LeConte Glacier Paddleboarding Explore | ALASKA (Guest Series: 11)

Alaska. Alluring. Feral. Tempestuous. Captivating. These are a few adjectives to describe the Great State I live in. Alaska is home to lakes, rivers, mountains, glaciers and coastline that  extends for 33,904 miles including all the islands.

This story is not about the size of Alaska or it’s shoreline, but glaciers. The Alaska Almanac estimates that Alaska has 100,000 glaciers while only 616 of them are officially named. Specifically this story is about LeConte Glacier, which is located just outside of Petersburg, Alaska. My hometown.

Our morning started early in September of 2019. Packing up gear for a day on our friend’s boat. After inflating my stand up paddle board we headed to The Salty Pantry to grab food for the day. The shoreline was nothing but a curtain of white fog as we ventured through the Wrangell Narrows. 

The goal of the day was to get as close as we could to the glacier so I could paddle around on my stand up paddle board. As we ventured closer we hugged the shoreline till the fog lifted and the sun burned through. Nearing LeConte Glacier you would think you were in Norway with fjords kissed with streams. Goats freckle the outlying cliffs and mountains.

As we approached LeConte Bay it was looking as though we wouldn’t be approaching the face today. There was iceberg buildup out into the bay. Although seemingly small, only ⅓ of the iceberg is visible, and it’s extremely hard, damaging the bottoms of boats easily. We got as close as we could while allowing some distance to the flow of ice. I was itching to get the paddle board into the water and start paddling around. 

 I was a bit shaky at first, it was my first time out on the open water. I took to my knees till I felt a bit more confident. I might need to mention that I was wearing a pretty decent wetsuit and my xtratuf boots. One thing Alaska has taught me, be prepared, always. 

 I have never felt so at peace out on the water. The boat didn’t get too far away, but I honestly didn’t notice it once I was out paddling around. The sound of the water on the icebergs was so serene. Feeling so small in that field of ice with mountains jutting up amidst the fjords beside me. I paddled back to the boat for a check in. I was smiling ear to ear. I didn’t want to return to the boat I could have paddled for hours. 

After paddling around a bit longer I got brave enough to go between the slush and icebergs. The feeling of being so small was invigorating. Knowing I couldn’t paddle around solo all day I headed back to the boat. This time the approach was a bit faster than the first. In fact, too fast. I ended up bumping  the boat with the bow of the SUP and pretty much walked  right off the board! Fortunately I grabbed the rails on the boat as my board flew out behind me. My feet and lower half dangled in the water as everyone realized what was happening. Talk about leaving me breathless. The water near the glacier is a frigid 6 degree Celsius/42.8 degree Fahrenheit bay. As quickly as I was hanging off the side our friends got me in the boat to catch my breath. I had to go out one more time. Couldn’t let that stop me. The suit I had on quickly warmed the water in it with my body heat and I was back out among the field of ice.

 The day continued with some lunch from The Salty Pantry and a little exploring on the beach. Spotting river otters in rocks along the water and mountain goats high in the rocky cliffs the day couldn’t get much better. I started to get a bit chilled so I changed into extra warm clothes I brought with me. Remember, always be prepared. Now cozy in my puffy pants and jacket we began to head home. 

Any Alaskan knows that icebergs are very unstable. They can flip at any second out on the water. However it doesn’t stop us from jumping on them for picture opportunities. 

This was my first time on an iceberg. As I coaxed my friends to follow, the shrills of excitement couldn’t be contained. What a day in Alaska. If you want the full story on video head to my YouTube Channel, Marissa Collison, www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_E932QJOPg

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            By: Marissa Collison | Petersburg, Alaska

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