It was a typical Alaskan summer day when we were
driving along the Richardson Highway on our way to Worthington Glacier. The
sky was a light shade of gray and its pallor threatened rain at any moment,
but for the time being the raindrops remained housed in the clouds. As we
rounded a corner on the highway, our eyes were instantly pulled from the sky
to focus on the massive glacier that lie ahead. Worthington Glacier dominates
the landscape and lures the adventurous off the road and onto its trails. It
is yet another of Alaska’s definitive drive-up glaciers, and it has the
distinction of being a National Natural Landmark.
With great excitement we pulled into the parking lot
at The Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site. We had consulted our guide
books and knew that it was possible for the more adventurous to climb along
the ridge beside the glacier, and so it was decided that a pass along its
lower moraine just would not do for us. A line from one of our favorite
movies, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, summed up our feelings exactly—“I wanna
go up there Gilbert!”. With that, we set off for our climb.
Locating the trailhead for the Ridge Trail was not
difficult, a conspicuous sign on the south side of the parking lot reads
“Steep, Primitive, Difficult”, just what we were looking for! That description
was right up our alley, well the alley that Pick and I live on anyway. As Pick
and I decided to head out on the trail, Dar decided those adjectives were just
not what she was in the mood for that day, she opted to hike around on the
lower trails and view the impressive glacier from below. In our excitement to
get our hike underway we chose a more difficult route up the ridge. At the
trail sign, we followed a well worn path away from a heavily vegetated portion
of trail, which is precisely the opposite of what we should have done. Our
decision led us to a steep scramble up a scree slope to reach the top of the
ridge, where if we had taken the route through the bushes it would have been a
lot easier. This is remarkably obvious once you are up above the parking lot
on the ridge, but it is an easy mistake to make from ground level. We talked
to several other hikers who made the same mistake, so if you plan on hiking
this glacier heed our advice and head for the trail through the scrub.
Once we managed to pull ourselves up the steep,
loose, scree slope and onto the ridge the views really began to open up! It
was like you could see the whole valley spread out below the glacier, and
above us was the view of our long climb up the ridge parallel to the icy
seracs and deep crevasses of the glacier. The hike is only a mile one way but
it requires a strenuous 1200 ft gain in elevation to reach the top. This is a
real lung buster and it is not for those with a fear of heights or anyone
uncomfortable with exposure. The ridge that you hike on is best described as a
knife edge, where the trail is often only a foot wide with steep drops of
hundreds of feet on either side. Often the footing is poor, and a fall here
could very well be deadly, so keep your wits about you and respect the
potential danger. But if you can handle it the views are worth the risk.
Standing on the ridge above the glacier affords
spectacular views of the convoluted ice formations, and the high vantage point
is a great place to survey the contrast between the snow white and deep blue
colors of the glacier. Like many other trails, the ridge trail views just keep
getting better the higher you climb. The first section along the knife edge is
pretty easily navigated, then you enter into some vegetation where views are
obscured, when you emerge from the bushes you will immediately notice an area
of trail that skirts precariously along a huge drop-off. Even more
intimidating is the fact that the trail is crumbling away at this point,
understandably not many hikers are using this path anymore and a new footpath
is being worn a little further out from the edge. Just past this section you
begin to climb another knife edge, this one even steeper than the previous
ridge. Here the trail is very narrow and exposed, but soon you will hike into
the mountains shadow where the trail broadens. The path is now more boulder
hopping, mixed in with an occasional crossing of melt water streams. The
views are incredible! Stretched out before you is the huge expanse of
Worthington Glacier, its crevasses crossing its snowy surface like blue veins.
You can also see where the glacier has eaten away at the mountain’s sides,
breaking off huge chunks of rock and carrying them down towards the terminus.
When you reach the top, at about 3400 feet, you will quickly realize this is
the end of the road. There is no more trail to follow, only a field of ice as
far as you can see. Look around, take in the scenery, and bask in the
accomplishment of a successful climb. When you have fully enjoyed the moment,
turn around and descend the same way you came.
The return hike is just as scenic as the ascent,
because this time you get expansive views of the glacier and the valley below.
Only the Richardson Highway cutting through the tundra reminds you that
civilization is present. The descent is very steep in sections so be careful
to watch your speed, as mentioned before this is no place to slip and fall. As
we hiked back towards the parking lot, we stopped to pose for a photo on the
ridge. While sitting above the glacier we caught a glimpse of some movement
down on the moraine. There, grazing amid the fireweed, was a snowy white
mountain goat. It was the perfect final highlight to a spectacular trail.
