It was a quick trip as we pulled into the Portage Glacier parking area. The bus driver maneuvered close to the dock so we wouldn’t walk far.

It was a clear, sunny day, but cold. We all boarded the boat to take us closer to the glacier.

Portage Lake itself was gorgeous. The mountain range hugging the shore across from us.

The boat, mv Ptarmigan made its way across the lake, the guide narrating what we were seeing.

As luck would have it, (I say it was a God blessing!) this was one of the last two days there would be ice on the lake. Most of it having melted.

This proved to make the trip even more amazing as the boat was made to break through the ice.

The ice appeared thin, but in reality it was at least a foot thick. The boat kicking the ice up, exposing the candle-like layers of ice as we made our way to the glacier.

As the lake is glacial, it has the stunning blue hues that seem unreal. The ice was incredibly clear. Column upon column as if God Himself had carved it by hand. Our guide scooped some of the ice up with a net and brought it aboard.

We made it to the glacier. We couldn’t go right up to it, but close enough to see its beauty.

But for us, the real fun and beauty was the ice breaking. Sounding like glass as the boat broke through it.

We threw some of the ice back onto the lake. The ice shattered, but the lake ice did not break.

Soon the tour was over and we were back onboard the bus headed back to Anchorage.

When we left home, I didn’t pay attention to how long we’d be gone. So I was hungry and thirsty. So I was annoyed when the driver started narrating what we were seeing along the route. I knew he was doing this because soon the trip would be over and it would be time to tip. I tried to remember he wasn’t set up for success today.

Enjoy the photos! I tried to get a good video of the sound of the ice, but I couldn’t capture the sound and site very well.