Life Above Ice

Late one fall evening I flew many miles up the Knik Glacier northwest of Anchorage until I found the highest band of vegetation. Just as the sun began to drop behind the ridge, I landed in a safe place, and dashed to a spot where I could capture the last rays of the day. They set this patch of vegetation aglow, an austere biome tucked above and below realms of gravel, rock and ice. It was quiet there, with a chilly breeze, maybe only a few days before winter’s snow would bury it. The dwarf alpine blueberries and lichen had browned, and yet, fruit and leaves remained on the stems. The tundra clung to life on this hillside.