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Alaska Hiking: Marmots, Bears, Glaciers, Oh, My!By Maywin LiuUp for a challenge? Hiking the Harding Ice Field Trail in Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Park fits the bill perfectly. It is a strenuous 7.7 mile roundtrip with an elevation gain of 3500 feet. Our group of 4 REI adventurers tackled the Trail in September 2005. Phil, our guide, had done this hike many times and rated it as difficult but excellent. We had a late start and didn’t take to the Trail until noon. The day was cool and threatening rain. We bundled up for the weather.
As we ascended, the day became brighter and warmer. We stripped as we walked and were soon down to shorts and short sleeves. We looked around for wildlife. Phil has seen both moose and bears along the trails on previous hikes. Since it was September, the bears would be quite active, eating as much as they could in preparation for their winter hibernation. All around us were bushes laden with sweet berries, favorites of the bears. Phil clapped his hands and shouted “hey bear!” to warn any nearby bears of our presence. Black bears are near sighted and may not notice us until too late. A surprised bear, especially a mother with cubs, could be very dangerous. We found a bear paw print on the trail and further up, some fresh bear scat. Bears were nearby! We climbed several very treacherous sections with slippery mud and uneven stone “stairs” with few handholds. The Park Service was working there to even out and stabilize the stairs. We climbed higher into the tundra area. The trees and bushes disappeared and the view opened up dramatically. We could see large expanses of the glacier and tree line below. In the bright sunshine, the glacier glowed a gorgeous light blue. Sharp-eyed Phil spotted a marmot frolicking by a stream. A little farther ahead, we found a family of 4 marmots on the path. We watched them for a few minutes, creeping closer until they became aware of our presence and scampered away.
We walked towards the glacier and saw our second bear. It stopped on a rock below us, almost posing, before shambling out of sight. The first bear was meanwhile moving closer to the trail. Phil called us to walk closer together. A large group would be enough to scare the bear away. As we continued on, the path became steeper with many loose stones. We picked through the stones gingerly, aware of possibly injuring an ankle. As we went higher, we encountered yet another bear. We passed a descending group from Sweden who lamented their bear-less hike. We pointed towards the bear and they turned around startled. No one in their group had noticed it. They laughed, surprised that they had walked right past the bear. We told them of the other bears below. As we continued the climb up, the air became cooler. We crossed several patches of snow. After a short, very sharp climb up, we reached a small shelter near the top where we stopped for lunch. Several other hikers were already relaxing there. This hike attracted an international clientele, with people from Europe and Asia. In the wooden shelter, previous hikers had left written mementoes. We laughed when we saw one with “I’ve got to quit smoking”, obviously an ode to the strenuousness of the climb. Before heading to the very top, we bundled back up. Between the rest and proximity to Harding Ice Field, it had become quite cold. At the top, we could see the ancient ice below as far as the eye can see. It was sobering to hear Phil tell us that in the few years he has been there, he has noticed Exit Glacier, a direct extension of the Ice Field shrinking rapidly for a glacier.
We began the descent at a fast pace. Phil encouraged us to jog on the smoother parts of the path. And he set the example. We could see him several hundred feet below us, running on the path. The rest of us set off at a brisk pace, slowing only when we reached the loose rocks area. There we found Phil waiting for us, having taken this area a little too fast and slightly injuring his ankle. Luckily he was still able to walk well. We reached the steep muddy area where the Park Service had been working. This area almost required us to scramble down. And at this point, we were very grateful that we were not attempting the path in poor light. Towards the bottom, the path became more slippery with wet rocks and vegetation. I slid, not very gracefully, down on my bottom on one particularly slick bit. When we reached the parking lot, we discovered we made the entire descent in approximately 2 hours! However, our adventures had not ended. On the way back to our lodge, we saw a grizzly bear. This bear was 1 of 3 orphans whose mother had been killed by a fisherman. The runt later died. Its sibling had an injured front paw and was unable to obtain food well. So this bear was helping to feed it by catching fish for both of them. Alaskans don’t take well to people shooting bears for no reason. The man was recently convicted of killing the mother bear. Back at the lodge, we chattered happily about our wonderful day. Phil congratulated us on the speed we did the hike. Looking at my bruised toes, I remembered a valuable lesson about steep downhills. Always make sure the toenails are properly trimmed! Details: The Kenai Fjords National Park is located just outside Seward, 126 miles south of Anchorage. The closest airport is in Anchorage, with many airlines providing service from the continental USA. The Harding Ice Field Trail is rated as strenuous by the National Park Service. Allow 6-8 hours for the entire hike. Weather conditions can change quickly and should always be checked before embarking. Proper clothing and adequate food and water are required. Hikers are required to stay on the marked path to prevent damage to fragile vegetation and ecosystems. Be aware there are no trash or toilet facilities; take out what you bring in! In July and August, park rangers lead free guided walks every Saturday at 9AM. Photos by Maywin Liu |
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TM
The
Trail began near Exit Glacier. We walked through the changing alders, going up
gradually, crossing small streams. The path quickly became steep with many
places requiring careful foot placement to prevent slipping on slick areas.
Hiking boots with good tread were a necessity!
As
we climbed higher, we saw our first black bear. It was foraging unperturbed high
above us. We moved closer for a better look. Phil picked up a few rocks to use
as bear deterrent should the bear charge us. Several people coming down the path
told us about another bear grazing close to the glacier. 
After
taking pictures to commemorate our feat, we began the trek back. It was already
4 PM. Our hike up had taken about 4 hours. We had ascended at a steady though
leisurely pace, stopping frequently for pictures, wildlife, and water breaks.
Given the difficulty of the trail, we did not know how long it would take us to
get back down. Though it did not become completely dark until after 8PM, the
path was not lit and we had not brought any lights. We were not relishing trying
to descend the steep, occasionally slippery path in the dark. And as the
wildlife became more active as the sun set, the prospect of a close encounter
with a hungry bear or agitated moose did not seem very attractive.