best glacier to see

[cruisepal48]

Hi All,

 

I went to Alaska in July of 2005 and was very disapointed in sawyer glacier. You could hardly see it and forget seeing any calving. What I'd like to know is which glacier is the best to see? Glacier Bay or Hubbard. We are planning on going again in 2008. But as most of you know you need to book way ahead.

 

Thanks you all

[Yukon]

Having been to both, I prefer Hubbard - it offers dramatically better calving, which is what I want to see. And it's MUCH bigger than anything you'll see at Glacier Bay. Glacier Bay offers a lot more variety, and some ships couldn't get close to Hubbard early this year, but that's unusual.

 

Murray

[Chenega]

I'll second the vote on Hubbard. Six miles wide and three hundred feet high from sea level to the top (much more is below water), it is truly impressive. Glacier Bay certainly has more glaciers but none as impressive as Hubbard.

 

Another excellent choice is a boat trip from Whittier to College Fjord and Barry Arm. Multiple glaciers on this trip and some are quite active. Operators include http://www.26glaciers.com and http://www.princewilliamsound.com

[MercedMike]

Hubbard glacier is indeed stunning. We were there last week and saw very little calving, but others have reported more action. I would unreservedly say you will enjoy Hubbard.

 

BUT -- Glacier Bay is a World Heritage Site, and not without reason! It is spectacular from beginning to end. It is more interesting geologically and the Park Service Naturalists have more to say. Margerie Glacier is every bit as spectacular as Hubbard, and actually I have seen more calving there. But the other glaciers in Glacier Bay are also extremely interesting and beautiful.

 

If glaciers are your primary reason for cruising Alaska, I would say that Glacier Bay has to be the top choice.

 

Whichever you choose, Have a GREAT cruise!

[cruisepal48]

Thanks you all for your responce. No glacier's are ont my only reason to cruise Alaska but I do at least want to see them and hopefully some calving. I loved my 1st trip to Alaska and so did DH so we want to go back and will be booking very soon.

 

thanks

[deadzone1003]

Since you said that "you could hardly see it", i.e. Sawyer Glacier, I can only assume that you saw it from a distance, aboard a cruiseship. My family thought South Sawyer Glacier was the most colorful (bluest) of all the glaciers that we saw on our cruise that included Glacier Bay and College Fjord. Furthermore, the icebergs in Tracy Arm were certainly the bluest icebergs that we spotted on our cruise. However, seeing it at sea level as we did aboard Adventure Bound's vessel allowed us to see this coloration as well as allowing us to get closer. We got as close as 1/4 mile as that end of the fjord was filled with ice. We saw and heard calving, but it was not as spectacular if we had been closer. But, there were dozens of seals resting on the ice so it made the trip interesting. The smaller the boat, the better chance you have of getting closer to a glacier, but it still is a crapshoot whether you can see and hear any spectacular calving.

[Coral]

I would try to do 2 glacier days (such as Glacier Bay and College Fiords) just in case conditions/weather prevent you from seeing 1 of the glaciers.

 

Glacier Bay would be my choice - it is such a beautiful day out there seeing many glaciers with Marjorie at the very end.