Mendenhall Glacier, Nugget Falls & Our Junior Ranger

The sun was still shining a few days later and so off we went again...this time to the glacier.

So the lake and streams are fed by the glacier, right?  Without any scientific measurements, any guesses on the water temperature?  Let's just say ICE COLD.  Did that keep our girls out of the water?  Nope.  

The water is such an interesting color.  In this picture, it almost looks muddy but it's this grayish color and as soon as you look at it, you can tell the color comes from all the silt generated by the glacier.

So at this point, we made it as far as the Visitor's Center.  Adelaide has been at soccer camp for 3 hours of pretty much nonstop running for the last 4 days.  She recognized, to her credit, that she'd prefer to stay at the Visitor's Center with Grandma Sherry and explore that while Graham, Cora and I hiked out to Nugget Falls. 

So off we went on a 2-mile round trip hike out to falls.  Cora led the way.  The entire mile out there.  I carry a bear bell because it makes me feel better (clearly not a true local yet) but there was no need for it, as Cora talked and sang the entire way there.  Here she is leading the way - 

The falls, the views of the glacier, the wildflowers, and the special time that Graham and I got to spend with Cora individually...all spectacular. 

As we turned to hike back, I began to wonder if we would find a disappointed Adelaide.  Sorry that she'd missed out on our adventure.  I could not have been more wrong.  I walked into the Visitor Center to see her looking out a telescope and talking to the park ranger.  She ran up to me telling me how the ranger invited her to become a junior ranger if she completed this workbook and she already had two things checked off and on and on.  Oh, and she mountain goats.  Which she really did, through the telescope.  7 of them.  Turns out it was the perfect adventure for her.