Day 54 - Exit Glacier, Seward, AK

After 3 wonderful days in Homer it was time to move on to our next destination, Seward (pronounced Soo-word) Alaska. We barely got down the road when I spotted someone pulling off the road and stopping. That always means some sort of wildlife is present. And sure enough there was mama moose and her two babies. It's going to be a great day.

Seward is situated at the head of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains which are blanketed with lush green vegetation, trees and wild flowers. It has the only deep-water, ice-free port with rail, highway and air transportation in Alaska. 

In 1792, Russian explorer Alexander Baranof arrived by boat and is responsible for naming the port Resurrection Bay.
Seward was founded in 1903 and named after William Seward, who was instrumental in the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. Seward had been a member of Lincoln's cabinet. After Lincoln's death, and the Civil War ended, the U.S. finished the transaction for pennies on the acre.

We arrived in Seward in really good time and it was a beautiful afternoon. I wanted to take advantage of the day so away we go to Exit Glacier which is not far, maybe 10 miles one-way.

Kenai Fjords National Park was created in the 1980's to protect the Harding Icefield and the nearly 40 glaciers that flow out of it. Many of the glaciers reach the ocean in fjords that can only be accessed via the water. Exit Glacier is the easiest glacier of the group to access and the only part of the Kenai Fjords NP accessible by road. The trail to the glacier outlook is just over 1 mile one-way. It starts flat then you start to climb. It's not all that difficult. There is a more strenuous climb to the icefields which is 8 miles long. You definitely need bear spray on the trail.

Exit Glacier Nature Center

Exit Glacier from the road

At the height of the last ice age, about 23,000 years ago Exit Glacier filled the valley. Today, this once massive glacier is retreating rapidly. In the last ten years it has melted back almost 1,000 feet.

Looking behind me at the mountains

The gravel outwash plain from glacier melt

The trail

Lush green mountains

Picture of Exit Glacier in 2004
Photo Courtesy of  the National Parks

Picture taken in 2010 - Exit Glacier receding

Exit Glacier Up Close

Exit Creek and Flood Plain

Another wonderful day filled with wildlife and adventure. Time for something to eat. All this walking has made me very hungry. It's fresh halibut done on the grill tonight. Yummy!