So, back to our little “flightseeing” tour.
Glaciers are made up of fallen snow that, over many years, compresses into large, thickened ice masses. It’s so strange to me that glaciers move, like really slow rivers. The ice erodes the land surface and carries broken rocks and soil debris far from their original places.
Moraines are created when the glacier pushes rocky debris as it moves. These long, dark bands of debris are visible on top and along the edges of glaciers.
“Kettle” lakes form when a piece of glacier ice breaks off and gets buried by glacial till or moraine deposits. Eventually, the ice melts, leaving a small depression in the land, filled with water. Kettle lakes are small, more like ponds.
The pilot pointed out that this hole was formed by the glacier. Weird, huh?
I thought this terrain was more “glacier-like.” I needed to remember that we were in the summer, not winter. (Never mind the snow provided by WordPress!)
All too soon, we were heading back to the airfield. I loved being in that plane and wished I was flying it.
Has anyone see the movie Into the Wild? It’s from 2007, but I just saw it at the library recently. That film really shows how isolated Alaska is. I could never live in a location that remote…how about you?
Great weekend, everyone!
Pearls & Prose 
Great pics, I love the green of the forest. I haven’t seen “Into the Wild” but read about it. Have you read The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert? It seems to be based on the same premise, a man going off into the wilderness at a young age and living off the land, but this last book is actually a story of success.
I could live off the grid for a while, a summer let’s say, but not for a long time. I need human company, and chocolate, and variation.
Somehow I missed your comment…glad Caroline alerted me!
No, I haven’t read that book, but have heard good things about it. I might be able to live off the grid for one month, but would really miss running water and conversations.
I really wonder how these guys were able to live alone for so long. I haven’t heard of a woman doing the same. Yes, it would be difficult to live without conversations, even more than running water, I think. 🙂
Thanks, Caroline.
Dear Carole, pictures are breath-catching!
So nice of you–thanks!
I love all of these pictures! You give a very nice,short explanation of these interesting facts. I love seeing the pictures and being told exactly what has happened to make different things form! Very cool!
Oh, thank you!
So exciting
so gorgeous 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
It is so fascinating that glaciers can form these deep gorges and crevices, especially since they are so slow moving. Living in such a high density city, all the extra space and solitude in Alaska looks quite inviting. 🙂
It’s funny, I grew up in wide open spaces and later craved big city living. Now I like a mix, which is what I have in Calif.
Amazing how the earth transforms into a different plateau, through the glaciers movement. Thank you for sharing your great images and text.
Glad you enjoyed them, Cornelia.
I’ve seen Into the Wild – it annoyed me to be honest but it did show how remote Alaska is. The pictures were fabulous.
I just saw Delia mentioned Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel above – I’ve never even heard of it. Sounds interesting.
I was pretty annoyed too. Such a waste of a brilliant mind.
Amazing what a landscape glaciers create – you can really imagine what forces must have been at play.
You really can. I’m so glad I got to see the glaciers. I’ll have more from the ship in the near future.