The Root Glacier Trail is a fantastic trail on the outskirts of Kennecott. As close, and easy, as it is to access the trail, it’s an adventure in of itself to actually get to Kennecott, Alaska!
Cut-off from the outside world for part of the year, Kennecott is one of those places where you can risk taking a wild ride by road to get to it, or take the quicker route and go by bush plane.
We took the plane route, as it was the end of the season for Kennecott, being the last visitors in town for the year (we timed our trip with the infamous Last Man Standing party).
Flying over the Root Glacier on our arrival, and seeing the amazing beauty of staring down at the Wrangell Mountains and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park was worth the trip on its own.
Hiking the Root Glacier Trail was tons of fun.
Starting off with a walk through town, there are numerous trails in the area, some exploring deep into the wilderness, others heading off towards the nearby glacier.
With our super spikey crampons packed and great guides from St. Elias Alpine Guiding, we set out for a day of exploring. It wasn’t long before we were actually standing on top of a glacier. How cool is that? (ha, literally!)
Putting on our crampons, we ambled along the icy surface with ease. There were some deep crevices, crazy coloured ice, waterfalls, and even a swimming spot that we encountered. Yes, some of people did choose to go swimming on a glacier in Alaska!
It was a beautiful blue sky day, so the brightness of the sun reflecting off the white ice was intense. Everyone was careful to make sure we put on enough sunscreen to keep ourselves from burning in the cold, but bright landscape.
Those contrasting bright colours provided for some great photography. I’d been to glaciers in other parts of the world like New Zealand, Greenland and Antarctica, but this was the most exciting glacier experience of them all. The hike was exciting, but not overly challenging. Being right on top of this enormous glacier helped put things into perspective, after seeing it from high above in a plane.
Nature is pretty awesome, and this was a big highlight from my travels in Alaska. Maybe even better than the wildlife spotting and hiking in Denali National Park!
Have you been to Kennecott, or glacier hiking anywhere?
I’ve always found it worthwhile to head to remote locations, whether in Canada or beyond our borders. When it comes to Ontario Parks, some of my best hiking and wildlife experiences have been in the most northern parks I’ve visited.
Sign for the Teck Lake Trail
Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park
A little off the radar for many campers, Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park is up near Foleyet, Ontario. That’s over an hour east of Chapleau or an hour west of Timmins. Still not sure? How about 8-9 hours of riving north from Toronto!
It’s a beautiful lake, with spacious campsites and plenty of privacy. The nosiest neighbour we had was a mamma duck who kept waddling around our campsite with her babies in tow.
There are actually quite a few decent hiking trails at Ivanhoe Lake. The first one we did was the Teck Lake trail.
Teck Lake at Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park
Hiking the Teck Lake Trail
At only about 1km long, this is a short trail. Even so, this trail offers a nice range of scenery, as it meanders through mature forests and takes you to a pretty kettle lake (Teck Lake).
While the trailhead for Teck Lake isn’t very far from the campgrounds, we didn’t see, or hear, any other hikers our entire time on this trail!
The only sounds were our own steps, and the birds and squirrels chirping and chattering away at us.
Hungry Red Squirrel at Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park
It was a pretty hot mid-summer day when we hiked this trail, so upon reaching the little lake, it definitely looked refreshing to swim in! No beaches or anything here though, so we headed back to our waterfront campsite, where we had lots of space on Ivanhoe Lake to enjoy the water.
The trail itself is quite easy overall. It does have some decent inclines and declines to get your heart pumping a bit, but there are no real challenging areas.
Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park – Teck Lake Trail
Most people should be able to do this trail in decent running/hiking shoes. I still tend to hike in my hiking boots on such trails to avoid possible ankle injuries, but they weren’t really needed on this hike.
Expect to see some forest dwelling creatures along the way too, mostly red squirrels. Maybe chipmunks too.
Berries by the trail at Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park
In terms of vegetation, it was a lot of big pine trees, as well as some smaller berry bushes, and mixed forest in areas. A good variety! Some decent sized, colourful mushrooms were spotted too.
Teck Lake, a kettle lake, at Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park
The pathway was narrow in many places, and slightly overgrown at times, as can be expected at the lesser-visited parks further north.
Overall a fun trek in the woods that only takes about half an hour of hiking.
I never get bored of kayaking, it is my favourite water-based activity.
Even when you’re smack in the middle of a city, when I’m gliding along the surface of the water it is a peaceful, calming experience. plus, you’d be surprised how much urban wildlife lurks around the edges of rivers that snake their way through cities like Milwaukee!
Kayaking in Downtown Milwaukee
I was able to explore the Milwaukee River with the good people at MKC (Milwaukee Kayak Company). We got a different perspective of some of the buildings along the waterfront of the Historic Third Ward and had a fun time exploring this cool city. I did spot a good amount of wildlife too! Mostly birds, like ducks and herons.
The kayak gear shack at MKCGetting our paddling plan at MKC
Paddling along, we went along the Milwaukee River to the confluence with the Menomonee River. There are quite a few rivers in Milwaukee, which I didn’t know before. Going in the other direction, the Milwaukee River joins the Kinnickinnic River, which outlets into Milwaukee Bay in Lake Michigan. There are a ton of paddling options around the city, which made me a bit jealous. In Toronto, we can’t paddle some of our downtown rivers.
Let the Kayaking Begin!
With some interesting restaurants and even breweries along the river, I kind of wanted to turn the kayaking trip into a bit of a bar-hopping adventure. How fun would that be to pull up to a brewery in your kayak and order a pint at the Milwaukee Ale House? Dockside delivery, anyone? I’ve seen more than my fair share of kayaks with cup / beer holders on them!
Contemplating stopping for beers at MKE Ale House on the Milwaukee River
As fun as that may sound, being responsible, we paddled up and down the river and waited to enjoy our drinks after the kayaking adventure. Even without any crazy white water rapids, or jungle scenery, this was a great way to spend part of an afternoon discovering Milwaukee.
Scenery along the Milwaukee River
On the walk back to my hotel after this fun adventure in the midst of Milwaukee, I strolled along the walkway beside the river. There is an impressive riverfront area here for walking too. Our kayaking actually went along what is part of the Milwaukee Urban Water trail.
Boats and Bridges in Milwaukee
Of course I stumbled upon a famous Milwaukee landmark too – the Fonz statue! A classic cool character from the 80s show Happy Days. Love finding random things like this while travelling!
Gliding along the surface of the water, dodging tiny bits of brash ice, I aim our kayak at the large iceberg in the distance. There are some black specks on it. Could it be penguins?
Isolation of Kayaking at Cierva Cove, Antarctica
The water is only a degree or two above freezing here in Cierva Cove, Antarctica; but the air is warm, with temperatures actually warmer than back home in Canada. No, that isn’t a global warming thing, it is typical weather along the Antarctic Peninsula during the November – March tourism window, when temperatures are often above freezing.
It makes the kayaking more enjoyable, as we don’t have to deal with fear of frostbite. With hand pogies on our paddles it is actually quite warm paddling, and I find myself occasionally dipping my hands in the water to cool down.
Kayaking at Half Moon Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
The preparation process for kayaking in Antarctica is somewhat arduous. We’re all bundled up with many layers, and are prone to overheating on the ship before we get to actually go out on the water. A base layer, a fleece layer, a winter jacket shell, two pairs of socks, a toque, a buff, some kayak gloves, booties and a dry suit make up the Antarctic kayaking outfit. Once assembled, we pretty much walk the same as the penguins around here.
We’ve had a couple of false starts to our kayaking adventure, which is very common down in the southern ocean. It takes time to pile on all this gear, unload the kayaks and get our small group of a dozen paddlers out on the water. With vast open spaces and soaring mountains, weather in Antarctica is constantly changing, without any reliable forecasting. Katabatic winds coming down off the surrounding mountains and glaciers can whip up at any time, turning a scene of serenity into one of white water and misery.
A bonus is that sometimes us kayakers get to be the first to leave the ship and start exploring, while everyone else who is going direct to land, to hike or see penguins, has to wait. We still get to join up with them after and tend to have more than enough time to commune with the penguins, seals and enjoy the land activities too.
A windy day created rougher seas once we got out kayaking at Half Moon Island
Today, Cierva Cove remains calm and puts on a wonderful display of nature. In an overcast sky, with the sun struggling to pierce through the mist, the cove is slow to reveal itself to us. We paddle quietly along, scraping past small icebergs called bergy bits, always on the lookout for seals, penguins or whales. Some of the tiny icebergs here appear black, as they’re clear in the water. My paddling partner spots one she wants to keep, it’s shaped like heart.
Fur Seal at Cierva Cove, Antarctica
In the distance we spot two tiny black specks on one of the larger icebergs. Anything that isn’t white here stands out, so we paddle over to investigate this anomaly and discover two Gentoo penguins perched atop this large chunk of ice. We can’t help but wonder how these small flightless, awkward birds managed to get atop such a big iceberg?
The water is flat, like glass, enabling me to pull out the DSLR camera and snap a few photos without fear of getting wet. Cierva Cove isn’t done with us, as we soon come upon a sleepy fur seal who pokes his head up, wondering who dares approach his piece of ice.
Heart Shaped Ice at Cierva Cove, Antarctica
Out here on the water, dotted with icebergs and bits of ice of all sizes, we’re all alone. The rest of the travellers from our ship have gone off on zodiac cruises further away. Aside from the sounds of our paddles in the water, it is pure silence. We take a moment to soak it all in.
Indeed we have been the lucky ones on this day, with our close encounters with the fur seal and penguins as our non-kayaking counterparts only had fleeting glimpses of wildlife on this afternoon.
We’ve kayaked at spots on South Georgia Island, and now along the coast of Antarctica. penguins have porpoised out of the water around us, we’ve pulled up onto mini icebergs for a rest, and we’ve even had some snowball fights. It’s truly a weird and wonderful setting.
At Neko Harbour, the next kayaking experience is a bit more boisterous, and a bit more icy. The ice here is slushy, with some new ice creating a thin layer on the surface. Larger pieces have a bit of snow on them, as fluffy flakes have been falling. It is truly a winter wonderland scene out on the water. The thin layer of ice is easily broken by the bow of the kayak or our paddles, creating an otherworldly-like paddling experience. There is a calming satisfaction to “crashing” through the ice with our kayaks.
Snowballs Ready! kayaking in Antarctica at Neko Harbour, Andvord Bay.
We’re enjoying a spontaneous kayak snowball fight when our fun is interrupted by what sounds like a rolling thunderstorm approaching. It turns out to be a large chunk of glacier calving into the ocean off in the distance. Minutes later a small wave bobs our kayaks up and down about 15cm; had we been kayaking at the foot of the glacier we would have all been swallowed up and capsized by 6m surge.
Icebergs are generally only 10% above the water, meaning you miss out on seeing most of these majestically carved ice creations. We steer clear of anything of decent size (anything taller than the bow of the kayak must be given a wide berth according to our kayaking guides Ewan and Sophie). For low-lying bergs and smaller bits, we have fun maneuvering our kayaks beside, through, and onto them. Peering down into the depths of the Antarctic Ocean you can see the entire immensity of these white and blue-hued bits of ice.
Kayaking St Andrews Bay at South Georgia
Antarctica toys with your imagination, making it difficult to portray to others. Kayaking past oddly shaped icebergs and glaciers, with funny animals swimming around you gives everything a bit of a Dr. Seuss-esque vibe in Antarctica, just without any crazy bright colours. Despite the mostly monochromatic scenes, you still experience sensory overload, as everything is on a grander scale here.
Nowhere is that more apparent than when you’re gliding along in a tiny kayak.
Side notes:
Not all expeditions to Antarctica offer kayaking
Kayaking groups are small, typically 10-15 in size, and tend to sell out early
While some experience is preferred, kayaking is only done in favourable conditions
I travelled with Polar Latitudes, one of the most respected travel operators to Antarctica
Depending on the length of your trip (and number of changes to go kayaking) it should cost between $600-1,000. Whatever the cost, it is worth it!
Photo time while kayaking at St Andrews Bay, South Georgia
A bit off-the-beaten-path, El Rey National Park, Argentina doesn’t get huge visitor numbers, but if you can manage the time, and the bumpy roads, it is well worth the effort to visit.
Bird in El Rey National Park
A small group of us hit El Rey for a day of hiking with Federico from Norte Trekking Expeditions based in Salta.
Hiking in El Rey National Park
Upon arrival, we quickly came across an abundance of wildlife, with wading birds and butterflies seemingly around every corner as we hiked along a river and through some marshlands. While there are some larger animals in the park, such as the tapir on their park logo, you’re more likely to come across a plethora of birds as there are numerous streams and marshlands in the park.
El Rey National Park Hiking Trail
There were colourful birds I had never seen before, and some larger birds like herons, which gracefully flew by. Years ago I used to ignore birds, but the more I travel, the more I have started to appreciate the differences in birds around the world. Argentina definitely had a few surprises for me.
Berry in El Rey National Park
Bromeliad in El Rey National Park
It was pretty much a full day of hiking in El Rey National Park, with a stop for a lunch break. During that entire time, our little group only crossed paths with one other group of a few people, so we were free to listen to the sounds of the forest.
El Rey National Park
El Rey National Park was quite interesting because it had such a range of landscapes, even a rainforest! Who would expect to come across a rainforest in Argentina? I didn’t expect that. Federico was a great guide, providing enough historic background about things like old buildings, and the variety of landscapes, flora and fauna that we were seeing along the way.
Egret in El Rey National Park
While more elusive animals such as tapir and jaguar did indeed elude us, we did watch a troupe of monkeys swinging between trees across a stream. The Popayán River which is a central part of the park was packed with schools fairly large fish too. Walking along the trails there were plenty of tiny critters to keep us entertained. The weather was bright, hot and sunny, so wading through the water was nice and refreshing.
Hiking in El Rey National Park
I’d return to the area again for sure, and do some camping or more in-depth hiking adventures further into the park.
