Blog in reverse order (Newest entry at top):
August 24 - Alex Thorp writes:
Phew...715 came way too early. After grabbing a bite, Noah and I ventured downstairs and hopped into the van on our way to glacier hiking.
A little over an hour's drive out, we finally pulled over and packed our gear bags (gear complete with crampons and ice axe). We began the hike up alongside the glacial meltwater river, which I swear I read somewhere was the purest water on the face of the Earth. So naturally, at the first stopping point close to the water, I sauntered down to fill up my water bottle, taking a couple swigs before we set off again. Half an hour later when we reached a brief stopping point, our guide, who by the way has 300 huskies, has finished the Iditarod, and climbed Kilimanjaro, with Everest on tap for 2010, mentioned that many people ask if they can drink the glacier water. He said, 'yes, you can, but if you have options, use them. Remember that the glacier is tens or hundreds of thousands of years old. You don't know what the glacier was exposed to in that time that got locked up in the ice. Also, there is a lot of sand in the water, such that if you fill up a bottle, and let the sand settle, it will be about this thick (forefinger and thumb spread apart about 2 inches). Needless to say, I quickly emptied out my bottle and refilled in the snowmelt stream.
Just short of the glacier we stopped to switch our gear and have lunch. The glacial retreat we witnessed firsthand was unbelieveable. The accelaration is alarming. In the past three years it has retreated more than it had in a 70 year period before that. Our guide says that he sees remarkable differences every time he comes.
Crampons on and ice axe in hand, we set out across the lower level of the glacier, which strongly resembles a couple football field sized blocks of ice cubes melted together. We all hooked into the rope and set off trekking.
I can't put into words how beautiful it was, and how unreal it felt to be climbing on things I had only seen in pictures and on Discovery Channel. The blue of the deeper compact ice that has trapped oxygen from millenia past is almost ethereal. The feeling you get when stepping over a crevass the bottom of which you can't see is simultaneously empowering and humbling.
This was truly an unforgettable experience. I will definitely be climbing again in the future.
August 24 - Noah Chutz writes:
"When the itinerary mentioned "glacier hiking" I could not wait. I literally flew from the Equator less than 24 hours previously and thought that a trip to an enormous arctic glacier would be the perfect contrast from tropical jungle life. I imagined myself leisurely following a worn trail through snow and morraine, commenting on the incredible size of the glacier from a distance and taking a few digital photos. I did NOT think I would be scaling vertical ice walls- crampons fastened to my full-leather boots, harness cinched and an ice-axe in hand- staring down into dark blue crevasses! This was INCREDIBLE- I felt like Roald Amundsen and Ernest Shackleton trekking the high North... but with a guide carrying dinner and the car 2 hours away! Our guide, Tore, was an accomplished man in anything extreme and Nordic - a veteran marathon and ultra-marathon runner, half-way through completing the Seven Summits, which entails climbing the tallest mountain on all 7 continents, scheduled to summit Everest in 2011, an owner and trainer of over 300 sled dogs and a finisher of the legendary Iditarod dog sled race. Needless to say, I didn't question ANYTHING he said to us.
We spent the entire day in the stunning "Stone Valley", about 1 1/2 hours drive from the center of Tromsø. The hike in was a gentle meander through birch, pine and wildflowers that followed the streambank of raging glacial runoff. I was surprised to see so many plants already familiar to me from my home in Colorado- especially what I know as Parry Gentians and Fireweed, two common flower species that color the Central Rocky Mountains from late Spring to early Fall. The landscape is so similar to what I am used to but I had to constantly remind myself of some very important differences. Tree line in the Colorado mountains roughly is reached around 11,000 feet, above which alpine trees take their characteristic Krumholz form and hikers, anticipating an approaching summit, must rely on rock cairns as guidance. However here, in the Stone Valley, the tree line seemed to be around 1500 feet above sea level- a very similar landscape at very different latitudes. And the sun- it hung in the same part of the sky for almost 10 hours, and it constantly felt like 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Guessing the time, as I found out, was difficult.
When we finally made it to the base of the glacier and Tore began explaining how the rope in his hands was our lifeline for the rest of the day, I started to realize what the day was going to be like. No more hiking through wildflowers. We suited up, strapped on the crampons, secured the ice-axes, locked our carabeaners and started marching towards an ice-covered saddle between 3 large peaks. Before I knew it, Tore was winding his way, which was our way, between crevasses and up ice walls, stepping over cracks and edging along ridges. While my friends and I were busy not disappearing into the glacial caverns, Tore explained in detail the various forms of ice- Whiskey Ice, Blue Ice, Snow and an intermediate stage called Filn- how alpine mountaineers become adept at reading ice and snow, a skill necessary to avoid mistakes that I chose not to think about. Like I said, after hearing his resume, I trusted every single word.
And as we spent hours climbing the glacier, we increasingly gained a perspective that showed just how quickly its body of ice is receeding. Markers since the early 1990s have charted the glacier's recession, with greater losses taking place over shorter time frames. It took approximately 11 years for the glacier to recede around 50 meters through the 1990s and into the early years of the 21st century. Between 2004 and 2006, 100 meters more were lost. Regardless of the major causes, a changing climate is undeniable here in the high North, and the glaciers are just one of the measuring sticks.
After reaching solid ground again, we dismantled the gear and made our way back down valley. Returning from alpine hikes can be just as spectacular as the ascent, as the downhill views offer new sites of distant peaks and blue gray waters. We stopped at a small cabin to eat a delicious dinner of pink-flesh salmon on sliced and seasoned potatoes- a meal that many have said is authentic Norwegian- and made it back to town just before 9 pm. Skål to an incredible day."
Noah's blog
August 23 - Noah Chutz writes:
"I met my program partner Alex Thorpe and 4 international students researching within the University of Tromsø for a thorough cultural exchange in one of the city's most active social scenes: the bars. With a population of just over 63,000, Tromsø is an accessible town with a lively community that seems to enjoy taking advantage of good pubs and delicious food. The crisp, cool air of late summer in Tromsø provided the perfect opportunity to see this city alive on a Saturday night. The streets are spotless and the people friendly, welcoming us at every establishment with big smiles and warm conversation. Mack Beer, the local brew, was quickly in our hands accompanied by a small bag of Tørrfisk, a popular snack of thin pieces of dried white fish that evidently goes well with beer. We completely ignored the bartender's advice to NOT eat it around friends if you want them to sit next to you, opened the pack and began the 5 minute chewing process... it's an aquired taste... and will make the perfect souvenirs.
And so we moved from the old train boxcar bar to rooftops to patios- soaking in the nightlife and enjoying the extended evening twilight. Set right on the water's edge, the city boasts an attractive blend of land and sea, both urban and open to the natural elements. A tent in the center of town was completely filled with people of all ages, cheersing their drinks (SKÅL!) and dancing to the tunes of an energized band that looked like they could play all night. We later found out that Tromsø also hosts a very popular film festival as well as other large music events that attract crowds from all parts- just a few more reasons to return... as if I needed any!"
Noah's blog
August 23 - Alex Thorp writes:
"The flight from Oslo was pretty smooth, though unfortunately I had an aisle seat, so I couldn't see anything out of the window. The view when I left the airport took my breath away and literally stopped me in my tracks.
The bus to town went through the most extensive network of tunnels I have ever seen; bigger than those in NYC, and all for a city of only about 66 000 people.
After checking in at the hotel, I roamed around town, past the main church, down the distinctly nordic main street - Storgata, and through the local outdoor market down to a dock where I signed up for a fishing trip a couple hours later.
We, a family of seven Russians who spoke no English and myself hopped on a 101 year old cultural heritage fishing skipper and set out across the fjord after the captain pantomimed instructions to them. The captain was very knowledgable about fishery management, and we discussed efforts promoting sustainable use of mostly cod fisheries in nearby waters(though we wouldn't go out far enough to reach them).
After half an hour, we dropped our lines and within 10 mintues had caught three keepers. But this wasn't good enough for the captain, so we reeled in and criss-crossed the fjord a couple more times before finally sticking to a spot. The captain proved right, we ended up reeling in a fish every 30 seconds. About half we had to throw back, but the Russians got to keep a substantial number to take back with them. As a parting gift, they bequeathed one of the larger headless gutted specimens in a plastic grocery bag. My efforts to pantomime 'I don't have a kitchen, I can't cook it' were needless to say not very successful.
The next morning, I woke up and ventured out around 8, only to find not a single other soul on any street besides at the local market, which was just beginning to set up shop. So, I did a bit of wandering, and a couple hours later ended up close to the cable car, which by then was open. A few mintues later, I stood staring out across the fjord with the most amazing view of Tromso and the surrounding mountains.
I hiked around for a couple hours and noticed a resemblance between much of the area and scenes from Lord of the Rings. When the trail ceased to exist, and I ventured out beyond, immersed in a humbling wild, I couldn't help feeling a bit like Frodo and Sam, though of course without the Weight of the Ring. But a bit of the epic was indeed to be found in the serene majesty of Nature, pure and seemingly unadultered.
Noah flew in later, and we met up with an American and three Frenchmen, who took us out to see 'the REAL Tromso' with a night of bar hopping and a hefty tab. Noah and I tasted (experienced is a better word, it is a multi sense assault) traditional dried stock fish, which the barmaid was happy to inform us went excellently with beer. Just before two we finally turned in to get a modicum of sleep before our 715 meet-up time in the lobby the next morning."
August 21 - Alex Thorp writes:
"The beginning of this fabulous trip to Tromsø is a excellent capstone to my summer travels all throughout Europe.
After a brief interlude at Oslo Central station, I headed out on the Oslo-Bergen railway to meet my dad in Bergen. I was drop jawed throughout, especially for the final couple hours. For anyone who hasn't ridden this line, you are missing out. Granted, as I'm Texas born and bred, my experience of the northern regions of the world is minimal, but I speculate that the vast stretches of virgin forest, snow capped peaks, gushing streams of fresh snowmelt and what I surmise are glaciers (though having never seen one before I can't be sure) make for a stretch of nature unrivaled in most corners of the globe.
Bergen itself was a bit larger than I expected. After stopping by the fish market to devour some delicious fresh king crab, my dad and I took the funicular up to the top of a ridge overlooking all of Bergen and the fjord beyond. Another spectacular sight.
The next day we headed Oslo along the Bergen-Oslo line. It was a bit different from what I came to expect after having seen Bergen. The omnipresence of nature which pervades even the most urban parts of Bergen, with its continuous views of forest and fresh sea air, is not to be had in much of Oslo. As a much larger city with a rather different, more expansive arrangement of surrounding settlement, the grit of city is definitely present. The large array of modern architecture, like the Opera house make for a uniquely Norwegian take on the modern big city."