Night 30: This Wasn't The Plan and also The Jakulhlaup!

Night 30/25

That day we got out on the epic moraine again and hiked and hiked. i loved that thing, maybe because it wasn't ice? Or maybe because I felt confident on it and I knew that that confidence was a thing I grew into and worked hard for. And it was stark and beautiful in a new way. When you look at something and you just get quiet

Rebecca hated it. You couldn't tell she hated it. With Rebecca you just can't tell when she is having an unpleasant time. Unless we start talking about it, but I think it's more fun that way.

We left the Kennecott Glacier and got to the Gates Glacier and took a break. I was thirsty and just lowered myself over the stream and sucked water right off of it. It's fun, it feels ridiculous and normal. Of course that's what you do. Although most other places I have been I would avoid just drinking the water, pretty much at all costs. It needs to be treated, purified, (this is not entirely accurate, but that is what I think I should do/feel) all the "nature" removed.

We took that break, put our crampons back on and quickly got across the Gates, it wasn't very wide by the standards set in that valley. At the moraine on the other side we were given a "choice" between the route we signed up for or to go straight up a very steep tundra slope for an undefined period of time. And by straight up I mean literally straight up hill, no zigging or zagging and also straight up as in the slope was in my face. From where I stood I was looking at my next 3rd or so step. Stairs would have felt like a relief.

We took a break part way up the slope. Since we did not know what our destination was we didn't know at the time we were almost there. We looked across the valley and the guides pointed out we were looking at a jakulhlaup. I immediately became very animated and excited. I had learned about them in geomorphology class and never imagined I would see one. It wasn't happening while we were there, but to see it at all in my opinion is a life list event. I was so happy and excited it was as though the scare of yesterday's glacier and the work of getting up that slope were forgotten. And they were, for a time. As in the time we were sitting and eating lunch.

Then we gathered our belongings and continued upslope, this time with a more forgiving angle of repose.