Our Memorable Journeys

Day 3 - 8/24/2018 - Glaciers and More

Today's weather: High 59, no rain, mix of clouds, sun, fog.

This morning we drove down the Turnagain Arm again. Our first stop was Portage Lake where we took a short cruise on the mv Ptarmigan to view Portage Glacier along with several of the 10,000 glaciers in the Chugach National Forest. The cruise took us past multiple water falls. Portage Lake is 650 feet deep with steep sides which allowed the boat to maneuver close to the edge. The ice crystals in the glacier are composed of super-compressed snow. They are so densely packed that they actually filter the other colors of the light spectrum so they appear to be blue.

This afternoon we visited the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC), a sanctuary dedicated to preserving Alaska's wildlife through conservation, research, education, and quality animal care. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and care. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center.

Brown Bear

Black Bear

Musk Oxen

Our final stop today was the Begich Boggs Visitor Center. The center is built upon the terminal moraine left behind by Portage Glacier in 1914. Making use of interpretative exhibits, the center offers a unique opportunity to learn about the Chugach National Forest, America's second largest national forest. We watched the movie theater presentation called "Retreat and Renewal: Stories from Alaska's Chugach National Forest". At the end of the film, the theater screen opened and the large windows behind it offered a panoramic view of the mountains and glaciers.

Movie screen opens to reveal window after film ends

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