Exploring Nature: Alaska Ice

Even though Alaska has replaced Texas as the largest state, I still am very fond of that sprawling land jutting from Canada and facing Russia across the sea. It is a wonderfully wild place, with rugged mountains, swift-flowing rivers and virgin forests.

And on these hot summer days, I recall with great fondness a special glass of iced tea I enjoyed in Alaska.

We had flown from Fairbanks via a float plane to a very isolated river in the wilds of Alaska. The plane taxied on the river up to a sturdy wooden dock and we walked up to the resort where we were staying. It was a small place with limited accommodations.

I talked with the lodge owner and complimented him on having ice for the iced tea he served us. After all, electricity came from diesel-powered generators and was in short supply.

No problem, he assured me, he just paddled upstream a bit and broke off ice from a receding glacier.

He also had a big outdoor grill on the property, made from native stone embedded in concrete. He cooked some delicious steaks and veggies on the grill and I asked if he had trouble keeping the grill clean with all the cooking he did on it.

No problem, he assured me, brown bears came up at night and cleaned it right up. Ate the food bits and licked off the grease.

As the temperatures hit triple digits, I sometimes wish I had a glacier nearby to get fresh ice. That would be neat.

But I’ll have to admit, I can certainly do without the bears.