If you’re just tuning in to our Alaska adventures, here are the links to Part I, Part II, and Part III. Where did we leave off last? Ice Giants. Ice Spiders. Crampons. And Cassidy was about to defy gravity, which is what you do when you’re in Alaska!
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I didn’t follow him up. I know. Right?? It actually wasn’t fear-based. Well, it WAS fear-based, but it wasn’t the fear of falling off and getting hurt. I knew this was safe. It was the fear of spazzing out and flailing from a rope and needing to be rescued, but not before becoming the comedic fodder between the tour guides later that night. It was the fear of not getting it. Sometimes, I’m directionally impaired. Is that the right term? I generally know when something isn’t going to work, and that happens when I don’t have the confidence NOR the interest. And to be honest, it took a really long time to set up the rope for Cassidy and I really wanted to go out and find some Ice Giants. Cassidy said, “You have to go up!” And I kept exclaiming that I had zero interest in it. Then Nick (guide) cracked me up by using funny metaphors and analogies for how disinterested I was, but sadly, I don’t remember them. All I know is that I had zero interest in this. If my life passes me by, and I never do this?
So then Cassidy shimmied down like someone who shimmies down ice hills a lot, and then we were FINALLY all on safe, solid ground. We could just lie back and enjoy the view. Right? Well, wrong! For one, I really wanted to sit down and take an ice nap, but apparently even in 65-70 degree weather, that can cause hypothermia after too long. I also wanted to take my crampons off and hurl them into one of the abyss puddles of everlasting sadness, but they were kind of saving my life.
The most heartbreaking and fascinating thing you can really talk about on a glacier – of which we saw and/or traveled quite a few – is that they are receding at an alarming rate. Nick told us about where the start of the glacier was years before, and it’s sobering. There’s also the fact that things can change BY THE DAY. By the minute. We certainly saw ice chunks falling off before our very eyes. Nick described paths that were safe the previous week and not then. Or that were not safe the previous week, but which we were now treading. I had to wrap my head around that one a million times over, and I may have even had an existential crisis or two. I HATE those. I try to have my existential crises once every five to ten years. In the least.
I was so adamant about going to Alaska, NOW, mainly because I had the money and I hadn’t had a honeymoon. It was also the fear of everything changing and it never being quite like this again. It could get better, yes, but we’ll find out next time.
We’re probably at the point in the story in which I can lighten it back up and tell you that Nick took pictures of us, among the sleeping Ice Giants, and I think Elsa was there too, but sometimes I wonder if I’m actually Elsa, so there’s that too?
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I kept looking ahead and thinking, “Oh HELL no.” Then Nick would cross the divide or gap or bridge or tunnel or small mountain, Cassidy would then follow, and I’d do it with relative ease – with no help at all – in the beginning, anyway.
There was only one wall that needed a rope to climb up and down. I said, “NO” quite firmly. They asked again and I said it again. Then I totally went up anyway without a second thought and without trouble. Boy, the air up there!
I watched Nick demonstrate and I watched Cassidy do it and I knew what I had to do but my brain wasn’t reaching my feet, and I fell spectacularly twice. On the ice. And at the time I worried about hypothermia, even while hanging down off a glacier to a rope and to my poor guide. I was reassured about the hypothermia, but my brain would NOT tell my feet what to do. My hands did some of the work and Nick did most, and Brrrr… even in 65-70 degrees, that ice is cold. I want to tell you that I survived wonderfully but I had bruises on my butt and my arm and they took nearly all of the trip, or all of the trip, to fade.
And what’s next, do you think? What happens after hanging off part of the world? Obviously you have to get yourself down, and then more down, and then across, and then down, until you’re on that dirt that is still actually over ice, and then until you’re actually off the ice and wondering, “What’s next?” Let me tell you – SPOILER – it’s not disappointing. There are cold beers and cold ice creams and cold tongues and warm rain and warm rainbows and warm hearts. Oh, it was GOOD!
Wow, so cool. I’d so fall on the ice too. I am uncoordinated on solid ground so I imagine I’d be terrible on ice.
These photos are spectacular.
I was actually just thinking that I have to get those darn crampons for just going across my driveway to my car. It gets horribly dangerous around here!
Such gorgeous photos Tamara! Seeing you standing on that glacier makes me nervous LOL. I love that cold beers are next.
ha, and cold ice cream! It was pretty nerve-wracking. Cassidy got some photos too, of me standing there on the edge of the world!
GORGEOUS! I’m just starting to read about your trip – backwards. I can’t wait to blog about mine!!!
I really can’t wait to read about yours too!!!! We’re Alaska twins.
OK, I am not going to lie, but all I thought was OMG that is a lot of snow! And we all know how I feel about snow LOL – Just saying!! 😉
ha! It’s just ice – there year round! You know ICE… so much more dangerous than SNOW! Argh.
I loooove this! This is definitely where we are going for our next honeymoon. Bravo for doing as much as you did, and I would not have climbed that steep ice wall either, and I would not have had any regrets. These pictures!! I’m excited for y’all that you got to do this.
That first steep ice wall was too ridiculous! Although the second one made me fall on my butt! I can’t win!
I would love to hear about you going to Alaska!
Very cool..er..should I say cold! Glad you were there in the summer, lol I went in July myself 🙂
No biggies about the climb. You went to ALASKA yay!!!!
I bet July is even better! Later sunsets. Ours were around 9:30 or 10:00 which is still pretty late compared to here!!!
This is such an amazing series! And WOW these particular photos. Truly in awe.
Thank you, Nina!! I think I’m not even close to halfway done. YAY.
Spectacular!
Dad!! Thank you!!
Well it is sad that you saw ice chunks fall in real life. 🙁 And that it could possibly not look the same next time you go 🙁 But the pics are beautiful! So is the hike in a big circle or do you have to double back and do everything in reverse?
That is sad, and happens all the time. Too often.
So we hiked in a circle. What a good question! We had to double back only at the very end. Otherwise, it was all new scenery the whole time!
I wasn’t even thinking about new scenery when I asked. I was thinking about having to walk through the ice tunnel again. LOL!
haha!! Oh man. That still makes it a great question. We didn’t have to do the tunnel twice, thankfully. I HATED the tunnel. It was so narrow and my crampons so wide. I don’t recommend it.
Oh I was definitely not feeling the tunnel. LOL!
I looked at it and said, “HECK NO.” And they were waiting for me at the other side. NOT FUN.
Dammit! I’m here too early.
I want MORE!
Oh, darnit girl! I need to write faster and you read slower.
Wow! Fabulous, Tamara. Your writing with the photos are spectacular. You are both brave.
BEST. Thank you!! That means the world.
I really want to get me some crampons too, well only if I can look as cool as your hubby climbing that ice wall! What great pictures!
I was just out at a sugar shack (maple syruping New England thing) and the owner and I were talking about the need to get them for regular use. Even my driveway is dangerous without them.
Now don’t you wish you lived here???
My god, those views. I could just soak in those views forever and ever. I seriously need to go someday.
Yes. You do. We need a homestead there!!
Love the photos, amazing. So brave, I could not do it 🙂
Thank you! And out of two steep hills, I could only do one. No siree for the other one!!
Your pictures are incredible! What an amazing place to explore!
Thank you! And yes, agreed!! I could be there for years and still not see it all.
First, your photos are amazing. And second, because I am goofy and immature, every time I read the word crampons I laughed. Again.
I’m laughing right now about it, in fact!
OKay- I need to go back to III, but I couldn’t LOOK AWAY!! Oh my GOSH THESE PICTURES ARE AMAZING!!!
But I need to learn about this word: “Crampons”.
So off I go!
haha, I can’t wait to see what you find out!!
OH! I came back to say… OH THAT!! lol *I think I need a three day SILENCE in my head kinda break* #Notcominganytimesoon 😉
hahahah. Yes, they’re innocent enough. You probably need them in Ohio too! Winter is coming.
That surfing picture is too cool!!! Once again Alaska is so beautiful. I don’t think I would have any interest in climbing a glacier either. Climbing up anything with ice using a rope is not really my thing.
Well two of the climbs required ropes but I only did the one that DIDN’T require ice picks. No thanks to that!!!!!
Well, definitely, if you have to fall somewhere, that looks like a gorgeous place to do it. I don’t know how you keep topping your previous posts with more and more beautiful photos. Alaska was just added to our list of ‘must visit’ places! And don’t hate me if I tell you that climbing the side of that glacier kind of looks like fun!
I can’t wait to post more! I believe tomorrow will be part 5, as long as the morning goes swimmingly.
There were two chances to climb those walls and it does look fun with the ice picks! The one with just the rope was not so fun on the way down for me, but I survived!
THESE PICTURES AND MEMORIES ARE STUNNING!! You have to get these pictures published somewhere they’re amazing like magazine and travel channel amazing!! That picture with Cassidy and the “wave” AWESOME! You guessed it, I’m showing this one to my hubby. 🙂
I’m so happy for you, Tamara.
XOXO
I was so excited I totally didn’t use commas where they were needed. 😀 WHOOPS!
XOXO
haha! I swear I didn’t notice any lack of commas. XOXO to you!!
Just so frigging incredible! That’s all I can say.
And that’s enough to say! It just gets better and better.
That’s an amazing experience. Amazing photos too! That “surfing” photo is sooo cool!
Having a great tour guide is a good thing. I’d totally do a glacier tour if given the chance or if I can go to Alaska or a “similar” place in my lifetime. 🙂
Yes, the tour guide was everything. I can’t imagine NOT!
Beautiful! But I’m cold just looking at the photos!
ha! I hear that. It was a lot warmer than it looks, but once you touched the ice like I did.. Brrrrrr..
my favorites are the pics of you two! those need to be framed pronto! and climbing up a glacier…no interest on my part either. but looks like fun for cassidy.
Thank you! I am SO glad I gave my camera to the guide.
Wow. Wow. It really does look like the sides of my driveway in January. HA Maybe I’ve been training for this my whole life, with all the driveway shoveling I’ve done. My kids climb up the banks and sled down. Oh yes they do. I truly think Alaska could be my home away from home.
haha! Is your driveway my driveway? Yes.
You’re so ready. Wait until I get to the dog sledding chapter of this story…
I used to have a husky.. I can’t wait for this part of the story. Imma get my flannels on.
Us too! Cassidy had one for 16 years. She was amazing and scary at the same time.
Again (dead horse, I know), amazing pictures. I can’t believe Cassidy only had a T-shirt on. Then I read it was 70 – but still. BTW, I wouldn’t have climbed either. And I missed something, what are crampons? Maybe it’s in part 3. Off I go…
It’s just so beautiful, it doesn’t look real. The pictures of you two together, on the glacier, are truly amazing.