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Glaciers in Alaska

46 glaciers in Alaska with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Hoonah-Angoon Census Area has the most (10). The darkest skies are at Malaspina Glacier (Bortle 1).

Top glaciers

Malaspina GlacierGlacier
Malaspina GlacierYakutat City and Borough
Hubbard GlacierGlacier
Hubbard GlacierYakutat City and Borough
Matanuska GlacierGlacier
Matanuska GlacierMatanuska-Susitna Borough
Johns Hopkins GlacierGlacier
Johns Hopkins GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area
Juneau IcefieldGlacier
Juneau IcefieldJuneau City and Borough
Columbia GlacierGlacier
Columbia GlacierChugach Census Area
Margerie GlacierGlacier
Margerie GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area
Taku GlacierGlacier
Taku GlacierJuneau City and Borough
Lamplugh GlacierGlacier
Lamplugh GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area
Portage GlacierGlacier
Portage GlacierKenai Peninsula Borough
Brady GlacierGlacier
Brady GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area
Davidson GlacierGlacier
Davidson GlacierHaines Borough

Glaciers by county

All glaciers (46)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Malaspina GlacierYakutat City and Borough480 m1
Hubbard GlacierYakutat City and Borough1,282 m1
Matanuska GlacierMatanuska-Susitna Borough1,019 mPalmer1
Johns Hopkins GlacierGlacier BayHoonah-Angoon Census Area552 mJuneau1
Juneau IcefieldJuneau City and Borough1,570 mJuneau1
Columbia GlacierChugach Census Area727 mValdez1
Margerie GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area607 mJuneau1
Taku GlacierJuneau City and Borough946 mJuneau1
Lamplugh GlacierGlacier BayHoonah-Angoon Census Area494 mJuneau1
Portage GlacierKenai Peninsula Borough256 mGirdwood2
Brady GlacierGlacier BayHoonah-Angoon Census Area685 mJuneau1
Davidson GlacierHaines Borough513 mHaines1
Nabesna GlacierCopper River Census Area—1
Mendenhall GlacierJuneau City and Borough—Juneau2
Bering GlacierYakutat City and Borough—1
Exit GlacierKenai FjordsKenai Peninsula Borough1,080 mSeward1
Knik GlacierAnchorage Municipality141 mButte2
Lituya GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area877 mJuneau1
Reid GlacierGlacier BayHoonah-Angoon Census Area669 mJuneau1
Holgate GlacierKenai FjordsKenai Peninsula Borough673 mSeward1
Agassiz GlacierYakutat City and Borough933 m1
Worthington GlacierChugach Census Area1,154 mValdez1
Meares GlacierChugach Census Area1,820 mValdez1
Tazlina GlacierCopper River Census Area1,369 mValdez1
Logan GlacierCopper River Census Area2,820 m1
Riggs GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area1,037 mHaines1
Alsek GlacierYakutat City and Borough315 mJuneau1
Fairweather GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area680 mJuneau1
Fourpeaked GlacierKenai Peninsula Borough484 mKodiak1
Muir GlacierHaines Borough—Haines1
Miles GlacierChugach Census Area707 m1
Scott GlacierChugach Census Area688 mCordova1
Smith GlacierChugach Census Area1,559 mPalmer1
Yahtse GlacierYakutat City and Borough1,213 m1
Cul-de-sac GlacierMatanuska-Susitna Borough1,497 mMeadow Lakes1
Traleika GlacierDenaliDenali Borough1,970 mMeadow Lakes1
Casement GlacierHoonah-Angoon Census Area645 mHaines1
Tyndall GlacierYakutat City and Borough467 m1
Clark GlacierGlacier BayHoonah-Angoon Census Area974 mJuneau1
Martin River GlacierChugach Census Area742 m1
Hawkins GlacierCopper River Census Area1,203 m1
Kennicott GlacierCopper River Census Area—1
Vassar GlacierChugach Census Area1,188 mPalmer1
Harper GlacierDenaliDenali Borough5,015 mMeadow Lakes1
Eldridge GlacierMatanuska-Susitna Borough802 mMeadow Lakes1
Lacuna GlacierMatanuska-Susitna Borough1,090 mMeadow Lakes1

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph glaciers

Ice shows its blue best under overcast skies or in shade; bright sun turns glaciers white and flat.

  • Never walk on a glacier without training and gear; crevasses hide under snow bridges.
  • Expose carefully: ice and snow fool meters into underexposure, so add +1 to +2 stops.
  • A polarizer deepens the blue of glacial ice and the turquoise of meltwater lakes.
  • Include a person or boat for scale — glaciers are much larger than they look.
  • Boat tours to tidewater glaciers offer calving shots; use fast shutter speeds and a telephoto.

Season: Summer offers access; late summer exposes the most bare ice before new snow.