Alaska News

Watch: Glacial lake release sends ice chunk crashing into McCarthy footbridge

McCarthy residents and visitors were watching a jokulhlaup flood from a footbridge over the Kennicott River this week when glacial ice floating downstream gave them a jolt — and something to cheer about.

Each summer, glacier-dammed Hidden Creek Lake drains into the Kennicott River in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Jokulhlaups in Juneau's Mendenhall Valley sometimes cause flooding of streets and homes.

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