Fjord-y Views

Let’s begin with some obscure mountain terminology- nunatak. What is a nunatak?

A nunatak is the rocky prominence that extends up and out of a glacier or ice field. As the unbelievable weight of the ice slowly grinds everything flat, the nunatak retains its often jagged pyramidal aspect. If the ice has receded, as it tends to do these days, the prominence often towers above the surrounding glacial valleys since it was never ground down by the ice.

Southeast Alaska, and anywhere else with extensive glacial action, is chock full of nunataks. Near and dear to my personal heart is the nunatak ridgeline of AB Mountain, Mount Clifford, Carmack, and Cleveland. This rugged line of peaks stuck out from the gigantic glaciers that filled the Skagway and Dyea valleys during the ice age. The South Klondike Highway (and White Pass Railway) climb as high as their waist, so to speak, at the Alaska / BC border before it drops in elevation on its way towards the Yukon River.

Ok, so what does all this have to do with landscape photography? Well, along with being ruggedly impressive in their own right, these high and steep points often make for excellent vantage points for shooting panoramas (as they tend to command wide views of the surrounding valleys and fjords). The high ridge previously mentioned allows for world-class views back down the Upper Taiya Inlet, which is a particularly scenic section of the huge Lynn Canal fjord. Photos I have shot from this vantage point include-

Foggy Fjords

Summer’s End

Winter’s End

Please stay tuned for an absurdly wide panoramic print from an X-pan (2.7ish x 1 aspect ratio) photo I captured this fall.

Cheers :)