All Glaciers the Same?

[lifeasme123]

Ok...please do not slam me for asking this question. :)

 

For our Alaska cruise and DIY land tour, we have glacier excursions/tours for Mendenhall, Kenai, Matanuska, Portage and Prince William Sound. Will each place be a different experience, or will we be paying to see the same thing? In Mendenhall it will be a glacier trek so that will offer a different experience, but the others are boat cruises.

 

I am asking this question because of our limited time, should I plan for other things to do instead of glacier tour?

Edited December 31, 2015 by jen70

[xlxo]

Some glaciers are admired by water, some by land, and some by air.

 

Some you walk on and some you can't.

 

Each glacier is retreating differently. Go see them now before you can't.

 

Glaciers can also be presented by different sizes. If you can't see them all... look for a rating system to see which are the top glaciers.

 

Yah.... after a couple.... it can be tiring for some.

[born2cruize]

Are all pies the same? Is all ice cream the same? Are all cakes the same?

[lifeasme123]

Are all pies the same? Is all ice cream the same? Are all cakes the same?

 

To me, vanilla ice cream is vanilla ice cream. Maybe there is a difference in sugar level or creaminess. Vanilla ice cream is not the same as chocolate ice cream. But that comparison is like glacier viewing to whale watching.

 

I knew I would get slammed or get snarky comments for asking such question. The point I was trying to get with my question is 5 glacier watching cruises...is that too much? Are they all the same thing...viewing ice glaciers? Would my limited time be better utilized if I took few out and do different excursion types.

 

At Mendenhall we may do a glacier trek. And that is different than glacier cruise.

 

Right now I have Kenai, Portage, Prince William Sound and Matanuska, and Mendenhall, which may be either a casual hike or trek.

[Glaciers]

Since you’ve mentioned going to Matanuska you may want to skip the Mendenhall trek and do one there instead. At Mendenhall you have to hike 3.5 miles just to get on to the glacier. At Matanuska, you’re on the glacier in about 15 minutes after parking. Much better value.

[AKStafford]

I think your question is a valid one...

I assume by "Kenai" you are referring to a Kenai Fjords wildlife cruise. This cruise is as much about up close marine wildlife as it is glaciers. So this will be different.

I personally love glaciers... So I would pack in all I could...

If you were looking to drop something, the Portage Lake glacier cruise and the Prince William Sound glacier cruise is similar... Of the two, I would drop the Portage Lake cruise. But then again, it's just an hour long and it's cheap... So...

The drive up to the Matanuska Glacier is great!! So I wouldn't drop that. Are you doing a glacier hike here?

If you don't do the Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau is a great spot for a whale watching cruise.

[lifeasme123]

Since you’ve mentioned going to Matanuska you may want to skip the Mendenhall trek and do one there instead. At Mendenhall you have to hike 3.5 miles just to get on to the glacier. At Matanuska, you’re on the glacier in about 15 minutes after parking. Much better value.

 

Thank you! The Mendenhall is pricey at about 250pp.

 

For Matanushka...is it better to do it on our own (with a 6 y.o.) or with a tour cmpany?

[lifeasme123]

I think your question is a valid one...

I assume by "Kenai" you are referring to a Kenai Fjords wildlife cruise. This cruise is as much about up close marine wildlife as it is glaciers. So this will be different.

I personally love glaciers... So I would pack in all I could...

If you were looking to drop something, the Portage Lake glacier cruise and the Prince William Sound glacier cruise is similar... Of the two, I would drop the Portage Lake cruise. But then again, it's just an hour long and it's cheap... So...

The drive up to the Matanuska Glacier is great!! So I wouldn't drop that. Are you doing a glacier hike here?

If you don't do the Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau is a great spot for a whale watching cruise.

 

 

Thank you AKStafford...you've given very good counsel so far on the other forums/posts. :-)

 

Kenai will stay on the list.

 

Matanuska is on the list and staying on the list. :-) The lady we are renting a cabin from said it;s an easy hike with our 5 y.o. daughter (she'll be 6 by then).

 

We have a potential whale watching excursion in Icy Strait. Not sure if certain ports are better than others for whale watching.

 

I will take your advice on Portage Glacier.

 

Maybe at Mendenhall we can go to the visitor center and hike around the park.

 

Looks like I can drop Portgage Cruise and Mendenhall Glacier trek.

[Glaciers]

Thank you! The Mendenhall is pricey at about 250pp.

 

For Matanushka...is it better to do it on our own (with a 6 y.o.) or with a tour cmpany?

 

Not sure if there are age limits with the tour companies. The two up there that get good reviews are MICA and NOVA. You might check with them. It is a much better, and safer, experience with a guide.

[mapleleaves]

I think every glacier offers a different experience .... viewing it from afar, or up close, or watching it calve, or walking ON it.

The biggest factor for your trip is a 6 yr old. Adults appreciate scenery, whether it be a glacier, forests, lakes, mountains, or whatever. Viewing scenery doesn't hold a kids attention too long, nor will they appreciate the differences in types of glaciers. They usually need interaction or action at some point.

A Kenai cruise if it's 6 hrs or longer will provide wildlife sightings .... lots of birds, sealions, otters. Sometimes whales are seen. Mountain goats on the cliffs sometimes. Motor by an eagles nest. But it won't be 6 hrs of non stop wildlife sightings so your dd will be bored at times. For me the highlight is watching and hearing the glacier in motion ... creaking and groaning, sometimes sounds like a rifle shot, and then watching a huge chunk fall into the water. ( there's a rough patch where the cruise enters the Gulf of Alaska so prepare ahead of time with motion meds). And this cruise can be downgraded to a boring Bay cruise during bad weather. PWS is in sheltered waters so calmer. Haven't taken it so I can't comment on viewing opportunities. I will at some point since I've been weathered out of 3 Kenai cruises.

After a Kenai cruise, Portage Glacier will be a snoozer. But there are some interesting trails and ranger hikes at Portage (Beggich Boggs Visitor Center), like the Ice Worm Safari and Trail of Blue Ice. Byron Glacier is nearby and easily accessible by trail .... so it might be fun for her to walk and slide on the snow.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?ss=111004&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=stelprdb5247446&navid=150000000000000&pnavid=null&position=Not%20Yet%20Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Chugach%20National%20Forest-%20Learning%20Center

 

An ice trek on Matanuska Glacier would be interesting to see the blue pools of water and crevasses, but what's the age limit? Viewing it from the hwy is interesting .... at points it looks like a gigantic marshmellow flow coming out of the mountains. But again, that's interesting for a minute to a kid.

 

I think you need to carefully reseach each viewing on your list to see what KIND of experience it offers and see if it works for your family

Edited December 31, 2015 by mapleleaves

[mapleleaves]

If you don't do a tour at Matanuska, you can pay the entrance fee and walk on your own. That first 15 minutes can be a walk thru slush , puddles or dirty glacier gravel so pack appropriate footwear.

http://matanuska-glacier.com/

[Alaskanb]

Maybe worth a look at http://www.amazon.com/Alaska-Go-Exploring-State-Children/dp/1602232210/ref=pd_sim_14_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=51NZ1aflAZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0JP082HCAFB3RHARSYMC

[lifeasme123]

Maybe worth a look at http://www.amazon.com/Alaska-Go-Exploring-State-Children/dp/1602232210/ref=pd_sim_14_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=51NZ1aflAZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0JP082HCAFB3RHARSYMC

 

There is a book for everything! :-) I definitely will stop by the bookstore to browse it before buying!

[Glaciers]

Maybe worth a look at http://www.amazon.com/Alaska-Go-Exploring-State-Children/dp/1602232210/ref=pd_sim_14_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=51NZ1aflAZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0JP082HCAFB3RHARSYMC

 

Good suggestion. Erin has a website too: http://akonthego.com/blog/

[laughing husky]

From Anchorage, the Matanuska Glacier is about 100 miles...more or less....and it might take as much as 4 hrs to get there, depending on the construction at times..If the traffic is good it might take 3 hrs or so. It is a gorgeous drive....and lots of places to pull off and take pictures....The Byron glacier is pretty safe to walk on. When grandchildren come here, we take them there.....BTW, there are several glaciers that are advancing up here. We have roughly 100,000 glaciers of different kinds in Alaska..

[Budget Queen]

Every glacier is very different, even with all my repeats of the same glaciers they are still different. Glaciers are in a constant state of change. It depends on YOU. Do you have an interest in seeing glaciers?

 

I can see benefit in all your list. But I never going on Matanuska without a guide. First, you really need the crampons, otherwise, all you are going to do is walk a little on the black ice toe, then leave. You really won't have the ability- unless you are an experienced ice trekker to get very far.

 

As for Mendenhall- the Visitor Center is informative, and does have a nice diorama. Same with Portage Glacier- the visitor center is also well worth a stop. Each, including Exit, have ranger programs that maybe you can take advantage of.

 

Kenai Fjords boat tours, are the only one you really have to book ahead, not sure about your order of touring, but maybe see if you have the "interest", and add/subtract the drive ups. Matanuska does need advance reservations, but between the two companies, should be able to pick up a tour, with a couple day ahead reservation.

 

I never tire of viewing glaciers, and multiple repeat, over and over.

 

Find your own way- and determine for yourself what you wish to see and do.

[Northern Aurora]

Glaciers are so very different, and the ones mentioned offer very different experiences. I never tire of them, so for me you haven't "over booked" glaciers.

 

But several comments -- when mentioning Portage Glacier are you referring to the Portage Glacier cruise on the Ptarmigan? We've done that approximately one hour cruise, and if you are concerned about over booking glaciers this really is the one to drop. Portage Glacier has retreated so significantly that it is now just a shadow of its former self.

 

A Kenai Fjords cruise, particularly the longer cruises, will offer more than just glacier viewing. We've seen whales, sea lions, puffins, sea otters and seals each time we've taken them. But if any member of your family has issues with seasickness be prepared.

 

Are you considering visiting Exit Glacier which is located just outside of Seward?

 

Whale watching opportunities are available at Icy Strait Point (Hoonah) and Juneau. But always watch closely for them. We've seen sperm whales when crossing the Gulf of Alaska; they were "logging" on the surface.

[lifeasme123]

Glaciers are so very different, and the ones mentioned offer very different experiences. I never tire of them, so for me you haven't "over booked" glaciers.

 

But several comments -- when mentioning Portage Glacier are you referring to the Portage Glacier cruise on the Ptarmigan? We've done that approximately one hour cruise, and if you are concerned about over booking glaciers this really is the one to drop. Portage Glacier has retreated so significantly that it is now just a shadow of its former self.

 

A Kenai Fjords cruise, particularly the longer cruises, will offer more than just glacier viewing. We've seen whales, sea lions, puffins, sea otters and seals each time we've taken them. But if any member of your family has issues with seasickness be prepared.

 

Are you considering visiting Exit Glacier which is located just outside of Seward?

 

Whale watching opportunities are available at Icy Strait Point (Hoonah) and Juneau. But always watch closely for them. We've seen sperm whales when crossing the Gulf of Alaska; they were "logging" on the surface.

 

As part of the cruise, we will be cruising Hubbard Bay and Inside Passage. In Seward I am looking at the 5 hour tour (we have our 5 y.o. DD with us) or renting a car and driving to exit glacier.

 

I don't know about Portage. That is on the list, but I need to research some one.

 

Whale watching...what do you mean watch closely for them? Do you mean whle the on the cruise ship? I am hoping for getting as close up to them as possible.

[diesel1973]

Years ago I was fortunate to do a trip to Childs Glacier on the Copper River near Cordova. Was one of the most interesting ventures in Alaska. Was also able to walk on the Million Dollar Bridge. Understand since the access road there has been washed out and is no longer accessable by car. Would anyone know if this is the case as I would love to revisit.

[Budget Queen]

As part of the cruise, we will be cruising Hubbard Bay and Inside Passage. In Seward I am looking at the 5 hour tour (we have our 5 y.o. DD with us) or renting a car and driving to exit glacier.

 

I don't know about Portage. That is on the list, but I need to research some one.

 

Whale watching...what do you mean watch closely for them? Do you mean whle the on the cruise ship? I am hoping for getting as close up to them as possible.

 

Frankly- there is going to be little difference in a 5/6 hour tour. Both are long with no way out. BUT, the longer one offers significantly more wildlife, and the biggest difference is the close up glacier views, none with the shorter tour- except a way off distance look at Bear Glacier. Huge advantage to getting out of the bay.

 

If of interest, to see humpbacks, then educate yourself on the where the feeding areas are and you should see some from your cruise ship. (I have noted this on Cruise critic) With an interest in seeing them a lot better, then book a whale watch tour.

[zqvol]

To me, vanilla ice cream is vanilla ice cream. Maybe there is a difference in sugar level or creaminess. Vanilla ice cream is not the same as chocolate ice cream. But that comparison is like glacier viewing to whale watching.

 

I knew I would get slammed or get snarky comments for asking such question. The point I was trying to get with my question is 5 glacier watching cruises...is that too much? Are they all the same thing...viewing ice glaciers? Would my limited time be better utilized if I took few out and do different excursion types.

 

At Mendenhall we may do a glacier trek. And that is different than glacier cruise.

 

Right now I have Kenai, Portage, Prince William Sound and Matanuska, and Mendenhall, which may be either a casual hike or trek.

 

 

I would skip Portage, it's a nice small glacier, only takes and hour but by the time you drive over there and back out it turns into 2.5 - 3 hours.

[Glaciers]

For a little different glacier viewing, consider the Spencer Glacier float. You can depart from the Portage train station just south of Girdwood. The train takes 30 minutes to the glacier, you float among the icebergs and then down the Placer River where you meet the train for the short ride back to the station. It takes about 4 hours.

https://alaskarailroad.com/Destinations/BestDayTours/SpencerGlacierIcebergFloat/tabid/107/Default.aspx

[lifeasme123]

For a little different glacier viewing, consider the Spencer Glacier float. You can depart from the Portage train station just south of Girdwood. The train takes 30 minutes to the glacier, you float among the icebergs and then down the Placer River where you meet the train for the short ride back to the station. It takes about 4 hours.

https://alaskarailroad.com/Destinations/BestDayTours/SpencerGlacierIcebergFloat/tabid/107/Default.aspx

 

Looks neat. I will call them on Monday to find out if there are prices w/o rail since we will have a car.

[AKStafford]

Looks neat. I will call them on Monday to find out if there are prices w/o rail since we will have a car.

Spencer glacier has no road access. You can only get there via the train.

[lifeasme123]

Spencer glacier has no road access. You can only get there via the train.

 

Well I can take that call off my to-do list for Monday. :-)

 

Thanks again AKStafford!