ANFAHRTSBESCHREIBUNG: End of Exit Glacier Road north of Seward, Alaskacreate
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ANSCHLAGBRETT
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Harding Ice Field Trail
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30.09.2016
About 9 miles RT from the parking lot, and about 3000' elevation gain. Official trail description is here: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/harding_icefield_trail.htm
It's a glorious time to hike in southern Alaska, because of the gold color of cottonwood everywhere. Well, you need a sunny day.
If you're going to hike this, forget all the lower trails next to the Exit Glacier parking lot. For a shorter version, you can hike up to the Marmot Meadow (maybe 2 miles in), or higher in the plateau (maybe 3 miles in). It's absolutely gorgeous here, view of the valley, distant snow capped mountains and the glacier right by your side. Huckleberry abound (not very tasty though, and quite smaller compared to those I pick in WA and OR). You can also camp here (I only saw one backpacker today). There're little creeks by snow melt.
There's an emergency shelter almost at the end of the trail. It's more bleak here, but still beautiful. The shelter is quite small.