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Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog

Exploring the World of Outdoor Photography with Tips, News, Imagery and Insight

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog
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Tag Archives: glacier

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Photo Essay – Hiking on the Triumvirate Glacier

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog Posted on September 7, 2017 by DanSeptember 7, 2017

I love “flying to hike” with my little Cessna bush plane, and one of my favorite types adventure is when I land near a glacier and actually hike up on to the ice. I’ve done this on the Knik Glacier and the Lake George Glacier, and a couple weeks ago, I hiked all the way up onto the Triumvirate Glacier, which lies along the eastern edge of the Tordrillo Mountains, about 60 miles west of Anchorage.

The trick is to find a gravel bar that’s relatively close to the glacier, and that’s smooth enough to land on. However, even if you nail that part, it’s never a given that you’ll actually be able to get onto the ice.

Even if you’re able to land close enough for day-hiking striking distance, you can easily be shut down by a wide and swiftly running braided river or glacial lake. Or any number of other impassible features in the accompanying landscape.

I’d been eyeing the Triumvirate Glacier for a few years as a potential day hike. Up until recently, I could never find a suitable landing spot that was close enough and that gave me potential hiking access without being cut off by water. Until last week.

Flying out there on an exploratory mission one evening, I spotted a sandbar that was long enough for the Cessna, (I need about 350-feet to land and about 600-feet to take off). It was also way closer than the sandy strip located about two miles west and on the other side of the river.

I landed on that white alluvial fan near the bottom right, and hiked around the left side of the glacier lake to access the moraine. From there, it was a long, dirty, muddy slog to reach the ice.

My landing went quite well, I had a brisk, 10kt headwind that aided me with a nice, slow approach. After making two test passes, I skimmed in right over the water and set the plane down on the relatively soft sand.

Once I shut her down, I got out and paced out the landing area so I could get an accurate measurement of how much room I’d have during takeoff. From water to the place where it starts getting bumpy, I walked out about 900 feet. That’s plenty of room, even with a softer surface. Even without a headwind, I should have no problem.

Returning to the plane, I grabbed my pack, noted the time and set off on my hike, having no real idea how far I’d make it or if would even be possible to get up onto the ice.

Looking toward the moraine. It looks a lot different and much further away from ground level!

The first of the hike was flat, but it went from sand to talus pretty quickly. I had to navigate a couple of small water crossings, but they weren’t bad at all; I didn’t even get my feet wet. The ground got a little muddy as I reached the other side of the lake and made my way to the base of the moraine, but I was able to hop from rock to rock to keep my feet dry.

Then the slog began.

A glacial moraine is essentially an enormous, messy debris pile. As the glacier moves down the mountain, it pushes an immeasurable amount of rock and dirt in front of it as it grinds down the landscape. The result is a huge conglomeration of rock, mud, sand, and even huge chucks of ice. We’re talking ice blocks that can be as large as a cruise ship, or at least the size of a Beverly Hills mansion.

Walking on a moraine is an activity not for the faint-footed. The terrain moves with nearly every single step, so you have to move constantly, at least through certain sections until you find a small patch of stable ground. The really tricky parts are the slopes that are really just chucks of black ice covered in sand. Trying to walk up is impossible in regular shoes, so you often find yourself constantly weaving and re-navigating.

It’s non-stop up and down, weaving through small troughs, over scree hills and talus slopes and following sandy ridges as you try to make your way to a specific point you might have spotted below. Then when you get there, you make another spot and continue on. Hiking chaos that goes on and on.

Moving quickly, I pushed on, with my trusty Fuji X-T2 slung around my shoulder. The higher I got, the more expansive the moraine seemed to be as it revealed more of its massive self to me. Eventually, got my first glimpse of the ice, but it still seemed so far away. I began to doubt whether I’d be able to reach the ice, but I keep pushing those seeds out of my mind and set my sights on the next hill.

Although routefinding was a challenge, what concerned me more was finding my way back, especially since there is no trail of any kind on this huge disaster pile. Fortunately, as you can see in the picture above, there were definitely some identifiable and rather unforgettable landmarks. Lower down, I even built two cairns that would hopefully keep me on track.

Finally, after a long, two-hour slog I got within striking distance to the actual glacier. From there, it was only a short stretch, although the final bit in front of the ice was about 50-yards of mucky, ankle-deep mud that resembled quicksand. It took careful and rather adept rock-hopping to clear this final barrier, and eventually, I stepped foot onto the Triumvirate Glacier.

Fortunately, the lower section of the glacier was relatively flat featureless ice that gradually sloped up towards the first folds and jumbles. I was able to walk a few hundred feet before it got too steep.

By now, it was 9:00PM, so I didn’t have long before I had to turn around. Unslinging my X-T2, I shot a series of photos, alternating between color and black and white. I mostly shot with the XF14mm f/2.8 wide angle lens. As I started my hike back, I turned around and captured some compressed telephoto shots with the XF90mm f/2 lens, even shooting a couple of in-camera panoramas.

The hike back went smoothly, or so to speak. Tromping, running, sliding, skidding, hopping, and mashing your way down a glacial moraine is hardly a smooth process. However, I successfully retraced my path and even passed by my two cairns again before defending the final hill down to the base and beginning the mostly flat walk back to the plane.

Arriving at my little yellow Cessna just over an hour after I left the ice, I started her up, taxied back across the sandbar, waited for the dust from my prop wash to settle, then took off with room to spare. After making a quick circle over the toe of the glacier, to mentally retrace my steps, I turned and began my 40 minute flight back to Anchorage under the color of the setting sun.

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Posted in Adventures with Dan, Featured Images | Tagged adventure photography, Alaska, backcountry, glacier, landscapes, mountains, outdoor photography, photography, Tordrillo Mountains, Triumvirate Glacier | Leave a reply

How Different Photographers Interpret the Same Scene

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog Posted on January 25, 2016 by DanJanuary 26, 2016

_DSF1863This past Saturday, I spent the entire day exploring the Matanuska Glacier with 3 other photographer friends. Arriving before sunrise, we hiked out to the ice in the dim hours of twilight and shot for 7 hours, capturing the broken, blue and white landscape with a diverse variety of compositions and light.

I really enjoyed the camaraderie of our icy photo trek. While it was a lot of fun to get lost in the seemingly endless carnival of picture taking opportunities, I also enjoyed bouncing around and seeing what each of the other shooters was focused on at any given time.

Also, we had another added benefit since that everyone is a photographer, there was noone to get bored of waiting for us to be done.

With four distinct personalities, each of which has a different assortment of equipment, creative ideas and photographs styles, it’s always interesting to see the variations with which different photographers can capture the exact same scene, often times with mere minutes or seconds of each other.

_DSF2131The funny thing is that, even if I’ve made images that I’m really excited about, when I see the work of the other shooter, I often look at a particular photo and think, “wow, awesome- how come I didn’t see/notice that?!” 

That’s exactly what I’m talking about- each of us has our own ideas about the subject, and we all respond to different shapes, colors, and relationships in our own personal way. That’s the great thing about photography, and when you shoot with other people, you get to see this in real time.

In my usual type of photography adventures, I’m often the only one with a camera, at least one that’s not a phone or a point and shoot. That’s why I find this kind of exercise so valuable, and so enjoyable. Sometimes I go out with one other shooter, but to spend a whole day with three other photographers in a setting that’s not a workshop type dynamic? I rarely do that, and I had a blast!_DSF1889 _DSF2143

To help illustrate what I’m talking about, I’d like to share some of the images the other three people captured out there during our glacier day. Between these three other shooters, one is a full time pro, one is a part time pro and one is a non-pro.

I won’t tell you which one is which, I’ll just show you a brief selection of their work from that day, all of which I really like. I encourage you to check out more of their work, all of them are outstanding photographers.

To David, Jody and Tim, I’d like to say thanks for a great day and for all the inspiration and photography goodness. Can’t wait to do it agains soon!

If you’re interested in attending my upcoming Matanuska Glacier Photography Workshop, April 1-3, 2016, my deadline for signing up is February 1. Click here for more info.

_DSF1941

Jody Overstreet

David Ryan Taylor

Tim Escher

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Posted in Featured Images | Tagged Alaska, Chugach Mountains, creativity, glacier, landscapes, outdoor photography, photographers, photography | Leave a reply

Matanuska Glacier Photography Workshop, April 1-3, 2016

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog Posted on December 9, 2015 by DanDecember 9, 2015

Exploring ice features on Matanuska Glacier

I’m excited to announce my upcoming Matanuska Glacier Photography Workshop, which will take place during the weekend of April 1-3, 2016.

During this two-night weekend workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to explore one of the most amazing and rugged locations that Southcentral Alaska has to offer, the massive Matanuska Glacier, in the heart of the Chugach Mountains.

You’ll spend a full day exploring the glacier up close, with time to intimately photograph this otherworldly landscapes of snow and ice. This is really an amazing location, full of ice caves, massive walls of blue ice, impressive crevasses, and stunning ice formations that jut up into the sky. It’s a photographer’s playground!

Of course, I’ll be right there with you to provide personal instruction and assistance so you can get the best shots possible. I want you to walk away with photographs you’re really excited about, so my focus will be on teaching and giving you compositional tips and technical guidance, as well as general tips for shooting in these kinds of environments, and if you wish, you’ll have the chance to try out some of my Fujifilm X Series mirrorless cameras and lenses like the X-T1 and X-T10.

Only 7 Spots Available- Reserve Your Space Now

Weather permitting, you’ll hopefully be able to catch the late afternoon spring Alaska light on the surrounding landscapes of the Matanuska Valley, and do some “night sky photography”. Early April is a great time to explore the Matanuska Glacier. It’s still winter out there, but the coldest part of the season has past, so it’s pretty comfortable to be outside all day. Also, the light is coming back fast during that time of year. The days are getting longer, and sunset that week is around 8:45 PM, and there’s still enough darkness to see amazing aurora displays if the Northern Lights are out.

Accommodations are based at Sheep Mountain Lodge, where you’ll stay in one of the rustic, yet comfortable cabins and enjoy a beautiful wilderness setting with classic meals done Alaska style.

This promises to be an awesome weekend for outdoor photography, with so many possibilities for great subject matter, instruction, getting to know other photographers, and spending an experiencing a beautiful part of Alaska. I hope you can join me!

Please visit the workshop page at Alaska Photo Treks to see more info and reserve your spot on this trip.

Itinerary

Day 1, Friday afternoon

Arrive on your own to Anchorage, AK. Transfer by van for the one-hour drive to the Sheep Mountain Lodge, about a 2-hour drive.  Check-in to your cabin. Pre-workshop orientation, dinner and an instructional presentation on winter landscape photography at the lodge. Evening and night sky photography, if the conditions are clear.

Day 2, Saturday

Breakfast at lodge. Informal, yet important and safety briefing before heading out to the glacier. Then we’ll drive out to the Matanuska Glacier and explore the area for a full day of photography, with opportunities for personal, firsthand instruction and guidance by me. If the weather is clear, we should see various spectacular views of the higher peaks of the Chugach Mountains. Evening is spent with another home-cooked meal and sunset/night sky photography if conditions are clear. 
  
Day 3, Sunday

After breakfast at the lodge, you’ll have the chance to explore the area around the lodge and practice some outdoor photography on your own and learn some new techniques or try out some new gear. You’ll also have time to edit your photos from the day before for our final classroom presentation slide show and critique, where you can share you best work. In the late afternoon, we’ll all ride the van back to Anchorage, arriving around 6:00 PM.

Accommodations

Operating for nearly 70 years, the Sheep Mountain Lodge offers a unique balance between rustic and comfort. Set alongside the edge of an immense wilderness that straddles the Chugach Mountain Range and the Talkeetna Mountains, the lodge offers handcrafted cabins with comfortable amenities, tasteful styling and friendly hospitality.

Each cabin offers a view of some truly amazing Alaska mountain scenery outside and if you keep your eyes open, there’s a good chance that you’ll see some Alaska wildlife wander by right outside your window, such as moose, lynx or snowshoe hare. The dining room features fresh Alaska seafood, steaks, homemade desserts, soup and baked goods, including fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, cookies, strawberry-rhubarb pie and sourdough bread, as well as a selection of beer and wine. With reasonably close access to Anchorage, a stay at Sheep Mountain Lodge is a truly memorable and unique experience. The lodge has received the Trip Advisor Award of Excellence.

Trip Cost

Classic Cabin:  $895 per person. Includes 2 nights’ accommodations and meals from arrival day dinner to last day breakfast and round-trip transportation from Anchorage. The beautifully handcrafted Classic Cabins offer a rustic experience with one queen bed and one twin bed, table and chairs and kitchenette, and a shared bath and the use of the showerhouse building. (Classic cabins do not have running water in the winter season.)

Premier Cabin:  $995 per person. Includes 2 nights’ accommodations and meals from arrival day dinner to last day breakfast and round-trip transportation from Anchorage. Premier Cabins are fully furnished with two queen beds, pull-out sleeper sofa, table and chairs and kitchenette, running water, private bath with shower. Note, there are only four Premier Cabins available.

Reserve Your Spot Now! – Visit Alaska Photo Treks to secure a spot on this workshop.

As always, if you have any questions about this workshop, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask!

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Posted in Press, Interviews and Info | Tagged Alaska, glacier, instruction, landscapes, mountains, outdoor photography, photo workshops, photographers, photography | 2 Replies

Helicopters and Icebergs- Recap of My Knik Glacier Photo Workshop

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog Posted on March 24, 2015 by DanJanuary 4, 2017

This past weekend, I led my Knik Glacier Photography Workshop here in Alaska and provided 5 people with an amazing photo adventure. We based at the Knik River Lodge, about 50 miles east of Anchorage, where we began the weekend with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures with Dan, instruction, Press, Interviews and Info | Tagged adventure photography, Aerial Photos, Alaska, glacier, instruction, Knik Glacier, landscapes, mountains, outdoor photography, photo workshops, photographers, photography, workshops | 2 Replies

Hiking on the Lake George Glacier, Alaska

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog Posted on September 4, 2014 by DanDecember 30, 2016

In my next life, I might decide to be a glacieologist. I’m awed by the overwhelming magnitude of these immense rivers of ice and the sheer power they have to carve out entire mountain ranges. Of course, they do all this in … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures with Dan, Featured Images | Tagged adventure photography, Alaska, backcountry, camera gear, Fuji X-T1, fujifilm, glacier, landscapes, outdoor photography, photography | 2 Replies

Blackstone Glacier, Prince William Sound, Alaska

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog Posted on September 5, 2013 by DanSeptember 9, 2013

What do you do when you get visitors in Alaska? You go do tourist stuff! My mom was in town last week, so I took her on a glacier cruise in Blackstone Bay, one of the deep water fjords in … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Images | Tagged adventure photographer, adventure photography, Alaska, camera gear, Chugach Mountains, Fuji X20, fujifilm, glacier, landscapes, Nikon, outdoor photography, photography | Leave a reply

Walking on Ice: Photo Excursion to the Knik Glacier

Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog Posted on July 9, 2013 by DanJuly 9, 2013
Knik Glacier, Alaska

Securing your 900 lb. Cessna 120 on a backcountry strip by tying it down to thin bushes and exposed roots that are sticking halfway out of the dirt is better than not tying down at all, especially when the wind … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures with Dan, Featured Images | Tagged adventure photography, Alaska, Chugach Mountains, Fuji X20, Fuji XE-1, glacier, Knik Glacier, landscapes, mountains, outdoor photography, photography gear | 12 Replies

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