The man who died was an experienced guide and driver, Ingi Már Aldan Grétarsson, born in 1954. In Iceland, where tourism has skyrocketed in the past decade, glaciers and ice caves have become key attractions. To date, there haven’t been many incidents of injury on Iceland’s glaciers, says Hans Welling, a researcher with the University of Iceland who has written about glacier tourism. The trail head is located near Begich Boggs Visitor Center. “There’s a lot of pressure on the parks. Byron Glacier is about 40 miles southeast of Anchorage. The Byron Glacier Trail near Girdwood, Alaska is a beautiful hike for trekkers of all ages. There’s one glacial lake, the Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon, that an estimated 40 percent of the tourists in Iceland visit. The glacier is just east of the small city of Valdez, which is wreathed by glaciers, some of which are remote while others are highway accessible. According to news reports at the time, Thais Grabenauer, 59, had been taking pictures with her husband at the foot of Exit Glacier, a towering wall of ice that’s one of the most popular attractions in Kenai Fjords National Park. The views are awesome, and the trail is easy! Description. But in the three decades since Grabenauer’s death, it has happened again—in Alaska and around the rest of the world. And then you have other folks who are really into the athleticism of it,” Kreznar says. You can reach the foot of the glacier in less than an hour of hiking, and at that point there are a few options. Lee Hunt, the executive director of the Valdez Adventure Alliance, which operates the park containing Worthington Glacier, says about 100,000 unique visitors make their way to the site every year. Now that some of [the glaciers] are receding, they have to extend their infrastructure.”. The good news is you can still enjoy Chugach National Forest and the Byron Glacier blue ice trail without risking it all. The Byron Glacier Ice caves killed a woman in July of 2018 the roof of these blue ice caves partially collapsed on camera in Spring 2019. Troopers say a man, as well as a six-year-old boy, suffered minor injuries. “There are some very popular glaciers because they come in on a very shallow bay and they recede on a 100-meter-a-year basis,” he says. Be careful it’s easy to fall and hurt yourself. Boegel was a math teacher and Girls on the Run coach at Venture Academy in Minneapolis. Police in South Iceland has published the identity and circumstances of a fatal accident in a Hofsjökull ice cave on Wednesday. Be careful not to go to high up on the avalanche chutes since the snow underneath collapses and some point during the summer. With all this said, going inside of ice caves is a dangerous activity and not one to be taken lightly. The last to die was Italian Alexander Hellweger, 28, who was crushed beneath ice falling of the Lake George Glacier in April of last year. Exit Glacier is the sole glacier accessible by road in the park. Within lies but one of many of south-central Alaska’s easily accessible glaciers: Byron Glacier. Location: At Girdwood, near Anchorage, off the Seward Highway. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. There are several to explore. In recent years, people have been increasingly flocking to the world’s glaciers. I understand that during summer it is unsafe to enter into the cave itself. 30.9, 37.8: flyer entrance The entrance to the Iceworm Queen Arenais located here. As people flock to see the world’s receding frozen wonders, they’re also encountering freak accidents. October 2, 2017 October 5, 2017 by rosedixonexpedition. It briefs clients on safety, and the guides know the glacier well; Exit Glacier moves downhill about a foot a day in the summer, changing the nature of the ice day by day. On a single day last July, two people were killed at separate glaciers in south-central Alaska: A 32-year-old woman was crushed by a collapsing ice ceiling on Byron Glacier… Nigardsbreen glacier is the most hiked one in Norway, even your children may try their hand at the hike if they are 6 years old or above. All Rights Deaths like these remain rare, but they’re also telling cases of a broader trend. She was a joy of life that focused on giving back to her family, friends, students, and communities, and we ask that everyone remember Brittany by carrying that forward. All appear to be part of a growing recognition that many of nature’s most picturesque scenes are fragile and changing. To the left is a ridge that overlooks Portage Glacier, but is quite a scramble to get up and down from. ... Avalanche debris forms the popular "snow/ice" caves that are quite dangerous. In the summer of 1987, a woman visiting Alaska was crushed by a 1,000-pound chunk of ice. Glacier caves form for two reasons. ... You can climb those to get to the glacier and the ice caves. The hanging glacier in the distance was enough to capture my attention but I continued to be drawn to the ice cave. Hike Along The Scenic Byron Glacier Trail On This Easy, Family Friendly Adventure. In 2018 a woman died after the Byron Glacier Ice Cave collapsed, crushing her and injuring two others. September 20, 2017 September 23, 2017 by rosedixonexpedition. “I would say maybe 10 percent of the [customers] have been on a glacier before,” Kreznar estimates. Others are casual tourists just trying to get close to the ice, like a 17-year-old who died earlier this year when he fell into a crevasse while hiking on Switzerland’s Gorner Glacier with his dad. Byron Glacier is a popular destination for many reason. On Byron, ice worms are common, if you get down and look. This short day hike—with an easily accessible trailhead a few hundred meters from the Begich Boggs Visitor Center—offers you big views of the Byron Glacier. 31.3, 33.7: waterfall entrance (tool or arrow/bullet needed to break the ice waterfall) 2. He was traveling with a Belgian couple when the accident took place. The Byron Glacier Trail is scenic and easy to traverse. Anne takes flight! Venture Academy is forever grateful to Brittany for her work and dedication.". Glaciers, on the other hand, are disappearing in real time. Be smart and very cautious around glaciers! Most summer days, Trevor Kreznar leads visitors up this path to give them the chance to walk across the glacier and climb down into the crevasses. Portage Valley has been known to trap clouds and weather among the tall peaks that surround Byron Glacier and so it is highly recommended to bring rain gear and an extra layer as wind can pick up even on a nice sunny day. A half-ton piece of the glacier calved off as the couple was snapping, killing Grabenauer and injuring her husband. Far more often, glacier caves form when melting water carves a passage through the ice. The second half of the trail is rocky and features a small stream crossing. As a glacier moves, the ice can be blocked by a knob of rock, causing a channel to form on the leeward side of the blockage. ... Great hike to ice cave. Byron Glacier Ice Caves. Not everyone shares this track record of safety. As a strong Christian we know she is with her Lord Jesus Christ.". “One side of it is people who are basically ignorant to it, and [the other side is] people knowingly taking risks.”, The 5-year-old boy who was hit by the rock from Worthington Glacier earlier this year was hiking with his family on a commonly used trail in a state recreation site. Byron Glacier Ice Caves Useful Information. Location. Every year, nearly 300,000 people come to Kenai Fjords National Park, which sprawls along the southern coast of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula and includes the vast majority of the Harding Icefield. One of the photos showed the inside of an oft-visited Byron Glacier ice cave and more. Once they form they could collapse at any time. It's a quick hop, skip, jump to the end of the trail, which is a pretty flat mile. "Brittany was also a world traveler, who enjoyed using her summer breaks to experience different cultures. On the Vatnajökull ice cap, the largest ice cap in Europe, where the ends of glaciers jump out onto gravel plains, guides and park managers have been busily extending trails and taking vehicles farther to access the glaciers as they recede across the landscape. Alaska State Troopers and U.S. Forest Service Officers were called to Byron Glacier near Portage Lake around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday after reports of a person trapped by large pieces of ice. There are also beautiful ice caves and rivulets to see, but be careful not to walk too far onto the ice of this tempting glacier. Byron Glacier trailhead with two avalanche warning signs. Family members and bystanders freed Boegel from the ice and attempted life-saving efforts before medics arrived, but those efforts were unsuccessful. "Brittany was a caring, dedicated and passionate educator who cared deeply for the well-being and learning of her students," said Michael Warner, director of student services. Brittany Boegel (Credit: Venture Academy) Authorities found several people had been hit by falling ice. Byron Glacier Trailhead. To date, there have been no known ice-cave fatalities in the state, but several people have been killed by falling ice when they approached too close to glaciers. We opted to head to the face of the glacier and were happily rewarded with incredible blue hues like those inside an ice cave! Byron Glacier Trail est un sentier aller-retour de 3.2 miles très fréquenté situé près de Girdwood, Alaska. Nevertheless, Exit Glacier Guides has never had an accident on the ice, he says. The Byron Glacier Blue Ice Trail is a gorgeous Alaskan hike with mountain and glacier views and you don’t have to enter the ice cave. The glacier has receded much farther than the trails surrounding it originally reached. In 2009, for instance, two brothers crossed a safety barrier on New Zealand’s Fox Glacier and were buried under a collapsing ice shelf. Boats are increasingly used to cross the widening lake at the glacier’s foot. The Byron Glacier trail is a great hike near Anchorage. Try to stay to the right of the river when climbing up- it’s very hard to cross the river at points and you’ll get yourself wet the ice cave … But the closure “is mostly just to keep people from going up the sides of the glacier,” says Mark Walters, who works in the Exit Glacier visitor center. The Iceworm Queenis the final boss of this dungeon. The organization has added more warning signs and tries to remind people that glaciers can be dangerous, she says: “There are trails that go up to the toe of the glacier … but you know, people can’t resist scrambling up the sides. (60.773398, -148.843852) Open: No restrictions. There’s plenty of free parking available at the trailhead. On a single day last July, two people were killed at separate glaciers in south-central Alaska: A 32-year-old woman was crushed by a collapsing ice ceiling on Byron Glacier, and a 5-year-old boy was hit by a rock falling from Worthington Glacier. Authorities found several people had been hit by falling ice. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. South of Anchorage, another popular glacier, Portage Glacier, is still referred to as a “roadside” glacier, though it’s receded too far to be seen from the road. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com. The victims of climate change are already here. Investigators say the victims were walking under a "hollowed out compressed snow mass which resembled a snow cave. Become a Member. The growing risks to travelers on melting glaciers are cruel reminders of all the smaller-scale and sometimes unpredictable damages climate change can inflict—even in the places where its broadest impacts are most visible. There are no records of collapsing ice killing anyone in Portage Valley, but the dangers of the Byron … Brittany Boegel was killed in the snow ceiling collapse. Byron Glacier is about 40 miles southeast of Anchorage. TheAtlantic.com Copyright (c) 2020 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. Important Information. Every year, the Kenai Fjords National Park officers get complaints about tourists not being able to get close enough to Exit Glacier. The result is that places such as Exit Glacier are not only witnessing more tourists than ever crossing rocky, dangerous terrain; they’re also becoming better poised for those wrong place, wrong time misfortunes. Byron Glacier is a jewel! Whether you’re there to play in the icy water with your dog or relax for a picnic, this is a fantastic hike. It's close to Anchorage , it has awesome ice caves, and it's a short easy hike to access the ice caves. Around the world, people are hurt on glaciers every year. At the Glacier viewing area, … Les chiens sont les bienvenus sur ce sentier mais seulement en laisse. We spent a fun afternoon walking the trail then climbing over rocks to get to the caves. Le sentier offre plusieurs activités et sa meilleure utilisation est de avril à octobre. And while it’s true that the valley's blue ice and glacial scenery is outstanding from Portage Glacier Rd, it gets even better if you take the short hike to Byron Glacier. Kreznar works for Exit Glacier Guides, a guiding business that has operated for 14 seasons, over which it has more than doubled its number of guides due to increased demand. And as ice sheets disappear, many glaciers are becoming more accessible—and unstable. You can either hike along the glacier's edge, and find ice caves and little streams, or you can head up to one of the ridges. October 22, 2017 October 27, 2017 by rosedixonexpedition.