McCarthy/Kennicott Part III: Glacier Hiking on the Kennicott Root Glacier

While crampons are not required, they are highly, highly recommended. A good pair of crampons will run you about $120 – $180, which, although pricey, is worth the cost. Glacier hiking is safer, more enjoyable, and less risky with crampons. Andy has the Sabretooth crampons from Black Diamond, which are a more sophisticated pair that actually fit his specific boot. I have Black Diamond Contact crampons.

If you don’t feel like spending the money or aren’t sure you’ll utilize them enough to justify the cost, you can rent them in McCarthy at the Wild Alpine Outfitters in downtown McCarthy. They are located towards the start of the main road on the right as you turn into McCarthy. It’s a little misleading – you’ll see a large sign that says “McCarthy Air”; don’t be confused, this is Wild Alpine Outfitters. They share a storefront with McCarthy Air.

The glacier is spectacular! The start of the hike is just a few yards up to the top of the glacier. Once you get to the top, there’s really no trail, just go wherever you like and hike as long as you like! Watch for narrow ridges, sweeping waterfalls, ice cliffs, and most importantly, crevasses. 

A crevasse is a deep fracture in a glacier caused from stress associated with the shear stress generated when two ice pieces have different rates of movement. Differentiate this with a crevice, which forms in rock, not ice. Crevasses are incredibly dangerous mainly due to their depth. Crevasses can be as deep as hundreds of feet, often ending in pools of ice water or gushing glacier water that you can’t climb out of. Be very vigilant when glacier hiking, look out for crevasses and don’t get too close to the edges of them.

Most crevasses, like the one above, are nothing to get worked up over. Still, make sure you fully jump over them, and don’t get too close. Andy and I make a sport out of it called “Crevasse Jumping,” which Kelly, Madison, Marc, and Mom competed in with great talent. 

Madison took gold in height:

Marc took gold in distance:

Mom took gold in dare-devilness:

Aaaaaand Kelly took gold in…not dying. I didn’t get a good picture of her jumping over the crevasse, because it wasn’t really a jump. She essentially took off running, then sort of stopped running, maintained the momentum of a hopscotch-skipping child, and sort of run-stepped over it. Andy had a heart attack.

Andy: KELLY! What was that?!

Kelly: What? I made it over.

Andy: Barely! Look, this was you…

And Andy proceeded to imitate her mini hop over the crevasse. He kept imitating her throughout the trip.

We moseyed along the glacier stopping for a picture or two. We made a lunch stop around Noon.

My favorite part of glacier hiking are the beautiful moulins. A moulin is a circular (usually) pool within a glacier through which water enters from the surface. The reflection of the ice makes the water a gorgeous, stunning blue color. They’re breathtaking. You can technically swim in them, but be careful if you do; they’re freezing. 

You can also drink the water right out of them! True glacier spring water!

The glacier was never short of adventures or beautiful moments. Marc’s favorite spots were what I like to call “waterslides,” which should not be treated as such! The waterslides are just like they sound – ice slides of fast flowing cold water. Be very careful of these, as they almost always end in waterfalls that plummet into large, deep crevasses that sweep underneath the glacier. Just look at the waterslides, don’t play in them!

I climbed in as far as I could fit. It just got more and more beautiful as it went back.