Exit Glacier

File:Exit Glacier Jul09.JPG

In the spring of 1968, the first documented mountaineering party succeeded in crossing the Harding Icefield. Ten people were involved in the crossing, which went from Chernof Glacier east to Resurrection Glacier (Later renamed Exit as the newspaper reported that the group would be descending the "Exit Glacier"). Expedition members included Bill Babcock, Eric Barnes, Bill Fox, Dave Johnston, Yule Kilcher and his son Otto, Dave Spencer, Helmut Tschaffert, and Vin and Grace (Jansen) Hoeman. As noted above, Yule Kilcher, Dave Johnston, Vin Hoeman, and Grace Hoeman were veterans of previous attempts; of the ten, only four–Bill Babcock, Dave Johnston, Yule Kilcher, and Vin Hoeman–hiked all the way across the icefield. The expedition left Homer on April 17, bound for Chernof Glacier; eight days later, they descended Exit Glacier and arrived in Seward. Along the way, the party made a first-ever ascent of Truuli Peak, a {{convert|6,612|ft|m|adj=on}} eminence that protrudes from the northwestern edge of the icefield near Truuli Glacier.

Exit Glacier was one of the major landmarks that President Barack Obama visited during his historic trip to Alaska in 2015. The rapid retreat of the glacier highlights the effects of climate change and how it affects Alaska's coastal glaciers.

The Exit Glacier is especially notable for being a drive up glacier (similar to the Mendenhall Glacier of Juneau). A spur road off the Seward Highway leads to the only road accessible portion of the Kenai Fjords National Park. A system of hiking trails lead to the terminus of the glacier and up to the Harding Icefield itself. Although it is one of the Harding Icefield's smaller glaciers, it is one of the most visited because of its easy accessibility and abundant hiking trails around and above the glacier. Exit Glacier is accessible year-round. Upon the arrival of snow, usually in mid-November, the road is closed to cars but open to a wide range of winter recreation:  from snow machines, dogsleds, fat-tire bicycles, and cross-country skiers. {{cite web

| url=https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/exit-glacier-area.htm

| title=Exit Glacier Area - Kenai Fjords National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

| publisher=National Park Service

| accessdate=2017-01-23

}}

File:A051, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA, Exit Glacier, 2002.jpg

Ranger-led walks to Exit Glacier are available at 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, and 2 pm daily during the summer season. These walks are approximately 1–2 hours long. "Ranger Talks" are held in the Exit Glacier Pavilion at 12:30 pm. These last approximately 20–30 minutes. A guided hike to Marmot Meadows along the Harding Icefield trail is also available every day of the summer season at 9 am and lasts 3 to 4 hours.{{Cite web|title = Ranger Programs - Kenai Fjords National Park (U.S. National Park Service)|url = https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/ranger-programs.htm|website = www.nps.gov|accessdate = 2017-01-23}}

Seward 8 NW, is a weather station at the foot of Exit Glacier, near the Exit Glacier trailhead and campground. Exit Glacier has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc), with long, cold winters and short, cool summers.

{{Weather box

|location = Seward 8 NW, Alaska, 1991–2020 normals, 1983–2020 extremes: 424ft (129m)

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 42

|Feb record high F = 43

|Mar record high F = 48

|Apr record high F = 55

|May record high F = 69

|Jun record high F = 77

|Jul record high F = 77

|Aug record high F = 75

|Sep record high F = 66

|Oct record high F = 55

|Nov record high F = 43

|Dec record high F = 41

|year record high F =

|Jan high F = 25.4

|Feb high F = 31.4

|Mar high F = 37.9

|Apr high F = 46.1

|May high F = 56.8

|Jun high F = 64.7

|Jul high F = 67.3

|Aug high F = 65.0

|Sep high F = 56.6

|Oct high F = 44.8

|Nov high F = 31.6

|Dec high F = 27.3

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 16.4

|Feb mean F = 21.3

|Mar mean F = 25.8

|Apr mean F = 35.0

|May mean F = 44.0

|Jun mean F = 51.4

|Jul mean F = 55.1

|Aug mean F = 52.6

|Sep mean F = 45.6

|Oct mean F = 35.1

|Nov mean F = 23.1

|Dec mean F = 18.7

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 7.4

|Feb low F = 11.2

|Mar low F = 13.7

|Apr low F = 24.0

|May low F = 31.2

|Jun low F = 38.0

|Jul low F = 42.9

|Aug low F = 40.2

|Sep low F = 34.6

|Oct low F = 25.3

|Nov low F = 14.7

|Dec low F = 10.1

|year low F =

|Jan record low F = −42

|Feb record low F = −34

|Mar record low F = −24

|Apr record low F = -17

|May record low F = 15

|Jun record low F = 22

|Jul record low F = 30

|Aug record low F = 19

|Sep record low F = 9

|Oct record low F = -10

|Nov record low F = -18

|Dec record low F = −22

|year record low F =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 6.97

|Feb precipitation inch = 5.24

|Mar precipitation inch = 5.16

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.16

|May precipitation inch = 2.97

|Jun precipitation inch = 2.10

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.67

|Aug precipitation inch = 5.66

|Sep precipitation inch = 8.43

|Oct precipitation inch = 9.34

|Nov precipitation inch = 5.75

|Dec precipitation inch = 8.96

|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 31.6

|Feb snow inch = 30.0

|Mar snow inch = 27.6

|Apr snow inch = 4.3

|May snow inch = 0.3

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = trace

|Oct snow inch = 7.5

|Nov snow inch = 21.7

|Dec snow inch = 41.8

|year snow inch =

|source 1 = NOAA (1981-2010 precipitation)

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00508375&format=pdf

|title = Seward 8 NW, Alaska 1991-2020 Monthly Normals

|access-date = November 7, 2023

}}

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00508375&format=pdf

|title = Seward 8 NW, Alaska 1981-2010 Monthly Normals

|access-date = November 7, 2023

}}

|source 2 = XMACIS2 (snow & records)

{{cite web

|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = xmACIS

|access-date = November 7, 2023

}}

}}

• American black bear
• Hoary marmot
• Mountain goat
• Western screech owl
• Great horned owl
• Boreal owl
• Northern saw-whet owl
• Steller's jay
• Black-billed magpie
• Horned lark
• Violet-green swallow
• Warblers
• Snow bunting
• Ice worms{{Cite web|title = Wildlife Viewing at Exit Glacier - Kenai Peninsula, Alaska Department of Fish and Game|url = https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewinglocations.exitglacier|website = www.adfg.alaska.gov|access-date = 2015-08-24}}

File:ExitGlacier88.jpg

• List of glaciers and icefields
• [http://jukebox.uaf.edu/site7/project/532 Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park Project Jukebox]

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Exit Glacier}}

• [https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/exit-glacier-area.htm Exit Glacier Area] National Park Service site
• [http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?w0=t&w1=td&w2=wc&w3=sfcwind&w3u=1&w4=sky&w5=pop&w6=rh&w7=rain&w8=thunder&w9=snow&w10=fzg&w11=sleet&w12=fog&w13u=0&w16u=1&AheadHour=0&Submit=Submit&FcstType=graphical&textField1=60.1558765&textField2=-149.7405723&site=all&unit=0&dd=&bw= Hourly weather forecast] from Anchorage office of National Weather Service

Category:Glaciers of Alaska

Category:Glaciers of Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Category:Kenai Fjords National Park