McCarty Glacier, Coastal glacier in Kenai Fjords, Alaska, United States.
McCarty Glacier is a coastal ice mass in Kenai Fjords that terminates in deep fjord waters and displays a heavily crevassed surface. The glacier's blue-white face rises dramatically from the water, with visible layers of ice that reveal years of seasonal snowfall and compression.
Scientists began tracking this glacier in the early 1900s, establishing baseline records of its extent and movement patterns. The documented observations show how the glacier has responded to regional climate changes over the past century.
Tlingit and other Indigenous peoples of Southeast Alaska have long used glaciers as navigation markers and seasonal landmarks in their territories. The ice itself remains woven into local place names and the rhythm of life in this region.
Tours operate best from June through September when glacial conditions are most stable and visibility is clearer. Visitors should wear sturdy waterproof boots and layered clothing, as spray from the fjord waters and wind are constant.
The glacier calves icebergs directly into the fjord where warm ocean currents meet the ice front, creating an ever-changing maze of floating blue ice. This collision of glacial and marine forces is what makes the view from a boat so different from other glacier views in the state.
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