HARDING ICEFIELD TRAVERSE | SUMMER EXPEDITION

World-Renowned Glacier Mountaineering Traverse of the Harding Icefield

Harding Icefield Traverse | Summer Expedition

From: $3,897 per person

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  • Free Cancellation up to 60 days in advance
  • Trusted Brand with 5-star reviews
  • Priority Booking & Instant Confirmations
PLEASE NOTE: This tour regularly sells out… We highly recommend booking as soon as possible to avoid missing out!

Details

Price

$3,897 per person, plus tax

Duration

6 Days / 5 Nights

Meeting/End Location

11724 Seward Hwy, Suite A, Seward, AK 99664
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Max Group Size

8 guests / expedition
*4 person minimum is required per tour

Ages

Minimum age requirement of 14 years old 

Tour Location

Harding Icefield – Kenai National Wildlife Refuge & Kenai Fjords National Park

Highlights

  • Epic 6-day glacier mountaineering expedition traversing a portion of the Harding Icefield
  • Feel the thrill of flying in a floatplane while you enter the pristine mountain environment
  • Experience a glacier mountaineering expedition deep in the backcountry
  • Trek all the way from the Kenai NWR across the Harding Icefield to Kenai Fjords NP in Seward
  • World-class glacier mountaineering, and backcountry camping

Difficulty

This tour is rated as Strenuous to Extreme
*No prior mountaineering experience needed

What’s Included

  • Accommodations – 5 nights tent accommodations
  • Professional Mountaineering Guide
  • Ground transportation from Seward to our Kenai flight office
  • Floatplane flight from Kenai to Kenai NWR
  • Ground transportation from Kenai Fjords NP to our Seward office
  • Glacier equipment – crampons, harness, helmet, snowshoes, trekking poles
  • Expedition-grade tents
  • Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and pillow
  • Gathering tent
  • All meals
  • Cooking equipment, eating utensils, food bowl, and hot drink mug
  • Water filtration equipment and storage
  • Beverages – water, tea, coffee, hot cocoa, apple cider, lemonade
  • Guides prepare and cook all meals
  • Packing list

What’s Not Included

  • Personal gear, and clothing
  • Backpack (rental backpacks available)
  • Gratuities for your guide
  • Travel Insurance is *Required* for this tour

Important Notes

  • Please arrive on time to check-in and get set up
  • There are no bathrooms in the backcountry, so bathroom breaks are done nature-style
  • You must be able to walk on uneven, soft, steep, rocky, and slippery terrain for up to 8+ miles per day
  • Under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult

What to Bring

  • Bring snacks, and a water bottle (water can be refilled at camp)
  • Backpack size 85-105 liters (rental packs available at checkout)
  • Sturdy well broken-in mountaineering boots
  • Waterproof rain jacket & rain pants required
  • Bring layers – dress for current weather conditions
  • Camera, sunglasses, sunscreen, and any personal items
  • Cash or Venmo for guide gratuities (recommended)

Cancellation Policy

  • Free Cancellation up to 60 days in advance 
  • Tours run rain or shine

Important…

While we do accept last-minute bookings, our tours regularly sell out. To get your preferred choice and to avoid missing out, we highly recommend booking as soon as possible. 

Overview

This is one of the most Epic traverses in glaciated terrain in Alaska! There is just no other way to say it… you haven’t truly experienced living until you’ve traversed the Harding Icefield. This place is like another world, and you won’t believe what you will see. We designed this 6-day glacier mountaineering experience to fully immerse you into the world of an intense glacier mountaineering expedition. Stare in wonder across the Harding Icefield with views that go on for hundreds of miles. Check. Feel the crunch of a glacier under your crampons as traverse across one glacier after another. Check. A friendly, local guide to guide you through your mountaineering expedition. Check, check, and check. With a fully immersive glacier mountaineering experience and an unbeatable price – it’s time you knocked this iconic Alaskan experience off your bucket list.

Small Groups & Mountaineering Camps

In contrast to crowded roadside tours in Alaska, our expeditions get way out there, and are limited to only 8 guests. Bottom line? A more intimate experience with everything from mountains, glaciers, and amazing vistas.

See What Most Are Missing

While the majority of visitors stay on the pavement and pathways, you’ll get to experience the picturesque backcountry, an array of wildlife, and stunning vistas completely inaccessible by car.

Award-Winning Guides

Beyond the jaw-dropping scenery, your experienced and friendly guide will teach you glacier mountaineering, share stories, Harding Icefield history, and answer any questions you have throughout the expedition.

For Visitors & Locals Alike

Whether you’re here for the first time, hosting visitors, or looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, our backcountry adventures are thrilling, exhilarating, and offer unforgettable experiences of our beautiful backyard.

Itinerary

DAY 1:

  • 7:00am check-in and get set up at our Seward office
  • Breakfast snacks and refreshments at our office
  • 9:00am transport to our Kenai flight office
  • 12:00pm flight deep into the backcountry of Kenai NWR
  • Hiking approx 3 miles to the first camp, lunch in the tundra
  • Set up camp and get situated
  • Dinner and revelry

DAY 2:

  • Coffee is up at 6:15am
  • Breakfast in the gathering tent 7-8am
  • Pack up camp, glacier mountaineering segment across a massive glacier from the Harding Icefield
  • Hiking all day to a new camp location, lunch on the glacier
  • Set up camp and get situated
  • Dinner and revelry
  • Evening hike to catch a great view or rest up

DAY 3:

  • Coffee is up at 6:15am
  • Breakfast in the gathering tent 7-8am
  • Pack up camp, glacier mountaineering, trekking all day to a new camp location, lunch on the glacier
  • Set up camp and get situated
  • Dinner and revelry
  • Evening hike to bag a peak, wait till you see the views

DAY 4:

  • Coffee is up at 6:15am
  • Breakfast in the gathering tent 7-8am
  • Pack up camp, glacier mountaineering, trekking all day to a new camp location, lunch on a mountain
  • Set up camp and get situated
  • Dinner and revelry
  • Evening hike or rest up

DAY 5:

  • Coffee is up at 6:15am
  • Breakfast in the gathering tent 7-8am
  • Pack up camp, glacier mountaineering, trekking all day to a new camp location, lunch on a glacier
  • Set up camp and get situated
  • Dinner and revelry
  • Evening hike or rest up

DAY 6:

  • Coffee is up at 6:15am
  • Breakfast in the gathering tent 7-8am
  • Pack up camp, last chance to soak in the mountain and glacier vibes
  • Hike down the mountain to civilization on the world-famous Harding Icefield Trail, lunch on the trail
  • Conditions dependent – there may be an option to trek down Exit Glacier then on to the Harding Icefield Trail
  • 5pm transport back to our office in Seward
*The accompanying itinerary is the schedule we intend to follow. However, this is Alaska, and our trips may deviate as written on this page or in any documentation we publish. This can be as a result of weather conditions, group preference, safety considerations, or unforeseeable circumstances. Therefore expect the unexpected, and prepare to be flexible. 

Why Kenai Backcountry Adventures

Fast & Easy Booking. Period.

Book directly on KenaiBackcountryAdventures.com or call our office to get the best price on our tours.

Priority Booking & Instant Confirmations

Don’t see the date you need? Call our office for priority scheduling. Receive instant confirmations when you book your tour directly on KenaiBackcountryAdventuers.com or when you call our office. 

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Need Help?

We hope you find the information on this page useful. But if you need help booking your trip or have any questions please contact us.

+1-907-331-4912

How To Find Us

11724 Seward Hwy, Suite A
Seward, AK 99664

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