I visited in the winter first when avalanche danger is higher but the ice is more stable. This hike must be done in the deep of winter! In the summer the glacier is more stunning against the mountains and green vegetation but it's too risky to go inside any caves. Image of landscape, cave, alaska - 88462629 Inside the Byron Glacier ice cave. The Cave's neighborhood charm and laid back approach provides an ideal backdrop for any type of crowd. The second half of the trail is rocky and features a small stream crossing. Overall, Byron Glacier is a fun little hike to enjoy in Portage Valley. Photo about Byron Glacier in Portage Alaska ice cave. Jul 13, 2020 - Byron Glacier has a beautiful ice cave that is easily accessible from Anchorage and you might be planning a visit this weekend. If you have experience with glaciers, it can definitely be fun to see it up close, but be extremely careful and aware of the dangers. In the winter, ice grippers are a must! We spent a fun afternoon walking the trail then climbing over rocks to get to the caves. Unlimited hiking areas. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your All the way back in the valley! Definitely a must see! Read More. Byron Glacier Trail, Girdwood: See 258 reviews, articles, and 215 photos of Byron Glacier Trail, ranked No.5 on Tripadvisor among 18 attractions in Girdwood. Start hiking along the trail into the woods. Difficulty: easy Location:  Portage The campground boasts prime ... Overview Nov 29, 2019 - Byron Glacier has a beautiful ice cave that is easily accessible from Anchorage and you might be planning a visit this weekend. And be ready to climb up avalanche snows in the winter! But before you go, please ask yourself, “Is the Byron… Ice caves can be treacherous and the first few times I hiked the trail towards Byron Glacier I didn’t even dare go in the cave. It's a beautiful spot to have lunch and glacier-gaze. Le sentier longe une rivière et sa difficulté est évaluée comme facile. BYRON GLACIER CAVE By Gwen Herrewig Kyle Schehr at the second entrance. We interest in the little ice cave at Byron Glacier in 2004, plotted a strategy to safely enter the cave by doing it fast when I moved to the Girdwood area. What was clear was that the Byron Glacier was larger than it looked. After about 20 minutes of hiking, the woods fade away and the trail dead-ends on the glacial moraine. There are the obvious slipping hazards, but the biggest danger is glacial calving, which is when massive ice chunks that weigh hundreds (or even thousands) of pounds break loose and crash to the ground below. Drive out on the highway to Girdwood, and turn left at the sign that says "Portage Glacier". The drive from Anchorage is beautiful along the Turnagain Arm and offers views of the ocean, faraway mountains, moose, eagles, and sometimes dall sheep on the cliffs. The cave becomes visible when the snowpack melts out enough to exposes the creek that tunnels under years of avalanche debris. But luckily we found a massive, frozen cavern near the viewing point at the end of the trail instead. Especially when you're near the face of the glacier or when entering or exiting any ice caves. Bring a light jacket, as winds tend to pick up around the face of the glacier itself. This is where you will be parking and is the trailhead for Byron Glacier. Byron glacier is located in about 49 miles (79 km) south of Anchorage, not far from Girdwood, Alaska. Ice caves to explore. Follow the signs toward Portage Glacier/Begich as if you were driving to the visitor center. Photo 2 of 8. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. The hundred mile paddle across PWS is a right of passage for Alaska kayakers. Towards the end of the road, it Ys and you take a right, then another right. If you visit in the winter you can explore the beautiful ice cave below the glacier. Byron Glacier trailhead is near Portage Lake. Byron Glacier Trail, Girdwood Picture: Ice Cave, Byron Glacier - Check out Tripadvisor members' 8,823 candid photos and videos of Byron Glacier Trail You can either hike along the glacier's edge, and find ice caves and little streams, or you can head up to one of the ridges. To the left is a ridge that overlooks Portage Glacier, but is quite a scramble to get up and down from. The rock seams polished and compressed to into a quality that is worth climbing. There is a lot of potential for exploring Byron Glacier. Climate change is causing the glacier to shrink in size at an alarming rate. Hiking Trails. Location: Portage Valley (an hour from Anchorage), Alaska. Byron Glacier and river near the Portage ... Anchorage, ALASKA, USA. The entire valley that Byron Glacier rests in is a beautiful valley with stunning views, and because of this, what can be planned for a short day hike can easily turn into an all day venture. Be careful it’s easy to fall and hurt yourself. But in doing so we heard tons of cracks in the ice, and even had a close encounter with a giant boulder-sized ice chunk crashing down a few yards in front of us. 1 Walkthrough 2 Enemies 3 Notable items 4 Appearances Upon entering the cave, it heads generally southeast. Byron Glacier Trail With a close-up view of and access to a glacier, the 1.4 mile Byron Glacier Trail provides a walk that is suitable for all ages. The rock here is much more solid and polished than the climbs on the Seward Highway. To begin on this adventure, you first have to find the trailhead. Photo 1 of 8. I spent way too much time without gloves or a rain jacket running around in this very dark, wet, and rocky cave but I didn't care because I was having so much fun. It is an amazing place that constantly changes with the glacier, so get out there and enjoy it! ... Great hike to ice cave. The Byron Glacier Trail is scenic and easy to traverse. You’ll follow this road for roughly 5 miles and then keep on the right side to continue on Portage Lake Loop. Around February, Portage Lake is often frozen solid-solid enough to make walking safe. This could be a prime spot for setting up a tent for the night, or a nice spot for a picnic (which is what I've done). We even watched giant pods of beluga whales swimming near shore once in September, but don’t hold your breath if you’re hoping to see them on the way to Byron Glacier. Directions: If you have GPS look up “Byron Glacier Trail.” From Anchorage, drive south on Seward Highway towards Girdwood (which is the last place to fill up on gas and snacks). Les chiens sont les bienvenus sur ce sentier mais seulement en laisse. Starting from the trailhead, which is just on the Whittier side of the Portage tunnel, you'll hike up 800ft in one mile on a mostly wide, rocky trail. There is no Byron Glacier. I was awe struck when I first entered this ice cave which is about an hour drive from Anchorage Alaska. Description. But before you go, please ask yourself, “Is the Byron… Or to cut down on time, you can always sled down half of it! The small glacier is gone and only some ice fields remain, often this are the remains avalanches of the last winter. Hikers, bikers, skiers, skijourers, and snowshoers will form a 3 mile trail out to Portage Glacier. Byron Glacier Trail est un sentier aller-retour de 3.2 miles très fréquenté situé près de Girdwood, Alaska. Try to stay to the right of the river when climbing up- it’s very hard to cross the river at points and you’ll get yourself wet the ice cave … Description. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/byron-glacier-trail Go PRO to support our mission and get benefits like gear deals, no ads, and more! Granite Creek Campground is set in the captivating Kenai Mountains, surrounded by wildflowers and spruce forests. Comfort zone. Please explore responsibly! It is an amazing place that constantly changes with the glacier, so get out there and enjoy it! Important Information. The views are awesome, and the trail is easy! Elevation gain: 100 ft. Insane views. Be prepared! On the right is a slightly mellower climb on scree that leads to a grassy bench. Photo 4 of 8. 256 Reviews #5 of 18 things to do in Girdwood. Skating into an ice cave. Kevin and I absolutely love this hike. “That cave could collapse any minute, please don’t go inside it.” Courtney reminded Johnny as they finally reached the cave. Takes about an hour in total! Williwaw Campground, an idyllic area, sits beside Williwaw Creek near the town of Girdwood, Alaska. We signed the traveler’s visitor log and followed the winding trail through the trees. Whether you’re there to play in the icy water with your dog or relax for a picnic, this is a fantastic hike. With that being said, we did explore the dripping glacier and ice caves in the summer and had a great time. This is a semi-popular trail, and so is well maintained with gravel and wooden bridges. We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. It is one of the first victims of climate change. The Byron Glacier cave is the most accessible such cave in the state, and people have been tramping around it for more than 40 years. Once the trees thinned out, we could see Byron Glacier in the distance. 1st May, 2018. We explored several different caves in only a few hours. The 3.2-mile (5.1 km) Byron Glacier Trail is flat and well-maintained. Le sentier offre plusieurs activités et sa meilleure utilisation est de avril à octobre. From here, there is no set trail so feel free to go your own route. Like most big adventures in AK, it’s a daunting proposition to launch into what locals refer to as both beautiful and terrifying. Photo 5 of 8. Getting to the actual glacier was a fairly long ways! We visited that massive ice cave three different times because it was so beautiful. Driving Directions Photos See All. The walk from the visitor center to the trailhead is under 30 minutes. Byron Glacier – Chugach National Forest Mike entering Byron Glacier Cave. Byron Glacier Trail. Potential to camp higher up on a ridge. A lot of snow and ice was hidden beneath rocks and debris. Every now and then we walked next to the river and Zuko ran to it happily. The ice cave looked less like a cave through the telephoto lens, but maybe there was a cave up there somewhere. It's a quick hop, skip, jump to the end of the trail, which is a pretty flat mile. Byron Glacier is a jewel! “I TOUCHED A GLACIER!” John Shouted with excitement (and then continued to tell every single person we met in Alaska this trip). You can climb those to get to the glacier and the ice caves. In the summer it’s an easy walk with lush green scenery and in the winter there’s thick snow for dogs to play in and a massive ice cave to explore. The trail follows a beautiful stream through Chugach National Forest with views of Byron Glacier hanging high up in the mountains. But before you go, please ask yourself, “Is the Byron… Distance: 1.6 miles roundtrip to glacier. Photo 3 of 8. Follow this road, and the first parking lot on your right is the one for you. Probably one of the best bang-for-your buck hikes I've ever been on. Sometimes in the same sentence. When the cave opens into a large area, three Rieklings pop up from the snow-covered floor. You can reach the foot of the glacier in less than an hour of hiking, and at that point there are a few options. There are several to explore. Once you get to the end there’s a bunch of rocks and boulders. When we hiked the trail in winter, we expected to see the faraway glacier and turn around shortly after. You'll know you're at the end when you see one random rock bench and wall with one random ice lookin cave over on the other side of the river. I'm an amateur blogger who wants nothing more than to explore the world with my favorite adventurers. The trail features stones that children and adults can use for creative activities. a woman dean and two people injured by collapse of Byron Glacier Ice Cave. Byron Glacier Trail, Girdwood: See 255 reviews, articles, and 210 photos of Byron Glacier Trail, ranked No.5 on Tripadvisor among 18 attractions in Girdwood. Continue on the freeway until you see the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and take a left onto Portage Glacier Rd. Take a right on Byron Glacier Rd and continue for a few minutes until you reach the parking lot on the right. Byron Glacier Trail, Girdwood: See 258 reviews, articles, and 215 photos of Byron Glacier Trail, ranked No.5 on Tripadvisor among 18 attractions in Girdwood. Byron Glacier, Chugach National Forest, Alaska. ... Great hike to ice cave. The Byron Glacier trailhead is outside a small parking area off the road. Please be aware of glacier dangers on hikes like this and the nearby Byron Glacier Cave before attempting any glacier hikes. There are tons of other hikes nearby but luckily this one is less crowded than the rest. I would definitely do this again. This little run was rocky and tricky, but with a few jumps and a little luck it was possible to skate from the main pool in the ice cave down the ice and outside. Perfect for drinks with friends or grabbing a quick bite to eat from our quality pub menu, The Cave is sure to be your new neighborhood hangout! Since it’s such a short and easy hike, you can take your family here no problem. It's obviously safer to explore inside the glacier during winter when everything is frozen, but I highly doubt you’ll enjoy the trek through the thick snow. “You see the same thing in a glacier in two to three years as you would in a limestone cave in 5,000 to 10,000 years.” Of course, global warming has these glaciers melting more rapidly than before. We spent a fun afternoon walking the trail then climbing over rocks to get to the caves. At it’s... You'll see tons of animals including bald eagles, bears, moose, muskox, lynx, reindeer, and wolves! Overview Entrance to an ice cave on the Byron Glacier. At the Glacier viewing area, there is … This grassy ridge overlooks the entirety of Byron Glacier, along with Portage Glacier and 3 other glaciers across Portage Lake. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. The Byron Glacier Wall is (as of 2014) tucked under Byron Glacier and the surrounding mountains. We ended up needing our jackets here because the wind chill was too cold, but Zuko didn’t mind at all. The entire valley that Byron Glacier rests in is a beautiful valley with stunning views, and because of this, what can be planned for a short day hike can easily turn into an all day venture. It's a conservation center so they have a great mission. The sun breaks through clouds over the Byron Glacier in the Chugach National Forest near Anchorage. Photos from the Byron Glacier trail and surrounding avalanche terrain. Nordic skating inside Byron Glacier. ... right of the river when climbing up- it’s very hard to cross the river at points and you’ll get yourself wet the ice cave … There are ice caves inside the glacier itself, but we don’t recommend climbing inside them because it can be really dangerous. If you visit in the winter, Byron Glacier Rd will be closed so just park along the road or near the visitor center. If you visit in the winter you can explore the beautiful ice cave below the glacier. Dec 2, 2019 - Byron Glacier has a beautiful ice cave that is easily accessible from Anchorage and you might be planning a visit this weekend. The Byron Glacier Blue Ice Trail is a gorgeous Alaskan hike with mountain and glacier views and you don’t have to enter the ice cave. Glacial Cave is a location in The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn, on the north coast of Solstheim, east and slightly north of Saering's Watch. There are several to explore. Photo by Gwen Herrewig Feeling deprived of cave adventure; I took an helmet behind because I would have used it. Then at the end of March my new friend Teo called to tell me the lake refroze and there were dozens of hikers crossing it last weekend. Instead, we enjoyed the frozen ice cave below and watched Zuko frolic in the snow. I would definitely do this again. © 2020 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. Unfortunately there are no bathrooms here, but if you're a true adventurer you won't mind going in the woods. We also brought our Kachula Adventure Blanket for the dogs to lie down on. It is located in Portage Valley and is surrounded by the Chugach Mountain Range and the ... Kayak Across Alaska's Prince William Sound, Explore the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. If you want to make the trek to the faraway glacier in the summer like we did, it'll add about an hour each direction since you have to hike through some snow. The hanging glacier in the distance was enough to capture my attention but I continued to be drawn to the ice cave. Jared Leto narrates this CBS video about glacier melting in Alaska, featuring the Byron Glacier Ice Caves. Five glacial views. Fun, short hike with options to branch out on your own for fun pics! The first photo looks right at the ‘ice cave’, which is now covered in avalanche debris from this season and not visible. The trail head is located near Begich Boggs Visitor Center. The glacier doesn't care if you happen to be standing there when it lets one of these deadly chunks fall. Absolutely loved it and would highly recommend a visit. He (a good sized black bear) was only about 10 minutes from the parking lot. Whether you’re there to play in the icy water with your dog or relax for a picnic, this is a fantastic hike. It's a one-mile scenic walk to the glacier face along Byron Creek. The Byron Glacier Trail is scenic and easy to traverse. The trail ends at a small wooden wall near a mass of rocks. adventures and follow local regulations. There are no guarantees that this cave will be there every winter, but if regardless you should bring hot cocoa or coffee (or beer if you have warm gloves), coats and footies for the dogs, and waterproof snow gear. From here, it is possible to access the ridge and head to Byron Peak, however this is not recommended without climbing experience and safety gear.

byron glacier cave

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