Access details: CAUTION! DO NOT ATTEPT THIS ROUTE WITHOUT GETTING CURRENT INFORMATION ON LAKE ICE DEPTH FROM THE NFS BEFOREHAND! PORTAGE LAKE IS VERY DEEP, AND THE ICE CAN BE UNPREDICTABLY THIN IN PLACES! KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM THE GLACIER, AS ICEBERGS SOMETIMES SPLIT OFF FROM THE GLACIER DEEP UNDERWATER AND COME BUSTING UP THROUGH THE LAKE ICE!
That said, reaching the glacier, provided the ice thickness is sufficient, is easily accomplished on skis or snowshoes, or even simply boots if the snow covering the ice is hardened enough. Park at the NFS visitor center and huff it across the lake. Its only a couple miles to the glacier, and its well worth the trip if you are careful. The glacier itself can be reached by traveling to the bank of Portage Lake between the Portage and Burns glaciers. I'll say it again, don't be a dumbass, don't approach the glacier from the front.
