The Minimalism of the Portage Glacier
The Portage Glacier has been a popular fixture in Alaska since its first discovery in 1898. Keep in mind that ‘discovery’ refers to a person seeing it for the first time and, more accurately, also being crediting as the first person seeing by way of recording the documents. It is doubtful that any other group of people that walked past the glacier missed seeing it.
Today, however, walking past the Portage Glacier and not being able to see it may be an actual reality! The Portage Glacier is succumbing to the cruelty of the natural world and is slowly and steadily melting. As a result, the Portage Glacier continues to recede as it is losing the battle for the land with the lake that it rests upon.
Now, this does not mean that the Portage is not a popular spot to check out when one heads up to Alaska for a little vacation. No, quite the opposite. The Portage Glacier rests upon an area that is one of the most popular vacation spots in Alaska, if not the most popular.
In fact, one of the highlights of a Portage Glacier cruise is catching a glimpse of huge chunks of ice breaking off from the glacier and crashing into the water. In a way, one is witness to the cruelty the natural world brings upon itself. Then again, it is not so much a cruel embarking of elimination as much as it is the natural progression of nature altering the world around it. Perhaps one can take solace that the possibility always remains that nature may perhaps create a new, magical world where the glaciers once stood. In fact, the new world they are creating may ultimately be more spectacular that what had previously existed. Shame it may take a few hundred years. If nature had a quicker turn a round, we might be able to enjoy the sight.
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| Man arrested for stealing glacier chunks for designer ice cubes - New York Daily News Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:24:36 GMT ABC News (blog)Man arrested for stealing glacier chunks for designer ice cubesNew York Daily NewsBy Rheana Murray / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Piece of ice stolen from the Jorge Montt Glacier, more than 1200 miles south of Santiago, Chile. Thieves might be to blame for a retreating glacier in the Patagonia region - not global warming.Glacier thief arrested in ChileThe GuardianMan Steals Glacier for Designer Ice CubesABC News (blog)Glaciers face new threat as ice is stolenUPI.comGather.com -Christian Science Monitor -BBC Newsall 187 news articles »
| | | Giant Crack in Antarctica About to Spawn New York-Size Iceberg - National Geographic Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:57:37 GMT National GeographicGiant Crack in Antarctica About to Spawn New York-Size IcebergNational GeographicWith a gargantuan crack slowly splitting it apart, Antarctica's fastest-melting glacier is about to lose a chunk of ice larger than all of New York City, scientists say. Snaking across the floating tongue of the Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica, ...Beautiful, Depresssing Photo Of 19-Mile Crack In Antarctic GlacierGothamistall 31 news articles »
| | | Manhattan-sized Glaciers Break off at Both Ends of the Globe - Technorati Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:12:40 GMT TechnoratiManhattan-sized Glaciers Break off at Both Ends of the GlobeTechnoratiFollowing the recent report by MSNBC of a glacier break up in Greenland estimated at twice the size of Manhattan, the National Geographic now reported that another glacier in Antarctica, this time just about the size of Manhattan (is the size of ...
| | | Complimentary Alaska Shore Tours from American Cruise Lines - Houston Chronicle Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:46:50 GMT Complimentary Alaska Shore Tours from American Cruise LinesHouston ChronicleDuring the cruise, American Cruise Lines will travel into Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm Fjord, and will visit Sitka, Hoonah and Petersburg. At each port of call, two or three tours will be offered, so that every interest is accommodated.and more »
| | | Stealing Glaciers and Gagging at Gaga's: Eating & Reading - Washingtonian.com (blog) Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:02:00 GMT Washingtonian.com (blog)Stealing Glaciers and Gagging at Gaga's: Eating & ReadingWashingtonian.com (blog)Every week, we'll let you know what the Washingtonian food staff is reading in the blogosphere and off the bookshelves. By Ann Limpert , Jessica Voelker , Sophie Gilbert , Anna Spiegel The stuff major life decisions are based upon.
| | | Glaciers shaped Cincinnati's topography - Cincinnati.com Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:50:05 GMT Glaciers shaped Cincinnati's topographyCincinnati.comThis map shows how far the Wisconsinian glacier advanced into Ohio 70000 years ago. This was the last glacier to enter the state. It plowed through central Ohio, leaving it with a flat landscape. / Provided/Cincinnati Museum Center Prehistoric glaciers ...and more »
| | | Heavy snowfall rejuvenates Himachal glaciers - Times of India Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:58:45 GMT Heavy snowfall rejuvenates Himachal glaciersTimes of IndiaMANALI: Heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh this winter has rejuvenated about 1000 small and large glaciers, ensuring pleasant summer with abundance of drinking water, irrigation water, water for hydel projects and balancing the temperature.and more »
| | | Grapevine: Super Bowl at the White House - Fox News Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:32:29 GMT Grapevine: Super Bowl at the White HouseFox NewsEven global warming skeptics have to concede, human activity is definitely to blame for glacier loss in the Patagonia region of Chile. The Guardian reports police have charged a man with stealing five tons of ice from a Chilean glacier.and more »
| | | New Climate Change Culprit: Chilean Man Stealing Glaciers to Put In Cocktails - Popular Science Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:27:58 GMT Popular ScienceNew Climate Change Culprit: Chilean Man Stealing Glaciers to Put In CocktailsPopular ScienceBy Paul Adams Posted 02.02.2012 at 5:20 pm 2 Comments Perito Moreno Glacier This Patagonian glacier has not been harvested for bar use yet. Martin St-Amant Police in Capitán Prat Province, Chile, have stopped a refrigerated truck carrying nearly 6 tons ...
| | | Decision iced: Parks Canada wants more time to study Alberta glacier tourism - Winnipeg Free Press Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:01:08 GMT CBC.caDecision iced: Parks Canada wants more time to study Alberta glacier tourismWinnipeg Free PressBrewster Travel Canada wants to build a 400-metre-long interpretive trail and a glass-floored platform that would jut high above a valley that overlooks glaciers along the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park. Brewster says its Glacier Discovery ...Parks Canada wants time to study for-profit projectCTV.caall 54 news articles »
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