Holgate Glacier, Tidewater glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, US
Holgate Glacier is a tidewater glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park that flows from the Harding Icefield into the Holgate Arm of Aialik Bay. The visible ice face spans several miles and displays deep crevasses and colored bands where rocks and sediment frozen within the ice show through.
The glacier formed thousands of years ago as snow accumulated and compressed on the Harding Icefield. It became part of Kenai Fjords National Park when the park was established in the mid-20th century.
The glacier holds significance for indigenous peoples of the region, who weave its presence into their stories and connection to the land. Ice shapes how the bay looks and feels, anchoring it in their understanding of this landscape.
The best views come from boat tours departing Seward that regularly reach the glacier in the bay. For closer encounters, kayak expeditions paddle among the ice formations and offer views from water level.
Unlike many other Alaskan glaciers, this one advances rather than retreats, creating frequent calving events where ice chunks break into the bay. The ongoing movement produces a striking display each time the ice fractures and slides into the water.
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