Portage Glacier

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Portage Glacier
Portage Glacier in 2001
Type	Mountain glacier
Location	Alaska, U.S.
Coordinates	60°43′38″N, 148°49′08″W
Length	6 miles (9.6 km)
Terminus	glacial lake
Status	retreating

Portage Glacier has retreated substantially since this image was taken in 1958

Portage Glacier is a glacier on the Kenai Peninsula of the U.S. state of Alaska^[1] and is included within the Chugach National Forest. It is located south of Portage Lake and 6 km (4 mi) west of Whittier.

Portage Glacier was a local name first recorded in 1898 by Thomas Corwin Mendenhall of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, so called because it is on a portage route between Prince William Sound and Turnagain Arm.

1 Tourism
- 1.1 The Drive from Anchorage
- 1.2 The Drive from Homer
2 See also
3 Cited references

[edit] Tourism

[edit] The Drive from Anchorage

Take Alaska Route 1 south from Anchorage approximately 50 miles to the Portage Valley Road. Turn onto Portage Valley Road and go approximately 5 miles to the end.[1]

Route 1 follows the shore of Turnagain Arm, connected to the Cook Inlet, and the tracks of the Alaska Railroad. Along the cliffs you may well see bighorn sheep. Turnagain Arm is famous for it's violent tidal bore which attracts kayakers and surfers.

This route takes you through Girdwood, home of the world-famous Alyeska Resort. Girdwood has a number of services available[2] as well.

[edit] The Drive from Homer

Take Alaska Route 1 north from Homer approximately 140 miles to the Portage Valley Road (if arriving by air or by the M/V Tustumena on the Alaska Marine Highway). The Sterling Highway offers multiple places to access ocean beach between Homer and Soldotna. Be on the lookout from Soldotna to the intersection of the new Seward Highway and from there to the Hope turnoff for moose in the road.