Hi. Has anyone done the Glacier hike with Ascending Path guide services in Girdwood? Their website makes the scenery look incredible. But I can't tell how the glacier hike itself compares with Matanuska, which we are also considering and looks great. Girdwood would surely be more convenient in that we will be there already, but we can easily get to Matanuska if it's a much better experience of the glacier. I don't hear too much about the glacier hike in Girdwood, has anyone done this one?

we did it, and it was nice but probably our least favorite thing we did while in Alaska. Basically, you ride the tram to the top, climb up the mountain a little more and then you are on a small glacier. You rope up to keep you from falling in crevaces, which I can't imagine falling in on that small glacier. I think you can see it on my pictures, that I think I put one of your questions earlier? It is a very pretty view, just a so so hike, and a pretty rink dink glacier. Maybe, they offer a hike to a different glacier? Personally, I think you would be better off taking the Winner Creek Trail which is at the bottom, near the tram.

It was the very first thing we did. Had we seen it at the end, we would have been really disappointed.

Okay thanks much. The scenery on the website looked great, but I guess that's why I couldn't get a sense of the glacier, there wasn't much there. We'll stick to Matanuska Glacier or Worthington if we get that far. By chance did you do the helicopter flightsee/glacier landing in Girdwood through Alpine Air? The pictures look incredible. We were planning on doing the flightsee of Kenai Fjords and Harding Icefield with Scenic Mountain Air, I wonder if they are very different and if it's worth doing both. Of course all this is so expensive, at some point the budget will just become ridiculous again and we'll have to trim again. Your feedback has been very helpful, I really appreciate your patient answers.

Hello Lorenky,
I'm new to this board and still don't know all unwritten rules here but hope you won't mind my input. I'm not certain whether you are interested in ice climbing or just simple hiking with crampons. I did ice climb at Matanuska a few years ago and it was spectacular adventure on a sunny day. No need to use helicopter, we just walked there. My husband and I hiked with crampons and used a guide on Matanuska Glacier years ago. These activities are a little newer for Worthington so I would ask many questions how experienced are guides, how many trips your guide led on this glacier. I don't know your itinerary but you can also do ice climbing and hiking on Exit Glacier. There is a company in Seward but I don't have any personal experience with them. You can hike for free on your own to Harding Icefield from Exit Glacier park ranger station in Seward or with a park ranger on Saturday at 9 am. I think you would need to sign up for it. It is a demanding about 8 miles hike both ways with elevation gain over 1,000 ft but views from the trail and then from the icefield are amazing.We are very independent travelers and slower hikers so we hiked to Harding Icefield on our own. It was an all day long event.

Of course I don't mind your input, I really appreciate it. We just want to hike with crampons, no ice climbing. I think we will do Matanuska Glacier since I want to see that part of Hatcher Pass and Glenn Highway anyway. We're going to walk to Exit Glacier but from what I understand the glacier hike is much harder than Matanuska. We're revamped these plans so often it's crazy. I think we're leaning towards staying primarily around the Kenai Penninsula rather than running around trying to see too much, and shortening the trip to 11 or 12 nights but doing lots of really great activities, rather than spreading ourselves too thin and not being able to afford to do the great stuff everywhere we go. We also are pretty clear we need to come back to Alaska a few years and stop pressuring ourselves that this may be the only time to see Alaska.

We did the glacier langing/dog sledding on punchbowl glacier. Alpine Air provided the 10 minute flight to the glacier. very good in every aspect.