Why Are Alaska Glacier Tours a Must Have Trip

Few destinations are more spectacular in the world than an Alaskan glacier. Beyond ancient, many of these towering monoliths of the Alaskan backcountry have existed unchanged for ages. These wondrous icy formations have become a popular destination for many adventurers who trek into the Alaskan wilderness. Let us look at why glacier tours are a must-have for any trip to Alaska and what experiences you can expect when visiting one of these wonders of the natural world.

What is a Glacier? 

A glacier is a natural formation composed of compressed snow, sediment, rock, ice, and water; glaciers are formed from snow resting over a long enough period to solidify and form into ice. Glaciers vary in size, but many are massive, with some measuring up to 250 miles long. Glaciers also move, albeit very slowly, function like a slow-motion river pulled by gravity. 

Glaciers also frequently house cave formations created by naturally flowing water that slowly erodes and melts a section of the glacier. This flowing water transfers heat to the bottom of the glaciers; this eventually melts and hollows out a sizable portion of the glacier’s base, creating the cave. Warm air enters the cave mouth, further melting and expanding the inside; these caves can be massive in size, with some measuring up to several miles long. 

What Is An Alaska Glacier Tour?

There are several ways to explore a glacier in the Alaskan backcountry, with some of the most popular being:

• Glacier Ice Cave Exploration: In this outing, you will visit glaciers with known caves, your guides will bring you to and into these wondrous icy cave systems. 
• Alaska Glacier Hike: After a quick drive out of Seward, you will hike with a mountain guide through the Kenai Fjords national park, up to and through several glaciers and valleys. 
• Fly-In Glacier Hike: This is a day trip you will fly out to a distant glacier by bush plane and trek across ancient ice with a mountaineer and guide.
• Glacier Mountaineering: This extensive trip takes explorers out into the vast out country to explore vast glacier systems with experienced guides over the course of a week. You will fly to a destination near a glacier, set up camp, trek to that glacier, trek across several more, and then head to a completely different pickup point. 

Why Do People Love to Adventure to Glaciers? 

The natural majesty and raw beauty of glaciers and the Alaskan wilderness cannot be overstated. Taking part in a glacier hike in Alaska is a life-changing experience that people travel the world to partake in. You will be able to see the untainted splendor of the Alaskan frontier from a perspective seen by a precious few when you stand at the top of these ancient icy monoliths. You can also see some of the majestic wildlife native to the region, including foxes, lynx, mountain goats, caribou, black and brown bears, and of course, Alaskan Moose. 

If you would like to schedule an Alaskan glacier tour, you can schedule one and book a reservation here, or if you would like to view the rest of our Alaskan adventures, you can check out our other packages here.