Morning Walk
Visa Valley
Meltwater
After cruising the valley and hillsides for the views, we went higher into the side valley
where streams made progress easier, providing relief from negotiating the shrubby tundra.
There are two large glaciers in this valley. They feed these streams over the summer months.
The Ice
Overhead we noticed shining spikes of Svellnosglacier tongue overhanging into the valley. I took a shot with the camera in the vertical position for nearly square aspect ratio.
It was about the time to turn back as this was supposed to be just a quick morning stroll into the valley before the sky clears up and we had ventured further already.
If we got exposed to direct sun, we were likely to burn our skin badly as all the usual kit was left at our place. But we took our chances and raced higher to see if there is a chance to improve on the shot.
And yes, this one is better and we felt rewarded with this opportunity (horizontal). I used a small pocket of plants and mosses to get the composition I wanted.
At this point, the terrain was a steep field of boulders, rock and glacial polish mixture.
Crag Face
The luck seemed to be on our side so we decided to push it a bit further. Drinking the water that came along, we raced up head-on watching the sky.
Spells of a direct and diffused light were dancing over the landscape. The odds were that the sky would clear up today but our chance was well alive.
The polish became slippery near the glacier as the retreat is very recent and little to none weathering took place on this newly polished crag
that can see the world again. Usually, we would use a climbing kit on a few sections.
Glacial Stream
It is a stream that jets from & from under the glacier body. Freshly broken rock around is unusually unstable after it is released by the ice or snow from its grip and sharp fragments of the rock cover the surface.
Rock you climb over or on its top for the views is always wobbly and covered with shards. The sounds you make when moving in this environment are distinctly different as the sharp edges collide with each other.
Climbers II
See that? Proper planning. More conventional trekkers take their time and use paths.
A moraine is a great way of getting around in a tricky terrain.
