helicopter glacier tour: from which port in Alaska?
 

I'd like to leave this til more or less last minute, but will need to sign up for cruise excursions in advance. Is one of the ports better for this kind of sight-seeing than the others? Skagway? Juneau? Thank you.

We went with Coastal Helicopters out of Juneau and loved every minute of it. Definitely a highlight of our trip.

Medenhall (?sp) Glacier out of Juneau - spectacular helicpter ride over the city and glacier and then landing - walk around on glacier - and then back to heliport. Well worth the money.

Thanks for replies. I read that landings are not permitted on Mendenhall glacier. Is that incorrect? Also: Isn't Mendenhall a glacier where one can do trails and such in the area? I wonder if that kind of activity-- hiking-- might be as rewarding as the flight kind of excursion.

IMHO hiking would be rewarding but not nearly as rewarding as walking on a glacier. You cannot hike up close and personal to a glacier. On the tour we took, he flew the helicopter down Mendenhal glacier after we had walked on Herbert (?) glacier.

"Thanks for replies. I read that landings are not permitted on Mendenhall glacier. Is that incorrect? Also: Isn't Mendenhall a glacier where one can do trails and such in the area? I wonder if that kind of activity-- hiking-- might be as rewarding as the flight kind of excursion"

No this is not correct. TEMSCO does have permits to land on Mendenhall. The "trails" from the visitor center at Mendenhall have NO glacier access. From the West side, it is a multi hour hike that most often needs to be guided.

The next post isn't accurate either, you most certainly can get guided hikes on to glaciers in several parts of Alaska, including Juneau, without taking any flights. Above and Beyond is one guiding company that offers this.

Glacier access is also available at Exit and Matanuska Glacier.

Back to the post- It makes no difference in your "experience" from either Skagway or Juneau, book where it best fits your timeframe. There are 4 helicopter companies out of Juneau, 1 out of Skagway.

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I would listen to Budgetqueen as she really is the expert in this Alaska area. :-)

Are there any helicopter landing on glaciers in Icy Straight Point? Doesn't look like there's much else to do there so that would be a good time for us if that's possible.

No glacier helicopter tours available out of Hoonah, but there is flightseeing available of Glacier Bay.