After a quick safety briefing by our guide, we put on the studded boots that add extra grip when walking on the surface of the glacier. In no time we were up and away to our destination.
The pilots are highly-trained to effortlessly navigate air currents and adverse weather that can unexpectedly develop while flying through the mountain landscape. Our pilot delivered us to one of the most breathtaking sights I have ever seen. What a spectacular view I had of the blue glacial ice, deep crevasses, incredible ice falls and the jagged peaks near the Mendenhall.
Once we landed on the glacier the specialized, studded boots caused the snow and ice to crunch beneath my feet, allowing me to walk around the surface with pretty sure footing. Our knowledgeable glacier guides were always close to answer any questions we may have had. Do you know how glaciers are formed? Basically, a glacier is a huge body of ice formed through the accumulation of snow and sleet over a period of many years. These glacial fields have been snow covered for at least the last 3,000 years and average about 100 feet of new snowfall every year.