It’s a rare moment during the busy Alaskan summer when the stars align and two friends end up with a day off together. You have to make the most of it. So when it so happened back in June, my buddy Jordan and I commandeered a couple of packrafts from True North Kayak Adventures and hit the trail to the lake at the base of Grewingk Glacier, Alaska.
Icebergs float among the pristine ice-cold waters here, a scattered reminder that this once mighty glacier used to stretch all the way into Kachemak Bay. Nowadays it’s a 1.5-mile hike from Glacier Spit to reach the lake, and another ~2-mile paddle to the face of the glacier itself.
Pretty much any of the tour companies in Homer, Alaska can get you there. Take a water taxi to Glacier Spit, then follow the trail‘s gradual incline to the lake shore. Pack a lunch and a bottle. Once you make it to the lake, fish out some glacier ice for a cocktail. Don’t go out the way you came in, instead routing back to the sea via the Saddle Trail’s steep switchbacks. Typically the whole loop takes 3-4 hours, and the water taxi folks can help schedule drop off and pick up times with ease.
Just remember to watch out for bears…
