Carl Battreall is an Alaska based, professional mountain and glacier photographer who has explored and photographed over two hundred glaciers in twelve mountains ranges in Alaska.  His glacier images have been published in countless books and magazines are displayed in numerous exhibits on glaciers and climate change. This past summer Carl started a multi-year project called “The Alaska Range Project” during which he will be collecting data for ASC ice worm and water isotope studies and ASC’s glacier photography project with Project Pressure.

From Carl:

I hate cold water. I always have. I have never liked like cold swimming pools or swimming holes, no matter how hot the outside temperatures were. When I moved to Alaska, my dislike of cold water grew. I learned  that is was possibly the most dangerous thing in the state, more dangerous than the bears or avalanches.  Cold water was an unforgiving killer and I swore to avoid it as much as possible.

We were a group of four, on a two-week, fifty mile glacier traverse of the Neacola Mountains in Alaska. I was there to photograph the mountains and glaciers for my book project, The Alaska Range. I was also there to collect water samples for one of ASC’s scientific research projects.

It was on our second day that we came to a cold, glacial river that needed to be fjorded. We searched and searched for a decent crossing but weren’t having any luck. Finally, we found a spot. It was only ten feet across, but moving fast. We were all starting to shiver after attempting multiple times to cross in different locations. Quickly, we set up a pack line, Andy, then Patrick, Colin and me at the tail. We listened to Andy’s commands ” left, right, left, right!” I kept my head down, swearing to myself that I wouldn’t swim. We were hardly moving, I looked up and witnessed water boiling deeper up Andy, nearing his naval. Colin was shaking, so was I.

And then it all ended.

Andy went first, in slow motion I watched him go by, down the river. Then Patrick, six foot four and 250 pounds, gone. Colin and I held our ground but it was useless, down went Colin.

I screamed, I was going to die the way I told myself I never would, via cold water.  The next thing I knew I was under water.

Proper river swimming etiquette goes like this: Unbuckle your waist and sternum strap before crossing. Take pack off and sit, facing down river, feet up. You then use one arm to paddle to shore while the other arm holds onto your pack.

What I was doing was text book alright, text book on how to die!

I was rolling sideways down the river, like a big rock. Under water, then above, under then above. I screamed for help each time my head was up. What had I done wrong? I had made a stupid, critical decision. I had kept my sternum strap on.

I tried to unsnap it while I was rolling but my hands were unresponsive and I was panicking.

“Shut up Carl, no one is going to save you. Save yourself.” My brain said, ignoring my cries for help. I struggled and got myself pointed down river, looked at the river and realized I was about to float near the shore, I flipped, swam like hell and clawed the bank, I made it.

Not all expeditions go as planned. This was the single scariest experience I have had in my fifteen years as a professional mountain photographer and explorer. In the end we were all fine. I ended up with two broken toes, sprained wrist and a bruised ego. However, the thing that disappointed me most was not that the trip ended early, or that I didn’t get any photographs for my project. It was that I was unable to collect the data I was supposed to for ASC.

Working with ASC and their partner scientists has elevated my own project, adding extra significance to each expedition. I have six expeditions planned for next year’s Alaska Range Project and I am looking forward to continuing my partnership with ASC and contributing to as many scientific research projects as possible.

To learn more about Carl’s Alaska Range Project visit www.thealaskarange.com. To see more of his incredible photography visit www.photographalaska.com. Read an expanded account of the “Neocola Nightmare” on Carl’s blog. You can also keep up with ASC and all our adventure and science partners on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+!