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08/03/2006: "Juneau Ice Field Trek"
This past weekend while I was off on my sailing race, my assistant director Lynn was off on a glacier trek to the Juneau Icefield. From the US Forest Service website: "The Juneau Icefield is a massive accumulation of ice and snow stretching from upper Taku Inlet north to Skagway. Scientists estimate the icefield's snow and ice depth to be from 800 to over 4,500 feet (245 to 1371 meters). It lies around peaks called nunataks which push through the ice. Devil's Paw, the icefield's highest peak, straddles the Alaska-Canada border and stands 8,584 feet (2616 m) tall. Like a parent, the Juneau Icefield sends its offspring down from the heights to find their way inexorably down between the peaks in the many glaciers it feeds."
Lynn is the one in the red! I am very impressed with her, and if I could afford it...I think something like that would be amazing! Anyway, the one of her going down into the ice shute is going to be the new photo we use on the staff page...not typically what people think of when they think "librarian".
;)
This was shot from the air, see how tiny the people (and the helicopter) look?
Here Lynn is ice climbing. Those spikes on her shoes are called "crampons" and they keep you from slipping on the ice.
This is a photo of their guide but I just liked the way it looks. I've walked on many a glacier and their surface is like being on a different planet.
Here is my favorite of Lynn going down into the ice shute. That might be where I draw the line. This young boy died a few years back when he slid down into a shute, they can go for miles and miles down into a glacier. No thanks!