Exit Glacier – Seward’s Must See Valley Glacier
As we mentioned in a prior post, we were unexpectedly stranded in Seward, Alaska for a week. It was a cool little seaside town surrounded by beautiful nature where we decided to focus our free time enjoying the abundant natural beauty. One of our favorite excursions was a visit to Exit Glacier, a short ride out of town. The glacier itself is a stunning natural attraction, and also a nice educational opportunity. It’s on our list as the Best of Seward on a Budget.
We were without a car, so needed to arrange transportation to and from the park. There are only a few options and the prices are very similar, so find one that matches your desired schedule. We chose Exit Glacier Shuttle for a $20 roundtrip. Our driver was friendly and informative, and picked us up on time. If you have your own vehicle, the trip is quick and easy. Important Note: If you arrange shuttle service, be on time for your return ride, as there’s no cell phone service, and slim chance of finding another ride home. Miss your ride back and you’re either hitch-hiking or walking back the ten miles through the Tundra to Sewell. Just get back on time…
The small nature center at the entrance is definitely worth a visit. In there you’ll learn a bit about the local wildlife, as well as the sad story of the glacier’s recession. It’s also the spot to sign-up for a free tour.
We took the guided tour along the Glacier View Loop Trail. Our National Park ranger was informative and helped add some environmental context into the receding glacier we would soon view. After capturing a few quick glances, we chose to continue on to the Glacier Overlook Trail on our own. There are a few beautiful vantage points for glacier views along the two aforementioned trails. The compressed snow in the glacier turns beautiful hues of blues, and is simply breathtaking for someone who’s never witnessed a glacier. We highly recommend walking up to the last overlook for the closest view and some beautiful vistas.
On the way back, we took a slight detour out onto the Outwash Plain. The plain is covered in large rocks, deposited there when the glacier recently receded. It sucks to walk on, but after 1/2 mile walk, you are rewarded with amazing glacier views. If you’re feeling strong, do it as that walk will likely stop being an option soon, as the glacier continues to retreat at an alarming pace.
Exit Glacier offers cold hard evidence that climate change today is an unquestionable issue. Whereas, the closest we got to the face was a few hundred yards, friends of ours who have visited in the last 20 years were able to touch the glacier, or crawl underneath it. Those days sadly are gone…
Entering the park, you’ll notice wooden signs on the side of the road. They denote where Exit Glacier ended during the year noted. The first one is a few miles from the current terminus – that was the location less than 200 years ago.
You’ll see a slew more signs as you make your way along the trails. The retreat is spectacular and alarming – averaging about 150′ per year over the past decade. The trails have been extended a few times over the years, but at this point, they are as far as they can get due to treacherous terrain. Get there soon, or this once accessible glacier will be a distant spot on the horizon.
Notes: The road to Exit Glacier is closed for 5-6 months over winter. Wear comfortable hiking shoes and keep hydrated. There is a water refill station at the nature center, but it is not open all year. The only real negative associated with our trip were the aggressive black flies in the area, so bring bug spray. We noticed they tended to leave us alone if we stayed on the move.
Bottom Line: This is a bargain and should not be missed. Put this at the top of your list when visiting Seward.
Bob and Jackie
Sunshine Vagabonds
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