Helicopter Glacier Walkabout

[Hazmat9]

My wife and I are trying to decide what helicopter trip to take up to a glacier in Juneau this coming May. I had one question regarding the "Helicopter Glacier Walkabout" tour which has a one hour "interpretive walk" on the glacier. They issue crampons and trek poles and require that you can walk a mile. That's fine and dandy but the brochure picture (Celebrity Cruises) shows them trekking uphill. And at altitude, this could be a heck of a lot of work expecially if it's an hour long. Main concern is that my wife has asthma and I don't need her huffing/puffing and needing to be air evac'd out. Has anyone taken this tour? Is it that much work, we want to be able to enjoy this without suffering :D. Thanks! Steve

[Budget Queen]

This is pretty easy, as you can't get very far in an hour with glacier trekking. It will be going as fast as the slowest person. :) There aren't going to be any "uphill" issues.

 

I recommend longer treks, one company has three levels. The "problems" with these costly tours, is just what I mention above, a wide range of abilities take the basic tours. If you are at all mobile and want to get out a little bit, this tour may not be for you. In this short of a timeframe, you will barely get out on the ice, before you have to turn back.

[Hazmat9]

Sounds good, I just wish the ship docked a bit earlier. Our ship sails into Juneau around 2:30 p.m. and the helicopter/glacier tour is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. for 3 hrs 45 min. They say 30 min flight time and glacier walk 1 hour. Are the heliports that far away?

[Budget Queen]

Sounds good, I just wish the ship docked a bit earlier. Our ship sails into Juneau around 2:30 p.m. and the helicopter/glacier tour is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. for 3 hrs 45 min. They say 30 min flight time and glacier walk 1 hour. Are the heliports that far away?

 

Depends what company you are going with??? But yes, you can allow 20 minutes for the drop off/pick up, plus loading. They aren't going to schedule this to the minute.

[bbwex]

We worked with Northstar Trekking privately, and they worked out all the details so we didn't have to sweat it at all. We were there longer and did a whale watch in the morning, and then squeezed in the one-hour trek immediately after. No problem at all. The helos are going out and back almost constantly.

 

The one-hour trek is as close to no effort as there is. First of all, you have to walk about 30 yards from the helo to the "camp site" where you get your poles and crampons -- they don't like having crampons put holes in the floors of the helos! That takes the group a few minutes. Once that is done, it is very easy to walk, but in the one-hour trek, you don't go terribly far, and it is all level to the extent that the surface of the glacier is level. You will likely see some crevasses (don't worry they don't suddenly open up and swallow people like the ones on mountain snow glaciers), and the guide information is interesting. Plus you see a whole new view of the glacier from the helo as you come and go.

 

Considering how easy the one-hour trek was, the two-hour cannot be too bad, but we had misty rain the whole time, and one hour was enough for us that day.

 

Setting it up yourself gives you much more flexibility, and will likely cost you a little less.

[Hazmat9]

Thanks for the great info. Still debating which one we will take but this is some great information to help us make our desicion.

[psyfi]

We did the two hour thru North Star and it was the absolute highlight of our trip. It was a slow walk with lots of gawking and picture taking so I would not by any means consider it strenuous. The crampons make it easier to walk on the ice. I thought they would be difficult but they were not. I can't estimate how far we walked as there are little frames of reference up there but it was not very far. Se did a tiny hill (like 6 feet) just to experience the more vertical climb, but you could easily have gone around. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour.