Alaska: Glacier Bay (trip)
Alaska: Glacier Bay
- Boats, Barges & Small Ship Cruises
8 Days, from $3,590* per person. June-August.
Accommodations: Comfort. Exertion level: 3 (7 is most strenuous)
Overview of Alaska: Glacier Bay
When British Royal Navy Captain, George Vancouver,
sailed up Icy Strait in southeast Alaska in 1794, he found the mouth of
Glacier Bay completely locked in ice. Less than 100 years later, John
Muir reported that the glaciers had retreated almost the entire distance
of the Bay. The great news for sea kayakers is that the retreating icy
veil revealed one of the top sea kayaking destinations and one of the
most spectacular coastal wilderness areas anywhere in the world.
This trip combines an exploration of two of the most
impressive locations in coastal Alaska: Point Adolphus for unsurpassed
humpback and orca whale watching and a paddle back in geologic time up
the West Arm of Glacier Bay, considered by many to be the most
spectacular area in all of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. We
paddle in both locations for encounters with wildlife and the
surrounding environment.
Depending on conditions and the skills of our paddlers
we plan to travel into impressive Rendu, Tarr and John Hopkins inlets to
view tidewater glaciers, cascading waterfalls and numerous hanging
glaciers. Sea life and terrestrial wildlife abound. You are likely to
see humpback and orca whales, sea lions, seals, otter, migrating salmon
and bald eagles as well as brown bears, black bears and more. We’ll
explore the wild beaches and enjoy short hikes. The journey offers the
magic of paddling among icebergs in deep, glacially carved fjords and
silent nights under the stars.
Next it's
back to the small community of Gustavus, with less than 500 residents.
Set along the shores of Icy Strait and surrounded by mountains, Gustavus
is the staging area for our trip up the West Arm of Glacier Bay and
Point Adolphus across the strait. Gustavus is headquarters to the park
service and is set amidst one of the most pristine wilderness areas left
on the planet. We'll kayak and camp inside this wilderness for three
days.
Throughout the journey our professional sea kayak guides will provide a safe and fun experience, while offering sea kayaking instruction. This includes general navigation, beach landings and paddling techniques.
This year, we have made
available a one day extension to the trip. Visit Pack Creek on
Admiralty Island for world class brown bear viewing.
Known to the Tlingits as Kootznoowoo or “fortress of the Bears,” our
extension to Admiralty Island is just 17 miles south of Juneau and
reached by floatplane. The island supports one of the highest
concentrations of brown bears in the world. Estimated at a density of
one bear per square mile, Admiralty Island provides habitat for about
1,700 bears. Our destination here, Stan Price / Pack Creek bear
sanctuary, is located on the eastern coast along the protected inside.
Call for details and pricing.
Join us for your trip of a lifetime in Alaska.
Operated by Explorers' Corner.
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Disclaimers
*Travel product and pricing information are the travel provider’s base estimates, published here as a convenience to TravelDragon users without verification by TravelDragon. Your actual price will vary depending upon length of trip, travel dates, number of traveling guests, transportation (e.g. airfare, rail passes, etc.), and optional service features such as room categories or individualized food requirements. This base price estimate may or may not include all necessary fees, taxes, government-imposed surcharges. Be sure to confirm availability, total price and trip details with the travel provider using the contact information provided here.
Max group size: 12
Itinerary
Day 1: Gustavus, Alaska.Fly from Juneau to the little town of Gustavus by small plane. Located on a peninsula that extends out of the wilderness and into the bay, Gustavus is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. You'll be met on arrival and transfered to your lodgings.
D... B&B in Gustavus
Day 2: Glacier Bay.
After an early breakfast we board our charter boat for a journey into the Western Arm of Glacier Bay to reveal a rugged hewn land of granite peaks, stunning turquoise waters, coastal rainforests and calving glaciers! We make landing along the shore for a thorough instruction on safety, equipment and paddling technique from our sea kayaking guides. Each of our paddlers will be individually fitted to their double kayak. Our route will take us deeper into the West Arm toward the back of the bay, backward in geological time. Following the retreat of the glaciers, intervening plant succession quickly adorned much of the coastal landscape with a carpet of green, including 200 year old forests at the entrance of the bay, moss and lichens. Glacier Bay is still home to 16 glaciers of which 12 are known to calve.
B, L, D... Tented camp
Days 3-5: Arm of Glacier Bay.
Our progress deeper into the Bay will depend upon weather and the kayaking abilities of our group, impacting where we will make camp. We may paddle to Reid or Lamplugh Glacier, as well as to Tarr and John Hopkins inlets, through a landscape of pristine waters and mammoth glaciers. Tarr Inlet features the 200 foot high face of Margerie Glacier, one of the most active ice flows in Glacier Bay, as well as the Grand Pacific Glacier. The John Hopkins Inlet and surrounding glaciers are considered by many to be the most stunning part of Glacier Bay. Steep valley walls rise over 7.000 ft. above, complimenting the massive tidewater glacier and numerous hanging glaciers. These areas offer the opportunity for kayakers to enjoy a unique experience paddling amongst icebergs.
As we move through the bay on foot and by kayak, we’ll witness the glacial transition in the region including isostatic rebound occurring on the land from retreating ice thousands of years old. Glacier Bay has fascinating geology and stunning tidewater glaciers brimming with life. During the day we’ll be able to go for hikes to observe some of the interesting geological and biological processes so evident throughout the National Park. The farther back we go into the bay the more dramatic the landscape becomes. Keep your camera at the ready for dramatic scenery including awe-inspiring mountain peaks and calving glaciers, while the wildlife we may spot includes black and brown bears, mountain goats, humpback and orcas whales, sea otters and a variety of sea birds, including bald eagles. Our flexible itinerary makes for optimal hiking and paddling.
B, L, D... Tented camp
Day 6: Glacier Bay - Gustavus.
After breakfast we’ll pack up camp and enjoy a morning paddle before our charter boat pick-up. After a leisurely boat ride back to Gustavus, we return to the comfort of our B&B and a chance to look over our cameras and binoculars in anticipation of tomorrow’s visit to Pt. Adolphus, considered one of the best whale watching spots anywhere in the world.
B, L, D... B&B in Gustavus
Day 7: Point Adolphus.
After breakfast, we drive to the Gustavus dock and board our charter boat for the scenic half hour cruise across Icy Strait to Point Adolphus on the north shore of Chichagof Island in the Tongass National Forest. The cold water upwelling of nutrients off the point makes for one of the best humpback feeding grounds in the world. If we are very fortunate you may be treated to the awe inspiring spectacle of bubble net fishing, where a pod of the giant creatures rise from the sea with huge mouths agape.
Kayaking these productive waters along Chichagof is one of the best ways to experience Alaska’s famed Inside Passage. We paddle along the scenic shore of colorful tide pools resplendent with starfish and urchin, watching for wildlife. In addition to its humpback whales, the area is also home to passing orcas, sea lions, sea otters and seals. We may see bald eagles, loons, marbled murrelets and other birds that are rare in many parts of the world. We will fully explore the area, including beachcombing along the shore or hiking the island’s rich forests.
After spending a full day traveling the waters and terrain we will meet the charter boat for our final cruise back across Icy Strait, returning to Gustavus.
B, L, D... B&B in Gustavus
Day 8: Home.
We conclude our trip and guests catch their flights back to Juneau and from there, home or join our Pack Creek extension.
B... Return home
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