Next stop on the tour was the Columbia
Glacier, Alaska's second largest tidewater glacier and one of the
largest on the continent (it covered 440 square miles in 1997). We're
actually two miles from the glacier face; the glacier slipped from
its terminal moraine a few years ago and is now breaking up and
receding rapidly because the face is exposed to water, accelerating
the calving process. It's estimated to be losing 10-15 million tons
of ice each day, but this means the sound nearby is filled with
impressive icebergs!
