available for upwards of $350,000! At the Harbor’s Coup de Ville restaurant, not only was my second bowl of New England clam chowder waiting for me but also Ricky and Megan, a lively newly-wed couple of three days! We had a blast!

the island of Chappaquiddick with its ferries

found my spot of yellow daisies
at the end of North St. in Edgartown.

Then we took a 15-minute bus to Edgartown to which the small island of Chappaquiddick (where former Sen. Edward Kennedy’s car accidentally went into the water and his young female companion drowned) is connected by a small ferry.  But the best part of this town is walking along North Street which runs parallel to its coast. It is lined on both sides by beautiful homes, one side enjoying the waterfront at their backyards. But all the front yards are adorned by pretty spring flowers and verdant greens. I found my spot at the far end on a field of yellow daisies with a small lighthouse at the background!

a North St., Edgartown home...with yellow flowers!

New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford

New Bedford was once the richest city in the world; it was the center of the great whaling industry and now its Whaling Museum is the largest in the world. Beside it is the the Mariner’s Home next to the Seamen’s Bethel (or church. At its Harbor, the old Schooner Ernestina is still docked as another reminder of the whaling days. There is also a memorial to those who lost their lives at sea and a Fisherman’s Memorial fronts the fishing boats. Downtown there is a Whalers’ Memorial which reads, ‘a dead whale or a stove boat’ beside the statue of Lewis Temple who invented the harpoon tip.  But the affluent times are best memorialized in the large mansions and lush gardens around town.

Downtown Bedrord's Whalers' Memorial

flowers on the sandy shores of Cape Cod

Although I felt that the Outer Banks of North Carolina are still better than Cape Cod, the totality of the coastal communities of Massachusetts…the Bare and Bended Arm, Martha’s Vineyard, and New Bedford…offered more variety for everyone’s notion of beauty. New England is truly lovely…and, I can now say, not just in fall! Sigh…our children are all in the west so that is still where we will probably settle! Maybe, just a gingerbread cottage for summer, Bill?

a lonely biker during low tide at the Cod

For more pictures, please go to my albums on our facebook account named billncarol colborn!  
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