Alaska 2007—Tracy Arm: A Majestic Fjord

Tracy Arm zigzags for nearly 30 miles into a mighty, glacially sculpted clef  in the Coast Mountains that provide a formidable, iceclad barrier between Southeast Alaska and interior British Columbia. Cliffs rise on each side for thousands of feet. In many areas, the depth sounder on the Delphinus, which can record depths of up to 1,000 feet, couldn’t provide a reading.  This freshly scoured, raw landscape lends itself to waterfalls; they are everywhere, as delicate freshets picking their  way for thousands of feet down a hillside, or thundering Yosemite-like falls hurtling off cliffs. Some of these latter falls are only a few years old, freshly uncovered as the glaciers beat their hasty retreat.

 
 

 

These U.S. Forest Service rangers camp on an island near the mouth of Tracy Arm and patrol via kayaks, making sure the wilderness remains wild and untrammeled.

An unnamed waterfall thunders into Tracy Arm. The water at the foot of the falls is deep, so that excursion boats often point their bows right into the falls.

 

  

Another unnamed waterfall spills into Tracy Arm.

The Forest Service rangers name this thundering cascade Horsetail Falls. It has only been in existence for about a decade.

  
     

Rugged peaks and hanging glaciers loom over an unnamed side valley near Tracy Arm.

Because the Delphinus has a wood hull, great care must be taken to avoid icebergs, even tiny ones. Here Rich uses a pole to push ice out of the way.

  

Our intrepid Forest Serivce rangers kayak past waterfalls and icebergs to make camp on a small island at the confluence of the arms of Tracy Fjord that lead to Sawyer and West Sawyer glaciers.

The Sikumi is a tour vessel that regularly schedules excursions to Tracy Arm.

  

Massive peaks rise thsouands of feet above Tracy Arm.

Almost unbelievably, large cruise ships regularly negotiate the narrow passageways of Tracy Arm.

  

A verdant valley leads to the icefields above Tracy Arm.

Deta