Mendenhall Glacier

Posted on June 5, 2013June 5, 2013 by Dusty Roads | 4 Comments

Mendenhall Glacier is part of our tour package but for those who aren’t on a tour and wish to check it out there are regular shuttles that leave from Franklin Square by the Mount Roberts tramway station.

Meanwhile back on our tour bus, Phil handed out Nature Valley Bars and bottled water as a snack before our hike to the glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier is one of 37 glaciers that flow down from the 1500 square mile ice field. The glacier stretches approximately 13.5 miles from the ice field right into the valley finally ending in Mendenhall Lake.

The Glacier once covered the whole valley reaching it’s fullest extent around 300 years ago. Since then it has been in retreat. When Sandy and I planned out trip we joked we wanted to get to Alaska before the glaciers all melted. Scientists predict that Mendenhall Glacier won’t be visible from the Visitor Center in another 40 years if it continues it’s current rate of retreat. Maybe our joke wasn’t such a joke after all.

Meanwhile the retreating glacier often spawns large icebergs that drift across the lake.

The area is known for it’s wildlife sightings as well as the glacier but today at mid-day we didn’t see much in the way of wildlife.

At the edge of Mendenhall Lake is a beaver lodge but even the beaver were missing, maybe taking a siesta?

We started our hike to the lake on an easy trail through more of the rain forest. Phil stopped often to point out different mosses and lichen.

The trail opened out into more open, dryer land. Phil explained that the type of soil didn’t retain the water as well as the topsoil in the rainforest which resulted in the more sandy, open area. We could see a waterfall churning it’s way down the mountains. At this time of year, spring, waterfalls are everywhere as the snow melt makes it’s way into the valleys. By summer these torrents will be little more than a trickle if they exist at all.

While we waited for stragglers to catch up and enjoyed the sunshine, Phil told us the story of Romeo, the Glacier Wolf. I’ll share that with you in another post.

With everyone together again, we started downhill to the shore of the lake and the glacier views we’d been looking for.

Sure enough. the lake was filled with ice bergs.

The glacier glowed blue in the shade of the mountain side.

I am so glad the sun decided to come out today. They say the glacier is pretty in the rain but I find it hard to imagine it could be any prettier than it was today with the sun shining and the icebergs floating on the cold lake.

Checked in and Ready to Explore

Posted on May 29, 2012May 29, 2012 by Dusty Roads

Now that I was settled in my lovely room in the Ashley House it was time to explore. I stopped in the Pastry shoppe and bought a decadent chocolate frosted brownie. I sampled it right away but saved half for later. I figured I’d need a treat after I finished my little jaunt.

As I started up the alley I ran into the tour guide again. He was looking for me. He wanted to be sure that I had found Ashley House and gotten checked in OK. I thought that was really nice of him. We chatted for a few minutes and then I headed on my way.

Everyone said it was an easy walk to the south lighthouse so with my camera around my neck, a spare lens in my bag and my tripod slung over my shoulder I set off to find the lighthouse.

I noticed that the street immediately began to go uphill but it was a gentle rise and I was merely meandering. I stopped in the parking lot of the restaurant “Fins” to take a picture of their parking spaces. I loved the idea of a series of fish stencils instead of plain old lines.

I made note of the statue in the little square and as I took my left around the statue the incline became a bit steeper.

Halfway up the hill I spotted yellow iris’ and interesting lamps so stopped for a photo-op.

More flowers followed.

Then to my surprise I thought I saw a llama! Looking closer I could see there were several llamas and other exotic looking animals. I’d stumbled upon Abrams Animal Farm.

Apparently it’s a little petting zoo and the wool is used for yarns and fabrics.

Not too much further I reached what seemed to be the top of the hill and the road began to wind back down. Ahead of me I could hear the surf even before I saw it. This was one of my favorite spots. I climbed onto the guard rail and sat and watched the waves break on the beach.

There were loads of flowers and their fragrance filled the afternoon air. It was still misty and overcast. It made me think of a rain forest rather than New England.

I could see that the road was going to start climbing again so I took some pictures and began the next leg of my trek. I thought I must be getting close because there were some bluffs right there. ( Silly me).

As I trudged on I passed a beautiful church whose manicured grounds led right up to the edge of the bluff. It would be worth going to that church just for the view!

I was beginning to wonder how much farther I had to go because this was not turning into an easy walk…at least not for an overweight, 60 + female with a load of camera equipment.

Duck on fresh water pond with ocean beyond

Just about the time I thought I should pack it in and go back I saw a sign that pointed on up the road and read simply “Lighthouse”. So just as before I figured I must be close and continued to trudge on upward. Except for that short down hill section where I watched the breakers it had been all up hill!

I was now farther away from the water. There were large homes and fields. Well maintained stone walls separated the fields as I trudged along. As people drove by they all waved like they’d known me forever.

I rounded another corner and there ahead of me in a field on my right was a pheasant! I recognized it from pictures in outdoor magazines but I’d never seen one live and in the wild before. It’s a beautiful bird. I began to hustle on up the hill to try to get close enough for a picture without spooking it. The closer I got the deeper it went into the scrub and brush but it didn’t flush. I stopped and lifted the camera. In that moment I knew I was too out of breath to hold the camera still. The bird was fast disappearing from view. I felt my opportunity slipping away so I took a chance. The shot was pretty bad but it’s a record of the experience so here it is. Proof it was really a pheasant!

After that fiasco I plunked myself down on rock wall to consider my situation..keep going or turn back. It felt like I’d been walking forever and may I remind you it was all uphill. Fog was starting to roll in and I could hear a fog horn in the distance. I decided to keep going just a little longer.

Perseverance pays off! I reached the top of the hill and there it was! The Southeast Lighthouse.

As I walked down the driveway I was greeted by a black and white cat that seemed to say “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you”.

Makapu’u Point

Posted on November 12, 2011November 12, 2011 by Dusty Roads

With no place that we had to be, we relaxed a bit and slept in a little. ..Right… we were up at 8am! While we discussed what to do for the day, I suggested we go to Makapu’u Point Lighthouse. I had seen a Samantha Brown show on the Travel Channel where she said it was just a short, 5 minute hike from the road to fabulous ocean views. Sandy also likes lighthouses so it sounded like a nice way to start the day. I had also looked it up online and the articles there described it as a “moderate” hike.

We didn’t have any problem finding the turnoff and there was a large paved parking lot. The trail was also paved but closed to automobiles. We had hiking boots and some water but not a big supply. I was wearing a baseball cap but Sandy didn’t have a hat at all and no sunscreen. Now I want to go on record right here and now by saying that if your guide books say “bring water , a hat, good walking shoes and sunscreen“, follow their suggestions!

The trail immediately begins to climb so even though it’s paved, it quickly becomes a great aerobic workout. Of course even in 2007 both of us were on the wrong side of 50. In any case we really felt old when younger people began jogging by, one was even pushing a baby stroller and here we were sweating and huffing and puffing. When we met some of the runners returning before we made it to the top it became laughable!. They were very encouraging though and told us it would all be worth it.

PS. To Samantha Brown…it’s not 5 minutes, but more like an hour! The trail continued upward and then around a bend so we couldn’t see how much further we needed to go until we actually turned that corner. That might have been a good thing or we may have bailed out!

Once around the corner we started to get the breeze from the trade winds. There was also a spot to stop and rest, sitting on the stone wall. The views here were wonderful and there was the lighthouse. It’s a really cute lighthouse, all white with a red roof. It made a terrific picture with the deep blue of the ocean behind it. The area of the ocean we were looking over is part of the whale sanctuary. The whales arrive in November and stay until spring having their calves in the safety of these warm waters. Since we were there in October they hadn’t arrived yet but it was easy to imagine sitting there and watching the whales blow and breach.

After sitting for a bit we felt like we’d recovered and we could see the end of the trail and the lookout platforms. So with a deep breath we started the last bit of our climb and we made it!

As we explored the lookouts and platforms we found a marker that referred to a plane crash in World War II. On Easter Sunday – four months after Pearl Harbor-2 planes on routine patrol lost there way “in rain, clouds, and darkness”. One crashed here at Makapu’u Point the other at the Pali Lookout where we had visited earlier in the week. I searched the internet but did not find much information about these planes but I have placed a link at the bottom of this post in case anyone would like more information.

We took a lot of pictures because the views were everything we’d been promised. The small Island we could see from the lookout platform is called Rabbit Island. We could also see Sea Life Park which was our next stop for the afternoon. The views were certainly worth the climb.

Having thoroughly explored the top and having run out of water quite awhile ago, we wrapped up our visit and headed back down to the car. The journey down was much easier than the one going up!

In subsequent research I learned that the trail is 2.5 miles and 1 ½ – 2 hours for the round trip. The elevation is 600 ft. We certainly got our exercise that morning!
　
　
　