How Alaska’s Glaciers Are Changing And What Tourists Can Still Experience

Alaska’s magnificent glaciers are transforming before our eyes due to climate change. These massive rivers of ice that once seemed eternal are now shrinking at alarming rates, reshaping the landscape in dramatic ways.

Yet despite these changes, Alaska still offers breathtaking opportunities for visitors to witness these icy giants and understand their importance to our planet.

1. Rapid Retreat Reveals New Landscapes

Alaska’s glaciers are melting faster than anywhere else on Earth, losing over 8% of their ice mass since 2000. This accelerated retreat is carving out entirely new valleys and exposing land that hasn’t seen sunlight in centuries.

Tourists can still witness this powerful transformation on boat tours of Glacier Bay, where massive ice walls continue to calve into the sea with thunderous crashes. The newly exposed landscapes also provide unique hiking opportunities through recently uncovered terrain, a rare chance to be among the first humans to walk these paths.

2. Blue Ice Turns Increasingly Scarce

The signature deep blue ice, formed when snow compresses over centuries, is becoming a rarer sight as older glacial sections melt away. This ancient ice, with its otherworldly azure hue, tells stories of climate patterns from thousands of years ago.

Flightseeing tours offer spectacular aerial views of remaining blue ice sections. From above, you’ll spot magnificent crevasses and ice caves glowing with that magical blue light. Photographers should book morning flights when the low-angle sunlight makes the blue ice practically luminescent against the white surroundings.

3. Newly Formed Glacial Lakes Dot The Landscape

As ice walls retreat, they leave behind depressions that fill with meltwater, creating brand-new lakes that didn’t exist a decade ago. These turquoise pools, like those near the Malaspina Glacier, are becoming unexpected new ecosystems.

Kayaking tours now navigate these fresh waterways, offering peaceful paddling through a landscape in transition. The reflections of surrounding mountains in these still waters create mirror-like photo opportunities that weren’t possible before.

Wildlife is adapting too, keep your eyes peeled for moose, bears, and birds that have quickly colonized these new habitats.

4. Tidewater Glaciers Face Accelerated Collapse

Glaciers that terminate in the ocean are experiencing dramatic changes as warmer seawater erodes them from below. This underwater melting can trigger spectacular but concerning calving events where massive ice chunks crash into the sea.

Cruise ships still maintain safe distances from these active glaciers, giving passengers front-row seats to nature’s power. The Columbia Glacier near Valdez has retreated over 12 miles since 1980 but continues to provide breathtaking viewing opportunities.

The thunderous crack of calving ice, a sound locals call “white thunder”, remains one of Alaska’s most unforgettable natural performances.

5. Ancient Forest Remains Emerge From Ice

One of the most surprising revelations of glacial retreat is the uncovering of ancient forests preserved beneath the ice for thousands of years. Near Mendenhall Glacier, 1,000-year-old tree stumps have been exposed, still standing where they grew before being entombed in ice.

Guided interpretive hikes take visitors to these remarkable time capsules. Standing beside a tree that last saw sunlight when Vikings roamed Europe creates a powerful connection to Earth’s climate history.

Scientists race to study these preserved specimens before exposure to air deteriorates them, making now a unique window to witness this phenomenon.

6. Surging Glaciers Buck The Retreat Trend

While most Alaskan glaciers are retreating, a few “surging glaciers” periodically advance dramatically, sometimes moving forward several miles in just months! The Hubbard Glacier has actually grown in recent years, puzzling scientists studying glacier dynamics.

Boat tours to Hubbard offer chances to witness this rare advancing glacier. The massive ice face towers up to 350 feet above the water, taller than a 30-story building!

This glacier’s contrary behavior provides a fascinating counterpoint to the overall trend of glacial retreat, demonstrating the complex nature of Earth’s ice systems even in a warming world.

7. Glacial Silt Creates Milky Turquoise Rivers

As glaciers grind against bedrock, they produce fine rock powder called “rock flour” that turns downstream rivers and lakes a striking milky turquoise color. With increased melting, these colorful waterways have become more prominent features of the Alaskan landscape.

Helicopter tours over river valleys showcase these stunning aquamarine ribbons winding through green forests. The contrast makes for spectacular aerial photography.

Adventurous visitors can experience a glacial facial, locals swear the mineral-rich silt makes an excellent (if chilly) natural spa treatment when applied to the skin during summer river rafting trips!

8. Ice Climbing Opportunities Shift To Higher Elevations

The thinning of lower-elevation glaciers has forced ice climbing routes to migrate upward. Areas that once offered easy access now require longer approaches, but the adventure has only intensified.

Guided expeditions on the Matanuska Glacier still provide thrilling climbing experiences for beginners and experts alike. Crampons bite into crystalline walls while climbers navigate through an otherworldly landscape of ice formations.

The ephemeral nature of these routes, constantly changing with the glacier’s flow, means no two climbing experiences are ever the same. Each ascent becomes a unique moment in time that can never be precisely repeated.

9. Glacier Viewing Platforms Track Dramatic Retreat

National parks have installed viewing platforms with historical markers showing where glaciers stood just decades ago. These sobering before-and-after perspectives make climate change tangible in ways graphs and statistics cannot.

At Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, a trail marked with year signs shows how far the ice has retreated. Standing at these markers gives visitors a visceral understanding of the rapid changes taking place.

Rangers offer daily talks that explain the science behind these changes without doom and gloom, focusing instead on conservation actions that can help slow the melt.

10. Winter Dog Sledding Routes Adapt To Changing Ice

Traditional dog sledding routes across glaciers are being redrawn as crevasses appear in previously stable areas. Mushers with generations of knowledge are finding new paths through this shifting icy terrain.

Winter visitors can still experience the thrill of gliding across snow behind a team of eager huskies. The adventure now comes with an educational component as guides explain how they’re adapting their routes to changing conditions.

The joyful energy of the dogs remains unchanged, their excitement to run across the snow offering a heartwarming contrast to the sobering reality of the changing landscape beneath their paws.