The Magnificent Hubbard Glacier

According to those who have seen it up close and personal, The Hubbard Glacier is one of the most majestic sights you will ever see and well worth the journey to observe her grandeur.

The Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America, stretching for 76 miles from it's source in Canada. A  tidewater glacier is one that flows into the ocean. Pieces of the glacier break off (or calve) when it reaches the sea, forming what we call icebergs. This particular glacier is the longest one in Alaska and slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island. Interestingly it's boundaries include two countries. It is located in the Canadian Yukon Territory and extends into the U.S. state of Alaska .

Most glaciers have been melting and getting thinner as a result of climate changes but not the Hubbard Glacier. It is amazing to it's observers as it has actually been getting thicker instead of thinner over time. For more than a century (400 year old ice at it's base) it has been increasing in size as well as slowly advancing toward the Gulf of Alaska.

This glacier will eventually move far enough to close the Russell Fiord entrance to the sea. A fjord is a long, narrow channel of water with steep sides, which is carved out by passing glaciers and then fills in with sea water. When the Russell Fiord is closed, the largest lake in North America dammed by a glacier will have been created.

Notice in the illustration and photo below how narrow the passage is from Russell Fiord to Disenchantment Bay. When that channel is permanently blocked then Russell Lake will be formed. This likelihood is of some concern as it's occurrence could overflow the Fjord's southern banks into the Situk River, threatening trout habitat and a nearby airport.

       

This would be a great glacier to see by cruise ship. Besides it's own monumental beauty it regularly calves off icebergs the size of a ten story building. These newly calved icebergs can shoot up out of the sea rather dramatically, creating quite the show. There are some spectacular photos taken by cruise go-ers of this calving process of the Hubbard Glacier and it would be an incredible sight to behold.