Paddling to the Valdez Glacier, Valdez, Alaska

The Valdez Glacier is quite a different experience from visiting the giant tidal glaciers in Prince William Sound. The Valdez glacier has been receding for the past 10,000 years and the lower portion looks quite different from the more spectacular blue ice glaciers such as the Meares and Columbia.  The Valdez Glacier is covered in a layer of gravel, dirt & rock, making it appear almost black. Glaciers continually pick up gravel and debris as they advance. As they melt and recede this debris ends up accumulating on the surface of the glacier making the glacier look more like large piles of gravel.

Accumulated gravel, rock & dirt make the glacier look black

Valdez Glacier is also historically interesting. Gold seekers traveled over the glacier to get to the interior during the Gold Rush of 1898, hauling tons of equipment up and over the ice fields.

Valdez Glacier is located only a few miles from town and is easily accessible from a gravel road and end at Glacier View Park. The glacier has formed a small, shallow lake and it is only a short paddle to the glacier’s face.  The lake is also full of small ice berglets that have been left behind by the glaciers retreat. Some of them are still covered in layers of gravel but there are also some chunks of beautiful vivid blue ice that are loads of fun to paddle around.

Glacier View Lake, Valdez

Crossing the glacial lake to the Valdez Glacier

Up at the face there is a beautiful contrast of the black debris covered ice and the exposed blue ice. There are also some awesome ice canyons and at times, ice caves.

Paddling up to the face

Water flowing off the glacier

Dense blue ice exposed on the face

Ice Canyon

View back down the lake from the glacier’s edge

There are some spectacular views of the surrounding mountains at Valdez Glacier Lake

Paddling around grounded berglets is loads of fun, but you need to be very cautious as chunks of ice can fall off anytime.  The ice is very dense  and even small bits could cause serious injury. Another thing to be cautious of, is the cold water.  Although Vladez Glacier Lake is a small and relatively protected, the water is icy cold and immersion from a capsize could have serious consequences to anyone who is unprepared. If you are in doubt about your abilities, there are a kayak tour companies in Valdez who offer tours to this glacier.

Blue ice is the most dense

A hole in a berglet, a former channel where water once flowed through the ice

It lots of fun paddling around the berglets

For More Images of Valdez and Paddling the Valdez Glacier

You can purchase images for download or order prints and gifts at our sister site, Brakelightfoto…click this link:  Valdez & the Paddling to the Valdez Glacier

For more on our visit to Valdez, check out our post:  Valdez, Alaska