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Alaska Glacier Tour- Alaska Wilderness Trip Featuring Alaska’s Glaciers
Wildland Glacier Tour (7 days)
This is a great trip for those looking for an active, off the beaten path adventure. One of our guides’ favorite trips!
Columbia Glacier, Prince William Sound
Highlights Include:
4 nights camping
2 nights at a historic hotel or cabins
Visit 5 National Parks and protected areas (including our nations largest National Park)
Walk on the Matanuska Glacier
Explore an abandoned ghost town
Scenic ferry across Prince William Sound past the impressive Columbia Glacier
Explore the best preserved gold rush community in South Central Alaska
Excellent hiking opportunities throughout
Additional optional day trip adventures:
Sea kayaking, whitewater river rafting, glacier/ wildlife cruises,
glacier hiking, ice climbing, hike-in fishing, flight seeing and more!
2010 Wildland Glacier Tour Itinerary and Dates
Please Note: This itinerary may operate in a slightly different order depending on ferry schedules and local conditions. All features of the itinerary will be the same, only the destination order will be altered.
Itinerary: |
Departs Sundays: |
| Day 1: Matanuska River Valley |
Single supplement $150 may apply to single travelers |
Add one of our other tours to the Wildland Glacier Tour to form a combination tour you will never forget:
Grand Tour Combo - 14 days
Wildland Glacier / Arctic Adventure Combo - 14 days
Classic Alaskan / Wildland Glacier / Arctic Adventure Combo - 21 days
Wildland Glacier Tour Highlights:
We’ll camp near the base of the Matanuska Glacier and have the opportunity to walk on its immense snout. Next we’ll travel deep within Wrangell St. Elias National Park to experience the area’s fascinating human and geological history. For the next 2 nights we’ll stay at either a local historic hotel or in local cabins amidst a backdrop of immense glaciers and ice falls and one of Alaska’s most unique locations. Next we’re off to explore the temperate rainforest and glaciers in Prince William Sound and Valdez. A half day scenic ferry trip across Prince William Sound will bring us back to the Kenai Peninsula and Hope, the best preserved gold rush town in South Central Alaska.
What's Included:
A full time Alaska Outdoors guide, 2 nights cabins or hotel, top of the line camping equipment, all but 2 meals (taken at restaurants), transportation throughout, park entrance fees and specified included activities.
Glacier hiking, Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Included Activities:
- Walk on Alaska's largest accessible glacier
- Explore the impressive turn of the century ghost town Kennicott
- ½ day scenic ferry trip across Prince William Sound past the impressive Columbia Glacier
- Explore a well preserved gold rush town
- Excellent hiking opportunities throughout
For the Adventurous:
Additional optional adventure tours will be available throughout your trip and little or no prior experience is needed to enjoy them.
The Wildland Glacier Tour offers the opportunity for whitewater river rafting, sea kayaking, glacier hiking, ice climbing, flight seeing, wildlife/glacier cruises and more!
These activities can generally be arranged throughout your trip with some of the finest local adventure tour companies in the state. Your guide will make all of the arrangements. Optional activities are merely suggestions and do not include all of the possibilities. All activities may not be available at the time of your tour. Prices listed here are subject to change and do not include local taxes or fees.
If you have any questions about these activities please contact us.
Detailed Itinerary Description
Matanuska Glacier
Day 1: Matanuska River Valley
We’ll depart Anchorage in the morning for a beautiful trip to the Matanuska Glacier, the largest accessible glacier in Alaska. En route we’ll visit the Hatcher Pass Recreation area and Independence Mine State Historic Park. This afternoon we’ll walk out onto the Matanuska glacial ice and moraine and explore a variety of unique glacial features.
Days 2 and 3: Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Wrangell St. Elias National Park is the largest national park in the U.S. (13.2 million acres) and is part of one of the largest protected areas in the world (a world heritage site). Four major mountain ranges can be found here; the Chugach, St. Elias, Alaska, and the Wrangell Mountains, containing some of North America's highest peaks.
Stairway ice fall, Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Our destination within the park is the old copper mining towns of McCarthy and Kennicott. En route we'll cross the mighty Copper River and travel the old railway path to McCarthy.
The Kennecott mines (different spelling then the town) were developed starting in 1907 and were, for awhile, the most productive copper mines in the U.S. Today they remain as a national historic landmark and an excellent example of early 20th century Alaskan history.
Located nearby are the massive Kennicott and Root Glaciers. They converge here and are overshadowed by the 5000 foot Stairway Icefall. This is a truly unique location not accessible to the average tourist.
For the next 2 nights we will stay at either a historic hotel or in cabins.
You will have a full day here to participate in a variety of recreational activities. We recommend taking advantage of the great hiking in the area. Hike along the side of the Root glacier or climb up to Bonanza Mine for sweeping views.
Ice climbing, Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Other popular activities in the area include:
Glacier Hiking with Crampons- Wrangell St. Elias National Park is one of the best places for glacier hiking in Alaska. The approach to the glacier begins with a walk through a historic ghost town and along the side of the vast Root Glacier below the base of the magnificent 5,000 foot Stairway Icefall. Donoho Peak and Mt Blackburn loom in the distance. Once equipped with crampons the hike continues onto the white and blue expanse of the glacier. The glacier comes to life while your guide describes its unique features. $65-$100.
Ice Climbing- Expert guides will show you “the ropes” of glacier climbing. This trip is like the above Glacier Hike but includes the opportunity to ice climb on the glacier as well. An introduction to the sport, basic skills and several techniques will be applied to explore a few ice cliffs. All ice climbing equipment is provided. $125.
Flight Seeing- From the air you will be offered an entirely new perspective of this vast area. You will have the opportunity to witness a variety of natural wonders, including; 16,000 ft peaks, volcanoes, rivers, glacial expanses, alpine lakes, and dramatic waterfalls. Wildlife including Bear, Dall Sheep, Moose, Caribou, and Mt Goats may be seen. From $95-$210.
Historic Mine Tours- Take a guided tour of Kennicott and learn about the area’s fascinating human history. The historic Copper mine of Kennecott (different spelling) was built in the early 1900’s and is a National Historic Landmark. Throughout the 2 ½ hour tour you will venture into the 14-story Mill Building and walk back in time. Your guide will provide you with a fully narrated tour; allowing you a glimpse into the history of this remote wilderness mine. $25.
Days 4 and 5: Valdez and Prince William Sound
En route to Valdez we’ll view the Alaska Pipeline and stop at the road accessible Worthington Glacier for a short hike. Later, we’ll cross scenic Thompson Pass and arrive in Valdez in time to explore the harbor or go on a short hike.
Often referred to as the 'Little Switzerland" of Alaska, Valdez is beautifully situated at the base of the towering Chugach Mountains on the shores of Prince William Sound. Made famous by the Alaska Pipeline, and later the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Valdez has since become a popular tourist destination. Visitors are attracted to the lush landscape, high concentration of glaciers, and great outdoor recreation.
You will have a full day here to participate in a variety of recreational activities. We recommend taking advantage of the great hiking in the area or consider our other favorite activity: the sea kayak trip to Shoup Glacier.
Glacier Tours in Alaska: Sea Kayaking near Valdez
Other popular activities in the area include:
Sea Kayaking- There are two sea kayaking trips from Valdez that we highly recommend.
An outstanding sea kayaking trip to the face of Shoup Glacier- view wildlife and a tidewater glacier, perfectly suitable for beginners. On this full day trip you will paddle within a protective cove past one of the largest Kittiwake rookeries in the area up to the face of Shoup Glacier. If you are lucky ice from the glacier will calve into the sea. $159.
Or, consider the slightly longer trip to the Columbia Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in Prince William Sound! Here you can paddle among the icebergs and through some remote bays that are completely inaccessible by motorized boats. $199.
Glacier/Wildlife Cruises- Look for wildlife and enjoy the outstanding glacial scenery while you cruise Prince William Sound. Not only will you see South Central Alaska’s largest tidewater glacier, the Columbia Glacier, you will have the opportunity to view fantastic wildlife of that area including; sea lions, whales, seals, puffins, sea otters, eagles, goats, bears and much more. $115, $57 Ages to 12.
Ocean Fishing- Fish for halibut and/or salmon. Your choice of either an all day Halibut fishing trip, approximately 12 hrs, between May and September; or a silver salmon charter between July and September. Halibut- $250 Salmon- $150-$225.
Day 6: Prince William Sound
Today we’ll cross Prince William Sound on the Alaska State Ferry. We'll look for bears, humpback and killer whales, Dall porpoises, sea lions, harbor seals, and mountain goats as we relax and enjoy the scenery. En route we'll pass the Columbia Glacier, one of the largest and most magnificent tidewater glaciers in the state. The Columbia Glacier covers an area the size of Los Angeles and casts thousands of tons of ice into the sea each year.
Our destination this afternoon is the small, end of the road town of Hope.
Whitewater rafting, 6 mile creek
Day 7: Hope to Anchorage
Today we’ll explore the fascinating gold rush town of Hope (population about 200). Walking among the narrow roads lined with well preserved log cabins is like going back in time to turn of the century Alaska. There is great hiking in the area as well as outstanding whitewater rafting on one of Alaska’s premier whitewater rivers.
We will begin our casual drive to Anchorage this afternoon with time to stop for sightseeing and day hikes. We will arrive in Anchorage by 5:00-5:30 pm and will bring you to the Anchorage location of your choice.
Other popular activities in the area include:
Six Mile Creek whitewater rafting- Class V ($145). Class IV ($95)
Granite Creek scenic float- Class II ($75)
Reserve this trip!
Add one of our other tours to the Wildland Glacier Tour to form a combination tour you will never forget:
Grand Tour Combo - 14 days
Wildland Glacier / Arctic Adventure Combo - 14 days
Classic Alaskan / Wildland Glacier / Arctic Adventure Combo - 21 days
References
We believe that our trips are outstanding, but we don’t expect you to take our word for it. Many of our past guests have offered to act as references for us. If you would like to contact our past guests we encourage you to. Get in touch with our office and we’ll be happy to send you their info.
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Alaska Outdoors, LLC is a member of the following organizations:
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Alaska
Outdoors, LLC operates under permit from the following
land management agencies:
National
Park Service, Alaska State Parks, Chugach National Forest,
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and Bureau of Land Management
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