compare Alyeska/Matanuska Glaciers-also glacier kayaking

I thought I had already posted this, but evidently didn%26#39;t hit the submit button.

Can anyone compare the hiking at Alyeska Glacier to Matanuska?

Also, has anyone other than anshuz done the glacier kayaking trip with Three Moose Meadow Guides in Homer? According to their advertisment, they hike to a glacier lake then kayak around deep, blue icebergs. I wonder how this compares to kayaking at Columbia Glacier--yes, Travel1000, I%26#39;m still looking.

If these experiences are comparable, we could skip the trip to Valdez and spend more time on the Kenai.

Any opinions?

compare Alyeska/Matanuska Glaciers-also glacier kayaking

Can anyone compare the hiking at Alyeska Glacier to Matanuska? - Are you looking at the hike with www.theascendingpath.com? Unlike Matanuska hike, they use harnesses and ropes.

Here is description from the en.wikipedia.org encyclopedia:

';Matanuska Glacier is a valley glacier in the U.S. state of Alaska. At 24 miles (39 km) long by four miles (6.4 km) wide, it is the largest glacier accessible by car in the state. Its terminus, the source of the Matanuska River, lies near the Glenn Highway about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Anchorage. Matanuska Glacier is ';active'; and expands around one foot (30 cm) per day. It is open to the public from March to October 31.

An unusual feature of the glacier is the presence of a weather hole, making the weather unusually clear and sunny.';

I couldn%26#39;t find a description for Alyeska Glacier, probably because it is much smaller, but found this interesting article - http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/14/travel/escapes/14alaska.html?n=Top%2FFeatures%2FTravel%2FActivities+and+Interests%2FHiking

Here is part of the article:

';When we reached the edge of the glacier, we separated into two groups tied in by harness to climbing ropes, so that each team could stop if someone fell into a crevasse hidden under the snow. (Mr. Szundy, the leader of my team, reassured us that it鈥檚 usually the first person in the chain who falls in.) My life was entrusted in part to the man hiking 15 feet in front of me, Patrick Hyde, 34, from San Francisco. Neither of us had hiked on a glacier before.

Alyeska Glacier is at its most picturesque in late July and early August, when all the snow is gone, its various ice structures are visible, and the surrounding wildflowers are in full bloom. ';

So, what month are you going? You would want to see the features of the glacier, not just hike through the snow over them. I don%26#39;t know whether Alyeska hike is better than Matanuska or worse, since I only did one of them not both.

I looked at the glacier kayaking trip with Three Moose Meadow Guides in Homer website. Looking at the photos, there is much less ice in the water than at Columbia Glacier. But, since I haven%26#39;t done the trip from Homer I can%26#39;t really compare the two.

Besides kayaking from Valdez, if you don%26#39;t go there you will miss out on the drive there, including the waterfalls and the mountain views all along the Glenn Highway and then of the snow covered Wrangell mountains. Also, I found Kenai Peninsula much more populated than the areas east of Anchorage. Besides tourism, Kenai Peninsula seems to be the weekend getaway spot for people who live in Anchorage. East of Anchorage just seems more wild and more Alaskan. At least that%26#39;s the impression I got after visiting both.

compare Alyeska/Matanuska Glaciers-also glacier kayaking

You%26#39;ll be glad to know that I have settled on an itinerary, and we%26#39;re going to Valdez and going to kayak to Columbia Glacier. I%26#39;m not looking for anything else as I%26#39;ve about driven myself crazy! I just need to settle where we%26#39;re going to spend the one extra night we have, but most of our plans are pretty firm.

Once again, I%26#39;d like to thank you for all of your help.

Lynda

vb