July 7, 2009

 

About to embark on the Matanuska Glacier ice climb with our Mica Guide

 


Matanuska Glacier is one of the only glaciers in the

world that is readily accessible by foot


Jonna and Darby with their climbing gear on!

 


Grayson at our first climb site --

the river behind him is glacier runoff and extremely deep

 


Jonna, Darby, and Grayson resting by our backpacks

while our guide secured the rope lines

 


The glacier is beautiful!

 


Grayson was the first to go after some basic instructions

and he scrambled right to the top - 30 feet up!

 


The view from our first climb site

 


Mark made it to the top too


Mark on his way up the first 30 foot climb

 


Darby surveying the mountain before her climb

 


 

Darby wasn't looking forward to this activity

but she attacked it like a trooper and succeeded!


Darby at the top!  Hooray!


Darby repels down...


Mark enjoying the beautiful day and memorable experience


Jonna poised to take her turn on the 30 foot climb...


...and she makes it to the top too!


Once we all made the first climb, Matt moved the ropes and made it tougher

Can Mark make it this time?


Grayson made it again, but with a lot more effort

 


Grayson repelling down

 


The boots weighed about 10 pounds with the crampons on (these are Mark's)


Jonna surveying the new climb...

 


Grayson and Jonna with our New Zealander guide, Matt

 


Darby takes a rest on a glacier rock

 


Grayson is ready to go again!

 


Our happy little glacier climbing family !

 


The glacier was so much more diverse than we thought it would be

 


Mark and Darby taking a break


Our third climb was about 50 feet high and straight up!   Grayson easily scaled it!

 


Jonna is on her way up...

 


 

...and she made it also - Matt's teaching techniques were working for us!


Mark is king of the mountain as he completes the 50 foot climb!


Darby decides to give it a whirl!


she makes it very near the top and was exhausted


Walking back we went through corridors of sheer ice - very cool!


After about 6.5 hours on the glacier in 10 lb boots with 5 lb packs - we were wiped out!


Matt - our guide from New Zealand was EXCELLENT!


Mountain man Mark with a beautiful background!