Multimedia Mania/abacus-multimedia-mania.iso/dp/0100/01003.txt

Text File | 1993-07-27 | 27KB | 482 lines

$Unique_ID{bob01003}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Glacier Bay
Part I}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{National Park Service}
$Affiliation{National Park Service;U.S. Department Of The Interior}
$Subject{bay
glacier
park
lodge
cove
bartlett
boat
gustavus
summer
whales
see
pictures
see
figures
}
$Date{1983}
$Log{See Map of the Park*0100301.scf
}
Title:       Glacier Bay
Book:        Part III: Guide And Advisor
Author:      National Park Service
Affiliation: National Park Service;U.S. Department Of The Interior
Date:        1983

Part I

Getting to Glacier Bay

     Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve lies west of Juneau and can be
reached only by plane or boat.  The only road just connects Gustavus and its
airfield to park headquarters at Bartlett Cove (11 kilometers/7 miles).  There
is no link with the Alaska highway system.

     Alaska Airlines provides daily jet service from Juneau to Gustavus (about
30 minutes) in the summer season, which runs from mid-May to mid-September.
Passengers are transported between Gustavus and Bartlett Cove - at flight time
only - by bus-limo.  Year round air service to Gustavus is available by small
plane but no regular off-season ground transportation runs between Gustavus
and the park.  Scenic flights, charters, and air taxi service - including
floatplane service - are offered in summer by a concessioner at Glacier Bay
Lodge, and year-round out of Gustavus, Hoonah, and Juneau.  Write the
superintendent for a list of operators.

By Boat or Ship

     Daily boat transportation from Juneau to Gustavus and limited tour boat
service from Juneau to Glacier Bay are usually available from May until early
fall, but inquire ahead.  Charter boats may be available out of Juneau or
Gustavus: Write to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce.  Private boats are welcome:
Write ahead to the park for special regulations. (For boat service at Glacier
Bay, see Trips Up the Bay.)

     Write the superintendent for a list of ship companies that offer Alaska
cruises featuring a day in Glacier Bay.  On such cruises you will want sun,
wind, and rain protection gear so that you can enjoy being on deck.  You'll
want binoculars for both scenery and wildlife.

Weather and Seasons

     This is a land of glaciers.  Clouds make and perpetuate glaciers, so, for
weeks at a stretch, "good" weather may mean a day of only scant rain.  Clear
days rate as blue-sky days and most agree such weather is best.  But don't
despair on gray days.  Distant views are blocked, but mist hangs wraith-like
above the water, first swaddling, then releasing, nearby peaks.  The bay seems
to brood, mysterious.  Gray days are typical, although rain usually is light
and intermittent.  May and June usually bring the most sunshine and the least
rain, but never trust statistics here.  The visitor season runs from mid-May
through mid-September.

     Generally, weather runs cool in summer and surprisingly mild in winter,
with abundant rainfall all year.  Rainfall generally increases as the summer
progresses into early fall.  Bring clothing for possible below-freezing
temperatures, no matter the month.  Carry full rain protection for head,
torso, legs, and feet even aboardship, so you can be on deck in all weather.

     "Layer" your clothing: Several lightweight shirts and sweaters worn under
a windproof, rainproof parka or jacket offer a range of temperature readiness
while you're outdoors.  Attend to protecting wrists, throat, and head against
heat loss with cap, high turtlenecks, and sleeve cuffs.  (Hikers and kayakers
please read clothing and gear advice under Enjoying the Backcountry.)  The
maritime climate moderates and mutes differences in the change of seasons.  In
April bears come out of hibernation.  Waterfowl begin coming through.
Seabirds arrive to nest and hummingbirds return.  Seals give birth beginning
in late May.  The first whales usually arrive at Bartlett Cove in late June,
to begin gorging on the krill - tons of krill - that will sustain them, as
stored fat, through the winter.

     Waves of color along the shore tell you what's happening to the calendar.
Green leaves burst from lowland willow and alder in May.  Alpine meadows turn
green in July.  Fireweed blossoms paint the upper beach rose-purple from July
to mid-August.  By late August, cottonwoods glow golden.  In late summer and
early fall the snow is gone from the ridges and low peaks. Berries ripen in
abundance and the salmon make their migrations into the rivers.  The whales
and summer birds begin to leave.  During starry nights the aurora borealis -
northern lights - appear.

Insects, Insects, Insects

     Alaska is notorious for the ferocity of its biting insects.  Gnats and
flies are worse than mosquitoes here.  Aboardship you'll probably not be
troubled.  But ashore you may see mountain goats with their muzzles buried in
snow to escape getting bitten.  Or you may see a cloud of insects encircling a
bear.

     Higher country is generally worse for bugs than the low country.  Some
years are plain awful - mosquitoes, deerflies, horseflies, white sox, and
no-see-ums are all out for blood.  Most years aren't that bad.  But bring
insect repellent and adequate screening for your tent.  Beaches often have
enough breeze to hold biting insects to a minimum.  Bushes can fairly swarm
with them. (Mosquitoes subsist on plant juices if they have to.)

Naturalist Programs

     Park naturalists lead hikes daily in summer from the lodge and they hoard
cruise ships and tour boats to answer your questions and interpret the scenery
and wildlife.  Exhibits housed in the lodge portray the parks glacier story,
the return of life as ice retreats, and the marine energy cycle. Exhibits on
the clock treat whales and marine life.

     Up-bay, rangers are stationed at Goose Cove in the summer.  Look for
their white tents floating offshore on platforms (for protection from bears.
Rangers offer information and help in emergencies.  Similar summer ranger
stations usually operate intermittently on Cenotaph Island in Lituya Bay, and
at Graves Harbor or Dundas Bay.

     Films about Glacier Bay are shown daily in summer at the lodge.
Naturalists give slide-illustrated talks in the evenings.  Schedules are
posted in the lodge.

     A naturalist meets the bus that brings jet passengers from the airport to
Bartlett Cove.  The naturalist offers a camper orientation talk and will
suggest the best areas to visit during your stay.  You will also receive
safety information and have ample opportunity to ask any questions you may
have.

     Various publications are available.  They deal with such topics as the
humpback whales, bear safety, and intertidal life at Bartlett Cove.  The free
park newspaper tells you where to get information about the day's events, and
provides general Glacier Bay information, including safety precautions and
important management regulations.

Accommodations and Services

     Glacier Bay Lodge, concession, operates from about mid-May to
mid-September.  It is the only hostelry in the park.  Rooms are motel-style.
The central unit offers lobby, dining room bar, auditorium and exhibits about
the park.  Make room reservations well in advance.  Full meal and bar services
and the free park naturalist programs are open to all, not just to lodge
guests. For information and reservations write:  Glacier Bay Lodge, Glacier
Bay National Park, Gustavus, AK 99826 during the operating season, or Glacier
Bay Lodge, Inc., 1500 Metropolitan Park Bldg., Seattle, WA 98101 otherwise.  A
family operated hotel in Gustavus offers rooms and meals.

[See Map of the Park: Some management regulations for the preserve area - at
upper left on your map - may differ from those normally associated with
National Park Service areas.]

Campground

     The National Park Service maintains a forest campground near the lodge in
Bartlett Cove (no reservation or fees required).  Facilities include a
bearproof food cache, fire pits, and firewood.  Campground stays are limited
to 14 days maximum.  Bring all equipment and supplies.  Gustavus has only one
small general store and grocery.  Juneau is the nearest full-supply point.
Glacier Bay Lodge usually sells white gas but no other campstove fuels.  Pets
must be leashed in the campground and are prohibited in the backcountry.
There is no place to store extra gear at campground, lodge, or park
headquarters while you are in the backcountry.

Bartlett Cove Concession

     A dock facility at Bartlett Cove sells No. 2 diesel fuel and gasoline for
boats.  Tie-up space is not available except for fueling, though anchorage is
good and unrestricted.  No buoys.  A tidal grid facilitates hull inspection
and repair.  Limited snack-type groceries are sold at the lodge.  The lodges
showers, laundromat, public phone, dining room, bar, and gift shop are open to
all, not just to lodge guests.

Bartlett Cove Activities

     Be sure to take in the daily naturalist programs at the lodge.  Schedules
are posted in the lobby.  You can also hike the trails.  A short trail leads
through the forest and along the beach to the dock.  The other trail meanders
by a tidal lagoon and into the forest to the Bartlett River estuary (12
kilometers/8 miles round trip).  River fishing can be pretty good in July for
cutthroat and Dolly Varden trout.  In May and June birdsong is everywhere, as
bird migrations are at their peak.  In June and July the forest and beach
flowers bloom.  August brings the onset of fall Colors, not spectacular here,
and the ripening of berries, which are spectacular.  Take your pick of
strawberries blueberries huckleberries nagoon berries and several others.  In
late summer you can watch salmon enter the Bartlett River to spawn.  This is
one of the world's great nature sights, Ducks geese, and other waterfowl
concentrate in the lagoon for fall migration.  Coyotes forage the beach
year-round.

Fishing

     An Alaska fishing license is required in the park.  Licenses are sold in
Juneau, at the Gustavus Post Office, at Glacier Bay Lodge, or by mail.  You
can arrange charter boat and fishing guide services at the Glacier Bay Lodge.
Halibut and salmon are the chief sport fish.  The lodge chef will prepare your
catch for your dinner that evening, or you can arrange to send frozen fish
home via Alaska Airlines.  Up-bay, crab and shrimp pots are worth a try.  Some
freshwater streams and lakes harbor Dolly Varden and Cutthroat trout.  Consult
a ranger about your angling itinerary.

Trips Up the Bay

     You should plan on an excursion upbay.  The nearest tidewater glacier is
about 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Bartlett Cove.  Cruise ships generally
spend a leisurely day traveling to at least one glacier front so passengers
can watch the birth of icebergs.  A concessioner-operated tour boat departs
the lodge every morning for a six to eight-hour trip up the bay, giving a look
at icebergs, glaciers, and wildlife.  Park naturalists accompany both cruise
ships and the tour boat.  The concessioner offers overnight boat trips in
summer, although they are often heavily booked.  Inquire way ahead, if
possible.

     Backcountry hikers, campers, kayakers, and canoeists are let off the tour
boat and picked up again at designated points up-bay.  The cost is based on
the regular tour boat fee with added dropoff or pickup charges.  Make advance
arrangements.  Only about five dropoffs and pickups are feasible per day.
Floatplane taxi service often can be arranged, but check first about
transporting rigid kayaks, etc.  The only alternative to boat or plane
transport is a long paddle up-bay.  Hiking to the upper bay from Bartlett Cove
is not practical.

     You can often arrange air or boat taxi service out of Juneau, Gustavus,
or Hoonah.  Guided kayak trips are offered out of Gustavus.  Write for current
information.

Whale and Seal Watching

     Comparatively few people have ever seen a whale in the wild.  And while
nobody guarantees you'll see humpback whales, chances are good in June, July,
and August.  Please remember that the whales need peace more than you need a
close look.  Don't pursue whales.  Let binoculars and long lenses close the
gap.  Minke whales occasionally enter Glacier Bay.  So do orcas (killer
whales) and harbor porpoises.  Boaters mostly see the humpback whales, which
usually just flash their arched backs capped with a small fin.  Occasionally,
however, humpbacks display their full, prodigious dimensions in leaps from the
water ("breaching").  Whales react to approaching boats in various ways.  They
sometimes slap the water with their side flippers ("finning") or with their
flukes ("tail lobbing").  Hump-backs may also react simply by moving away from
the boat or even abandoning the area.  The North Pacific Ocean population of
humpback whales has been reduced to about 850 individuals by commercial
whaling.  They are now so scarce worldwide that they are protected under the
Federal Endangered Species Act.  They arrive here from their calving grounds
near Baja, California and Hawaii with a purpose: to eat enough to store the
fat to see them through the winter.  Humpbacks do not feed year round.

     Glacier Bay's harbor porpoises are considered one of the world's few
untrammeled populations.  More than a hundred have been counted feeding
together in Sitakaday Narrows where riptides bring nutrient-rich bottom water
to the surface.  You may see Dall porpoises in Icy Strait playing in your
vessel's bow wake.  Hair seals are seen almost anywhere in Glacier Bay waters.
Great throngs ride the pack ice of upper, tidewater-glacier inlets during the
early-summer pupping season.  Don't approach them during mid-May to mid-June,
the crucial weeks of mother-pup bond formation.  Disturbance may cause a
mother to permanently abandon her young.  Certain death ensues for the hapless
pup.

Enjoying the Backcountry

     Plan carefully so you are well supplied but not overburdened with gear.
You will meet wilderness on its terms, not yours.  Count on rain: May and June
average the least, August and September grow steadily wetter.  Most years,
snow lingers well into June in the low country and blankets alpine ridges and
meadows into July or even August.  Snow may fall, even at sea level, any
month, but is unlikely down low from mid-June through September.

     Bring waterproof clothing, a tent with waterproof fly, a rain cover for
your pack, waterproof matches, and waterproof food bags.  If you're kayaking,
add a spray cover.  Then still expect to be wet part of the time anyway.  Wool
clothing is advisable because it retains warmth while wet.  Cotton and most
synthetics do not.  However, synthetic-fill sleeping bags and jackets retain
much insulative quality even when soggy, and they can be wrung half dry.  By
contrast, down bags and clothing lose all insulation value when wet.  Guard
down garments zealously during wet conditions.  And remember that the wet from
sweat is just as wet and chilling as rain.

     Some hikers favor ponchos rather than rain pants and parka because their
built-in ventilation prevents overheating.  But wind whipping a poncho out of
control may discount its rain protection too.  New, one-way permeable rain
gear is designed to solve this problem, but opinions vary on its
effectiveness.  In fact, no two backpackers or kayakers are likely to agree on
the best solution to the wet-within versus wet-without dilemma.  In summary,
be sure that you're equipped either with clothing that stays warm while wet or
with clothing carefully kept dry until needed and feasible to wear.
Hypothermia - critical loss of body heat - is serious and can strike any time
of year.  Hypothermia can cause death, even when the temperature is well above
freezing.

     While you must be prepared for wet and cold, you should also bring
lightweight clothing, in case of hot weather, and plenty of sunburn
preventative.

     Extensive hiking, especially under pack, requires sturdy boots.  Rubber
boots or tennis shoes won't do.  (Boat boots, however, are a blessing for
getting in and out of kayaks or other small craft.)  Carry moleskin or sponge
rubber tape, even if you're not prone to blisters.  Wet feet can develop sore
spots.  Apply tape at the first hint of trouble.  If you think caring for a
barely begun blister is annoying, just wait until it's beyond the stage at
which simple taping can help!

     A sleeping pad or air mattress will afford comfort and insulate you
against the cold ground.  A mosquito net for your tent is a must.  You need
fine mesh, to keep out gnats; or try a double layer of netting as defense.

Where to Go?

     There are no trails in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve except at
Bartlett Cove.  Carry a compass and topographic map - maps are sold at the
lodge or by mail - and know how to use them before you begin your trip.  Don't
travel alone, and let a ranger know your itinerary and expected return.  Be
prepared for steep, rocky slopes, maddening tangles of alder and devil's club,
vast barrens, rivers that can rise treacherously in heavy rain, and rivers
that become torrents on hot afternoons when ice melt is greatest.  Also expect
beauty that will stretch your soul and haunt you forever.

     To be close to tidewater ice, go to upper Muir Inlet on the bay's east
side, or Reid, Johns Hopkins, or Tarr Inlets on the west side.  Lituya Bay and
the LaPerouse Glacier, on the outer coast, are also close to ice, but approach
by air taxi is all but required.  For stagnant remnants of once-mighty Little
Ice Age glaciers, check Muir Inlet maps.  Brown with mineral overburden and
safe to approach, such ice once characterized much of northern North America.
Ask a ranger about the current ice condition, however.  Glacier retreat is so
rapid that even recent maps may show ice where none now exists.

     Forest Creek, off lower Muir Inlet, boasts fossil trees still standing
upright as they are exposed by erosion in gravel banks.  A ranger can mark
your map for other fossil tree locations.

     Delightful coves, inlets, and islands offering wildlife and plants in
varying stages of colonization are available by the score as destinations,
many with valleys or slopes that lead to high ridges and over into adjoining
drainages.  Put a pin on the map while blindfolded and you'll probably pick
well!  But to fit interest and energies to available time and experience,
you'll do best to talk over options with a park ranger.  And read the Trips Up
the Bay section about backcountry access and transport.  An excellent hiking
guide for Muir Inlet is sold by the Alaska Natural History Association,
upstairs at the lodge, or by mail (See Armchair Explorations).

Making Your Camp

     Avoid camping on beaches bordered by bluffs or plant thickets where
animals - from mountain goats to wolverines, coyotes, wolves, and bears - have
their established thoroughfares.  Also respect the territory of nesting birds.
Both North and South Marble Islands, and other islands, are closed to camping,
or even to going ashore, from May 1 to September 1.  This is to protect
nesting birds.  Ask a park ranger about any other restrictions on camp
locations.  Naturally disturbed places, such as outwash areas, are recommended
as campsites.  Stay well above high tide line, preferably above the ryegrass
zone.

     Firewood is not available in the upper bay.  The only wood there is
fossil wood, hundreds of thousands of years old, killed by previous
glaciations.  This wood should not be burned.  Bring a stove and fuel bottle.
White gas is sold at the Glacier Bay Lodge or in Gustavus, but alcohol,
butane, propane, and Sterno are not.  Commercial airline safety regulations
prohibit carrying flammable or explosive materials, which unfortunately
includes all campstove fuels.  So bring a fuel bottle for filling here, and be
prepared to use only white gas.

     Finding drinking water, except on islands and some ridges and high
slopes, is no problem.  So far, contamination has not been a problem.  Glacial
streams are brown with silt, but drinkable.  Let the water stand overnight to
settle out the silt.

     Pack out everything you pack in.  This includes empty cans, jars, and
plastic bags and sheets.  Do not bury anything but human waste, and burying it
in the intertidal zone is best.  In more populous areas this would not be
satisfactory; here it is.  Campfires are also best built in the intertidal
zone where their scars will soon be erased.  This is the key: try to camp
without leaving a trace.

Mountain and Glacier Climbing

     Specialized equipment and experience are requisite to safe mountain
climbing or to venturing out onto glacier ice. Check with park rangers for
current information if your plans include the high peaks or glacier travel.
The Fairweather Range stretches nearly 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) above sea
level and scores of glaciers whiten various elevations.  Spectacular climbs
are assured the prepared, but you need to bring full equipment and knowledge
with you.  This includes rescue knowledge and gear.  You must know
ground-to-air signals to attract attention in emergencies.  Expect to be
totally on your own, and make your own support-party arrangements.  The
terrain here is exceedingly remote.  Rangers help if they can, but even making
contact is unlikely in emergency situations here. (See Precautions.)

Kayaking, Canoeing, and Boating

     In general, kayaks are preferable to canoes in these waters.  Kayaks are
lighter to handle, and are less affected by wind since they ride lower in the
water.  This can be important.  A general lack of wind may frustrate sailors
here, but there's enough of it to menace paddlers.  Strong gusts may blow up
at any time, so stay within 500 meters (a quarter mile) of shore and at the
first hint of storm, head in.  The routine scheduling of city living can be a
booby trap here.  Setting time goals and adhering to them may interfere with
your trip rather than enhance it.  Don't stubbornly buck wind and waves.
Don't challenge fate.  Go ashore, hole up, and wait.  Once you've idled back
your sense of urgency to fit nature's realities, you'll find a peculiar
emancipation.  It's like returning to a time that predates and transcends the
clock.

     All those afloat, in no matter what type of craft, should bring
lifejackets, at least one extra paddle per craft, basic repair parts and
equipment, and a Juneau tide table.  Tide range approaches 8 meters (25 feet).
This produces strong currents which drastically affect itinerary and timing.
You can get a free ride by going with the tidal current, but be thwarted or
swept back by going against it.  Plan accordingly.

     When ashore, carry your craft up well above the highest seaweed and
barnacles, then tie the bowline to a rock or tree trunk.  Do this
automatically - even on an outgoing tide - and you'll never return to find
your kayak or dinghy drifted off, with potential dire consequences.

     Don't pursue seals, whales, or sea birds in the water.  Respect seal
mother-and-pup pairs hauled out on floating ice.  If you panic them into
diving off, they may become hopelessly separated, and the pup will die.  By
Federal regulation (under the Endangered Species Act) whales may not be
approached closer than 500 meters (1,500 feet).  This is to assure that park
waters remain a protected haven for their summer feeding, but the regulation
also protects you.  Even without intending harm, a whale could easily capsize
a kayak, canoe, or dinghy and could severely damage a larger boat. Seawater
temperatures here, even in summer, are much too cold for falling overboard.
Know how to handle your craft before venturing into these waters on your own.
A few kayaks may sometimes be rented in Gustavus. Guided trips are offered
through a tour service there.

     Yachtsmen will need the Glacier Bay chart, sold at the lodge if you don't
already have one.  This chart is available in 1:80,000 and 1:250,000 scales.
No boating guide is available, but rangers can advise you somewhat about
anchorages and courses.  Extensive, specific information may be hard to come
by.

     Classic up-bay anchorages are Reid Inlet, Shag Cove, Blue Mouse Cove, and
South Sandy Cove.  Wolf Point in Lower Muir Inlet is beautiful but exposed to
winds and drifting icebergs.  Adams Inlet has extensive shoalwater because of
glacial outwash.  For additional anchorages, or for Dundas or Taylor Bay or
outer-coast destinations, you will have to find someone who can pinpoint
protected locations on your chart.

     Inside Glacier Bay, extreme water depth, tide range, and rocky bottoms
can complicate anchoring.  There are no docks or mooring buoys.  Icebergs may
be a real threat, as well as a joy to behold (see Precautions).  Beware, too,
of silty deltas reaching considerable distances offshore from active glacial
outwashes.  Depth readings may be misleading because such submarine deposits
can have an abrupt leading edge.  Running aground is the only way to find
them!

     Prevailing winds off the ocean and Cross Sound are southwesterly.  They
may be fairly strong in lower Glacier Bay while upper reaches are flat calm.
Intermittent winds coming off the high peaks characterize the upper bay. These
are not uniform in direction, strength, or duration.

     Getting drinking water is no problem, providing you have containers and a
means of going ashore.

     The National Park Service monitors Channel 16 daily from 8:00 a.m. to
7:00 p.m. during the summer season.  Bartlett Cove park headquarters call
letters are KWM-20.  Outlying ranger stations at Goose Cove, Dundas Bay,
Graves Harbor, or Cenotaph Island can be called directly by location name.
Rangers are here intermittently, so don't be confident of making contact.
Line-of-sight is necessary for most VHF transmission, obviously a stacked deck
in fjord country where high cliffs wall and seal off inlets.

     Self-sufficiency is the hallmark of Glacier Bay boating.  Bring all gear
and supplies, including those for emergency repairs, and an extra anchor.  The
self-sufficiency must extend to your mind-set too.  Some people are
psychologically disoriented by being away from others.  For them, boating here
beyond Bartlett Cove may be traumatic.  For wise planning, know your
equipment, including your psyche.