Seaplane flightseeing vs helicopter landing

[peachycruiser]

We are looking forward to our 2nd Alaska cruise. Our 1st was a cruisetour and we booked a glacier landing with Talkeetna Air Taxi. Even though I was very nervous about being on a small plane, the flight was smooth, the views spectacular. We landed on Ruth Glacier on Mt Mckinley.

This time we are just doing a RT Seattle, otherwise, I would do that same excursion. Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria are our ports. From my research, it seems that most of the flightseeing and glacier landings are out of Juneau and are by helicopter. I'd rather not do helicopter, but would if I had to. Do the seaplanes just do flightseeing or do they land on the glaciers? I would rather do one spectacular tour that is particularly Alaska and keep things simple in the other ports. Dog sledding ok if on snow. Any suggestions?

[Budget Queen]

No float planes land in the water, not on glaciers. IF you want to land on a glacier, your only option is a helicopter. If you want to VIEW glaciers, then you can do a fixed wing or floatplane. These would by "flyovers" You would have to verify any "landings" direct with the vendors, but they are NOT going to be in glacier areas.

 

Float planes are available out of Ketchikan and Juneau. In Ketchikan it does involve booking a specific more costly glacier flight. Misty Fiords- is NOT glaciers.

 

You can do regular plane flights or helicopters out of Skagway as well, with glaciers.

[donaldsc]

. Do the seaplanes just do flightseeing or do they land on the glaciers? I would rather do one spectacular tour that is particularly Alaska and keep things simple in the other ports. Dog sledding ok if on snow. Any suggestions?

 

I am not sure and I may be wrong but I do not see how a plane w floats can land on a glacier, even if some float planes also have wheels.

 

DON

[scmexico]

My absolute number #1 Alaska excursion.

[donaldsc]

No float planes land in the water, not on glaciers. IF you want to land on a glacier, your only option is a helicopter.

 

I think that I have seen on some of the many many AK shows on TV (what would TV do w/o AK?) where they use ski equipped plans to land on glacier. Or is my memory going?

 

DON

[Budget Queen]

I think that I have seen on some of the many many AK shows on TV (what would TV do w/o AK?) where they use ski equipped plans to land on glacier. Or is my memory going?

 

DON

 

Correct, they have ski planes in Talkeetna. It can be a "thrill" to do this once, (my opinion). I greatly prefer just the summit flights, there. :)

[peachycruiser]

Thanks for the input.

[scmexico]

I have done fixed wing from Talkeetna for landing at the base camps for Mt Mckinley climbers and a summit 360. Fortunately it was the best day of that entire summer and the sky was clear. The landing on skis was not that exciting.

 

The helo at Juneau is amazing going up the canyons to the glacier. Since you are not speeding by the glacier you get to see a lot of the fissures etc.

 

Helo number one by far.

[Gemlea]

We are looking forward to our 2nd Alaska cruise. Our 1st was a cruisetour and we booked a glacier landing with Talkeetna Air Taxi. Even though I was very nervous about being on a small plane, the flight was smooth, the views spectacular. We landed on Ruth Glacier on Mt Mckinley.

This time we are just doing a RT Seattle, otherwise, I would do that same excursion. Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria are our ports. From my research, it seems that most of the flightseeing and glacier landings are out of Juneau and are by helicopter. I'd rather not do helicopter, but would if I had to. Do the seaplanes just do flightseeing or do they land on the glaciers? I would rather do one spectacular tour that is particularly Alaska and keep things simple in the other ports. Dog sledding ok if on snow. Any suggestions?

 

We did the "Taku Glacier Lodge Flight Seeing & Feast" from Juneau - absolutely the best tour we did. Fly over five glaciers, land on the lake right in front of Taku Glacier, fabulous scenery all around, and a salmon BBQ laid on at Taku Lodge - even got the chance to check out the bears. Not cheap, but worth it for the memories.

[SilkySal]

We did the "Taku Glacier Lodge Flight Seeing & Feast" from Juneau - absolutely the best tour we did. Fly over five glaciers, land on the lake right in front of Taku Glacier, fabulous scenery all around, and a salmon BBQ laid on at Taku Lodge - even got the chance to check out the bears. Not cheap, but worth it for the memories.

 

DH and I will be doing that in just 2 weeks!!! Yay!!!!;):D:cool: