I'll be visiting Alaska first week of June 2009 with husband and two teenagers. Can anyone tell me if it's worth it to hike Exit Glacier with a guide for $125? What sort of hiking can we expect to do on our own without paying for a private guide? I appreciate any suggestions.

If all you want is to see is the glacier, don't hire a guide as there are trails right from the parking lot. The hike is not a long one if you park in the parking lot at the exhibit.

I wouldn't hire a guide, you can see it on your own and at your own pace. One thing, do hike in groups and consider purchasing bear spray. Pretty good chance of seeing a bear in this area. The more people in your group the better. It isn't that far and it isn't a strenuous hike to the glacier from the parking lot. I am sure a ranger would be willing to share any info that you might want to know about the glacier. It was a little bit further out from Seward than what I had imagined.

Another good hike is Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood, if you are going that way to Anchorage.

We went kayaking in Seward and that was a good experience as well.

I'm assuming the guided hike you are interested at Exit Glacier is actually the Harding Ice Field Trail. I say it would be worth it unless you and your boys are above average hikers and you will be carrying a first aid kit and bear spray as bears are a fairly common siting according to the nps website. The hike is about 8 hours and has some fairly steep terrain.

If you are just doing the hike to the edge of the glacier--not the 8 hour hike UP to the top, it's pretty much a wide, paved "super highway". It's also a very short distance. I can't imagine why you would need to pay a guide.

We did the Harding Ice Field on our own this summer. Most of the trail is very open so you can see other people in the distance, as well as any bears on the field (we saw one black bear, got some good pics, and he didn't come too near us).

It is a tough hike and I'm not the fastest hiker (my SO is, however), and we did it in about 6 hours, which is the low end of the estimated time. It was freezing and windy at the top, although almost 70 degrees at the bottom.

So, you can hike just to the glacier or do a part or all of the ice field - easy to very strenuous, depending on what you want to do. The rangers can give you lots of information, so I guess it depends what you would want to get out of a guide.

Thanks so much for all the advice. My goal is to not waste $125/person that could be used for another part of our trip.

I would like to suggest that if you wish to hike on a glacier that you use a guide who will provide you with the helmit and ice cleats needed for safety and traction. We went for a hike the Matanuska glacier and really enjoyed the experience ... well worth the money (abt $70).