Blue Ice

During a stretch of beautiful weather here in Southeastern Alaska, Mom and I took a quick visit to Mendenhall Glacier. It was late afternoon and not too crowded, so we walked out to the Photo Point. My Aunt Char and I visited back in May, when the vegetation was just starting to green up (see Mendenhall Glacier and More). 

Blue ice at Mendenhall Glacier

For this visit, the glacier had recently calved, leaving a beautiful face of blue ice down by Mendenhall Lake. Glacial ice reflects the blue colors of the light spectrum, so the blue color reaches our eyes (see Why is Glacier Ice Blue?). 

Enjoying Mendenhall Glacier with Mom

The area around the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center has greened up considerably since the visit in May. It is fascinating to see the land, waterways, and vegetation of the area morph over the years, as the glacier recedes!