If you’ve ever been to Alaska then you probably have heard of Portage Glacier. Portage Glacier is a beautiful area based around a glacier. The glacier is on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska and located outside of a tourist hot spot called Whittier. Most people on their way to Portage Glacier have never heard of Alder Pond, even though it is the second right turn on their trip to visit Portage.
There are many fun adventures to experience at Alder Pond. I, myself go to Alder Pond May 10th of every year to pick fiddle head ferns. Fiddle head ferns are a spectacular food which can be sauteed, pickled, or steamed. Although they are time consuming to clean, they are well worth the effort. When the wild ferns begin to sprout out of the ground you can pick them when they are still a fiddle. A fiddle is a tight spiral shape. When you prepare to clean the fiddle heads you will want to scratch off the brown paper-like covering, wash them, and blanch them then put under cold water to stop the cooking process. They taste a lot like asparagus and can be found all over the wooded areas of Alder Pond. Be careful because some species are poisonous, although I have never personally found a poisonous species at Alder Pond. The species at Alder Pond is called Ostrich fern.
There are several beautiful lakes with trout species and a delicious and beautiful fish called dolly varden. It is a free camping spot and there is an RV park, restrooms, and several more secluded spots to camp at near the several ponds at this location.
Later in the year, when summer is ending, you can pick salmon berries. Salmon berries are a spectacular raspberry-type of berry which can be golden yellow, pink, or red. They are well-known as one of Alaskas exotic berries, not commonly found in other states. They make an amazing jam or jelly which can be a great vacation gift for your relatives and friends.
I enjoy watching the birds. There are many species to enjoy, such as loons, mallard ducks, snipes, eagles, hawks, falcons, and even hummingbirds! It is illegal to disturb migratory birds so please enjoy them only by viewing them and try not to disturb their environment as this is often a nesting ground.
The ponds at Alder Pond are warm and not very deep. The pond is approximately six-foot deep at maximum. You can enjoy paddling in a canoe, lounging on an inflatable, or swimming in the warm waters.
Although it is hard to see the glacier from Alder Pond, you can rest assured that Portage Glacier is actually very close. A twenty minute drive will take you directly to the glacier and if you go further you can go through the town of Whittier, which is a great fishing area, has restaurants serving fish, and you go through a tunnel in the mountains to get to. Outside of Alder Pond you can visit Alder Lake, which is much like the ponds.
If you ever get the opportunity to visit Alaska, or if you live in Alaska and want to visit a rewarding camping spot, Alder Pond is a beautiful, fairly private camping spot with a lot to do!
