ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: Alaska Style

VIDEO: Hey Everyone!  We’re in sunny beautiful Juneau, Alaska, in front of the Mendenhall Glacier. And what better day, what better place to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with ice water from the Mendenhall Lake. But first I’m going to call out Carmen, Gretchen, and Sharon to join me in this challenge for ALS.

Okay, 3-2-1… GO!

P.S. A big thanks to Eyewitness News meteorologist/East Coaster Drew Anderson and Ricky Lam for loaning us their bucket. So glad to see other folks out there near the face of the glacier, braving the ice cold water!

P.P.S. And another big thank you to Debbie for loaning us the standup paddleboards - without which Sharon and I wouldn't have had our big and icy adventure!

NBC's The Today Show, From All Angles

Before the crack of dawn on an unseasonably dry July morning, over fifteen hundred Juneauites visited the Mendenhall Glacier for the chance to appear on national television.  NBC’s The TODAY Show – in their first LIVE broadcast from Alaska – featured a cadre of tourism highlights during their filming in Alaska’s Capital City.

What started with Roll Tide hecklers progressed with a little girl and her penguin making their way through the crowd.  The behind-the-scenes action didn't stop there.  Our obligatory selfie happened not once, twice, but three times with the ever-gracious AND gorgeous Natalie Morales.  The rain held off, daylight peaked, and the morning’s festivities wrapped up with NBC’s anchor-extraordinaire petting our fur hats and playing a guessing game of “What kind of fur is it?”  (Note: Mom and I were wearing fur seal and fox fur hats, respectively.  Natalie guessed, "Bear??") 

For more behind-the-scenes highlights, check out my Vimeo video (below) and TODAY Takes Off.

The Crowd and the Signs

The Lady in Yellow

But First, Lemme Take a #Selfie

Dressing the Part with Cozy Kuspuks and Fur Hats

Here's a big shout out to the ever-talented Karena Perry of KM Perry Photos for taking these shots of me and my Momma.  Mom is wearing a traditional kuspuk made by Nita Y. Rearden, and I am wearing my favorite kuspuk made by my Mom in 2013. 

The Ice Caves at Mendenhall Glacier

One sunny Saturday this past September, my friend, Lindsey Aspelund, and I decided to do what many had encouraged us to do all summer: hike the long and treacherous way to the Mendenhall Glacier ice caves.  We didn’t know it at the time, but BuzzFeed.com would later rank the ice caves as one of 27 Surreal Places to Visit Before You Die.

Lindsey is the quintessential Alaskan woman – gutsy, level-headed, determined, and brilliant – so I knew she’d be a terrific hiking partner.  Plus, she’s one heckuva photographer.  You’ll see many of her breathtaking images from our trip later in this blog, and I encourage you to check out her website for more eye candy: http://www.lindseyaspelundphotography.com.

Below is a smörgåsbord of photos from our eight hour round trip adventure which began unassumingly enough with a leisurely hike on the well-maintained West Glacier Trail.  The area was teeming with mushrooms and puddles - a nice appetizer to what lie ahead.

Then came the climb.  I had no idea I could be a rock climber until that day.  What an ego-boost!

We climbed this.

Believe it or not, we climbed all this, too.

When I look back at this photo, I still can't believe we climbed THIS, of all things.

At the top of our first climb, a rocky heart greeted me and Lindsey.  I'm not sure who put that lovely surprise together, but thank you!


 

Surprisingly, we had cellphone service this close to the glacier.

After scaling the highs and lows of the rock peninsula, we saw expansive views of the mighty Mendenhall Glacier, Mendenhall Lake, and Nugget Falls.

Infinity pool, Alaska style.

Once the glacier was close in sight, we realized we weren't really all that close to the glacier caves.  In fact, it was another 30 minute trek across the ice from the viewpoint pictured below. 

Brave souls at the face of the glacier.

A deep crevasse along the ice where we walked.  We used YakTrax as crampons.

This is the face of boulders and loose rock we scaled (read: slid) down on our way to the entrance of the ice caves.  This location was extremely eerie for me because we were completely out of sight with towering rock on one side and glacier ice on the other side.  White knuckle moment for me!

And then we arrived. 

It was one of those “I don’t know if I can do this” moments.  You know, where your pulse pounds and your mind spins, when you think you can’t continue, but you just do.  The excitement and sheer terror compelled my curiosity and pushed me forward.  The pep talk from Lindsey helped, too.  I just had to see the inside, the blue expanse of the caves of Mendenhall Glacier.

As we approached the ice caves, I found myself holding my breath.  The video and images below will show you why.

Lindsey didn't let the downpour inside the glacier deter her from taking more shots.

After about 20 minutes exploring one of the most unpredictable environments known to man, I found myself remarkably breathless – and still wanting more.  It was a long and tiring hike back to the main trail.  But along the way, we were giddy from our epic adventure – and already planning for next time.

Rethinking my decision to wear Puma sneakers instead of Merrell hiking boots.

On our way to the Island Pub for some celebratory pizza!

For tips on how to get to the Mendenhall ice caves, check out Into Juneau's Azure Ice Caves.

For a glimpse into how things might go wrong along the way, check out this rescue story.

Glaciers + Wildlife Galore = EPIC Cruise with Adventure Bound Alaska!

Looking for adventure in Southeast Alaska?  Get yourself on the Adventure Bound!  Last weekend, I went on the adventure of a LIFETIME to the Tracy Arm Fjord.  I saw some of the most amazing and breathtaking sites in not just Alaska, but the entire world!  Since my words pale in comparison to the magnificence of this trip, I'll leave you with a quote from Adventure Bound Alaska's brochure:

"The inland sea is a jade green.  Icebergs redefine the color blue.  Deeper colors come with the rain and brilliance with the sun.  Granite walls reach to the heights.  Waterfalls spiral from above.  The air is fresh with a chill from the last ice.  Cruise along, watch for bears, mountain goats, and seals.  Every turn reveals a new and awesome scene.  At the end see the source of it all - the twin Sawyer Glaciers."

And since a picture is worth a thousand words, check out my photos and videos below - and get ready to be blown away!

After passing massive and ancient icebergs, there was a foraging bear...

Wonderful waterfalls were at every turn.  I was a bit thirsty when we passed this gusher.

The South Sawyer Glacier welcomed us with countless icebergs strewn across open water.

Harbor seals haul out on the ice.  The fjord is a sort of refuge for them - free from predators like killer whales.  

Captain Steve shared with us a mischievous joke:

A seal goes into a bar.  The Bartender says, "What'll it be?" 

The seal replies, "Anything but Canadian Club on the rocks!"

Those little dark spots on the ice?  Those are seals.​

Seals are just dog mermaids.  Think about it.​

When we weren't hearing the ice crack at the face of the glacier, we were listening to the song of beautiful Arctic Terns.  These stunning seabirds have by far the longest regular migration by any known animal.

I can only sum up the taste of glacier ice as "salty."  My next visitors to Juneau will be treated to a cocktail featuring this stuff.

The Sawyer Glacier is my favorite of the twin glaciers because it is more active and seems to produce more awe-inspiring calvings than the South Sawyer Glacier.  I can't get enough of the blue.

While cruising back to Juneau, Captain Steve slowed down to allow us to view what they have endearingly termed "The Wall."  For my rock climbing friends, this is your paradise.

The strength of water has impressively carved out the rock at the water line.  ​

Southeast Alaska isn't just playground for commercial fishermen and eager tourists.  It's a haven for celebrities, corporate bigwigs, and whoever is on THIS boat.  FYI: this is the M/Y Harmony, currently for sale for $36,750,000.  And no, I didn't mistype any of those zeros.

About an hour from Juneau, Captain Steve announced across the loudspeaker to look for sea lions on the starboard side.  Little did we know there would be a gigantic humpback whale off the bow.

As if the wave of a whale's tail wasn't enough to close out the trip, seaplanes returning from the Taku Lodge flew overhead as we cruised down the Gastineau Channel.  This was the icing on the cake for me as I've always wanted to be on the water when a seaplane was landing. 

It was a perfect trip.  Outstanding weather, terrific sights and sounds, all while experiencing the best of Alaska.  What a blessing to have this masterpiece right in our backyard!