For real!  We laid our hands on Portage Glacier.  The day was bright and beautiful.  Our trip started out with a 2.5 mile kayak paddle along the shore of Portage Lake.  The park staff had warned us that the lake kicks up pretty frequently.  I had waves (of fresh glacier melt) in over the bow before we made it to the other end of the lake.  I was thankful for the clear skies and bright sunshine.

A few icebergs dotted the lake and shoreline.  We beached the kayaks and sat back to relax and watch and listen.  The glacier is grand to see but the highlight is seeing it calf  into the lake.  Cracks like gunfire sounded across the lake but nothing is falling.  That’s when I decide, we have to go touch it.  Look it’s not really far; maybe a mile walk around the beach and with binoculars it looks doable.  We watch a bit longer then Kent relents.  Yeap we are going to go touch it.  Half way there we hear the glacier crack again.  Once.  Twice.  Then it happens.  A huge chunk breaks free and plummets into the lake.  That’s why they don’t allow kayaks over there!  Wow.  Waves bounce around in the lake for 10 or more minutes and a giant pile of ice floats out from the glacier face.  That was impressive.  Now I really need to touch it….on the other end of course where stuff isn’t falling.

Some more rocky beach.  Some bigger rock climbing.  Some side creek crossings.  With very cold toes but no worse for the wear we make it over to the glacier.  We pick a spot with no overhangs.  Listen carefully for any loud noises emanating from that huge chunk of ice.  All is quiet.  So here it is…us touching Portage Glacier.

It calves a bit more as we gather our stuff.  We paddle among what is now much more ice floating on the lake then head back across the lake.  It was a fantastic day.