2022.07: Icebergs, Columbia Glacier, Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA

Location: Icebergs, Columbia Glacier, Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA

Date: 2022.07

Photographer: Jesen

Camera: Nikon D850

Retouch: Adobe Photoshop

Copyright: www.haomingxiong.com

Talk about dramatic scenery: This glacier in the eastern part of Prince William Sound has been in a “catastrophic” retreat since 1982, a phenomenon predicted to stop by 2020. Indeed, every day, 13 million tons of ice break off the face of it, leaving chunks in the water that are often twice as big as the boat you’re riding. That means that just getting close to this glacier can be tricky. Tour boats leave from Valdez to see the Columbia, and tours tend to be about seven hours long, with wildlife viewing along the way. If the boat can get close to the glacier, you’ll be within one mile of its face, and you’ll get a 270-degree view of glacier ice that’s 200 to 400 feet tall. Columbia glacier is located in Prince William Sound. At over 550 meters thick at some points and covering an area of 400 square miles, this glacier is a sight to behold, whether from a boat or the sky. It snakes its way 32 miles through the Chugach Mountains before dumping into the Columbia Bay, about 40 miles by boat from Valdez. You can see Columbia Glacier on a day cruise from Valdez.

JESEN Photo