Eagle Preserve excursions? Skagway

[crusingici]

Hi all,

I am still trying to decide whether to book an excursion in Skagway or take the day to relax and do some local hikes..............

 

I read the descriptions of the Eagle Preserve Wildlife River Adventure and the Eagle Preserve Float Adventure -- anyone ever been on either? Each of these is about 6 1/2 hrs. Comments?

 

I also see one named CHilkoot Trail Hike and River Float - it is only 4 1/2 hrs -- comments?

 

My cruise is early May - so if weather is a factor with any of these I'd appreciate a heads up.

 

Thanks for any help!

[OutdoorsPro]

I guided the Chilkoot Trail Hike and Float for 2 1/2 years. It's an amazing trip. I highly recommend it. It is a bit steep at first, so if you have trouble climbing, say, 20 flights of stairs, this is probably not for you. The rest of the hike is pretty mellow and the float back down the Taiya River means you only hike the trail one-way.

 

The Eagle Preserve Float is very good too (same company as the H&F). Whatever you do, avoid the jetboats. They are obnoxiously loud and create big wakes that discourage wildlife and annoy the locals.

 

Early May, on average, tends to have very nice weather. No salmon running, and the wildflowers will be sparse, but it should still be a good time.

[crusingici]

:confused: Well, I did answer your post yesterday with thanks -- but not sure where it is!!

 

Thank you, OutdoorPro, for your helpful advice. Do you mind answering a few more questions to help me decide between "your" trip and the non-jetboat :) trip, which is 2 more hours? Will my husband and I see about the same scenery with both float trips? I don't think early May is "eagle" month where there are tons - right? I think we will have to make a later in the summer trip at some point to see salmon and flowers and eagles...... but for now we are interested in experiencing as much "close to nature" as we can - and the float trip seems to be a relaxing, serene way to do that.

 

The hike will not be a problem for either of us - -but thanks for the heads up on the "20 flights" analogy - that will be helpful for everyone reading the post.

 

So - which trip do you most highly recommend and who would I book the trip thru in order to book on my own????

 

I am traveling HAL and can book thru the ship but if you have a good suggestion and the price is less I'd prefer to go directly with a company.

 

In 2 other ports we are doing the Heli-2 hr glacier trek and the Misty Fjords seaplane excursions - so in Skagway we wanted to just relax and enjoy the day hiking or doing something such as a float trip - we are there about 14 hrs so have plenty of time for an excursion.

 

Thank you again for your helpful advice.

[OutdoorsPro]

Believe it or not, early May is a great time for eagles in Skagway. Well, not really Skagway, but Dyea, which is just "next door". Usually, the "hooligan" are running then. They are small smolt-like fish that is a huge food source for local critters and a historic food and big trading item for the local natives. There were times in early May on the lower Taiya River where we'd see 20-30 eagles in a section less than a quarter-mile long--many of them actively fishing all around us. So the Hike and Float is a good option for eagles at that time.

 

The Eagle Preserve float (out of Haines) always has eagles, but they are often far away, as it's a much, much bigger river system.

 

Both of those tours have to be booked through your ship--no independent bookings. However, there is another fine company that does the hike and float that you can book independently. You can contact them here:

 

http://www.skagwayfloat.com/hike.htm

 

Another good option in Skagway if you just want to relax and hike is to stop by the visitor center, grab a trail map and go. There are plenty of great hikes ranging from very easy to very hard that have their trailheads just a short walk from downtown.

 

BTW, if you are into wildflowers and plan to take another trip, try early July. On the Dyea tidal flats you'll find huge fields of wild iris. Very impressive.

[crusingici]

Thank you, once again! I contacted Cris and Katie to find out a little more on their hike/float -- I had already been to that website when I visited the Skagway site for general info......so am glad to have them recommended by someone who knows of them personally.

 

We had already decided to do just as you suggested - get a map at the Visitor's Ctr and do our own hikes - but the float trip sounds so inviting - we would like to do that hike/float trip also.

 

I appreciate you taking time to help me -- and all the other readers.........and yes, I love wildflowers -- so another trip later in the season in a new year will be a "must" -- and glad to hear we may see some eagles after all this May!