Official Language:
English
|
Currency:
USD
|
Population:
No population
|
Weather:
Climate and current weather information for College Fjord: Best time to visit College Fjord are between June and August. There are actually five or six different climates in Alaska. This region offers summer temperatures in the range of 55-65°F (13-18°C) and winters well below freezing.
|
|
|
|
College Fjord, home to 16 gleaming glaciers that cascade down into the sea for approximately 20 miles long fjord. History of College Fjord - In 1898, an expedition traveled up the long narrow reach of a fjord on the northern shore of Prince William Sound. The goal of the expedition was to find a way to the Klondike gold fields that did not require a passage through Canada in the Yukon Territory. However, instead of gold fields, they found an enormous ice field the mother lode, if you will, of more than sixteen tidewater glaciers. On a whim, the leader of the expedition decided to name the glaciers after well-known American colleges, the most prominent being Harvard. The Harvard Glacier is an enormous wall of ice located just at the head of the fjord.
College Fjord is one of the most visited on the Alaskan cruise itineraries. Once you have cruised through the fjord, you can honestly tell people that you went to Harvard, Yale or Wellsley. Perhaps slightly overshadowed by more spectacular glaciers, College Fjord is as scenic as fjords come and won't disappoint avid glacier fans.
Visitors can see up to six glaciers at once. An expedition made its way up the long reach of a fjord located on the northern shore of Prince William Sound in 1898. Only 20 miles east of what is now the small port of Whittier and just 30 miles west of Valdez. The expedition was to search for a all-American way to the Klondike gold fields. This could be reached only via an arduous passage over Chilkoot or White Pass to Canada's Yukon Territory. Rather than finding a way to the gold fields they found a gigantic ice field, of more than 16 tidewater glaciers. The expedition leader made the decision to name the glaciers after the well-known American colleges, such as Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Williams and Vassar. These tidewater giants are an unforgetable sight. Generally a naturalist will enlighten you with detail and perspective on the fjord. Cruise passengers will also have the chance to see a variety of wildlife wandering the shores. Over the last one hundred years, most of the Alaskan glaciers have shrunk by 50 percent or more, though there is still plenty of glacier life to see.
|
|
Attractions |
 |
 |
College Fjord :
This enormous ice field, located just thirty miles west of Valdez with sixteen tidewater glaciers, is a magnificent landscape surrounded by steep walls of ice and mountains that seem to spring from the water at sea level to 10,000 feet. Located in the northern sector of Prince William Sound, it is roughly half way between Whittier and Valdez.
Wildlife Viewing:
Of all the marine mammals that you are likely to see in College Fjord, there are three main groups that are found in the area. These are whales and porpoises, seals and sea lions, and the sea otter. You will more than likely see many sea otters and harbor seals, and occasionally you will catch a glimpse of the magnificent orcas.
Orcas:
Orcas are identified by their dorsal fins, as well as their distinctive colors of black and white. Males have tall, erect dorsal fins and females have a curved dorsal fin.
Sea otters:
Sea otters have webbed hind feet, float on their backs when eating and carry their young on their bellies.
Harbor seals:
Harbor sealsare earless and are often referred to as "hair" seals. Northern seals have ears and are active on land.
Beluga whales:
Beluga whales are white in color, grow to as long as 16 feet and have no dorsal fin. Gray whales are mottled gray, can grow up to 50 feet long, have no dorsal fin but have large flippers. The Humpback whale has a small dorsal fin on its hump. The Minke whale is identified by a white band on its flipper and a narrow, pointed head.
|
|
More Information |
|
|
|
Useful Links About College Fjord:
College Fjord - Alaska
www.coping.org
|
|
