Freezing cold swim in glacial pool – Hiking Bear Mountain in Alaska

Just a short drive away from Sitka, Alaska is a pristine wilderness adventure experience. From the Herring Cove trailhead on the shore of Silver Bay it is about a two-mile trail hike towards Blue Lake then another couple miles off the trail for an uphill hike through dense pine forest, blueberry bushes, and steep mountain slopes requiring hands and feet to climb up the often muddy terrain. According to Peakery data, the elevation at the top of Bear Mountain is 3,619 (1,103 meters) feet above sea level. Above the tree line the vegetation consists predominantly of sub-alpine ground cover that produce several species of edible berries. A deep water-filled crater-like formation is surrounded by steep rugged peaks at the top. Glaciers slowly drain into the crater forming a glacial pool. It was September of 2014 when this video was created. The temperature in the pool was measured with a thermometer and read 39°F (4°C).