Who wants to help me gamble with Ak odds?

[cw2go]

I am looking for what you Alaska regulars would speculate is the best cruise week for access to Hubbard Glacier and Bears in ISP?

 

Thanks,

Patty

[Chenega]

As noted in many other postings, there is no way to gauge the "best week" for these things. Animals, marine life, and calving glaciers do not adhere to any particular schedule.

Our weather varies throughout the summer as well; since we're such a large state, different regions can have different weather. Weather forecasts are just highly educated guesses based on computer models and how the atmosphere "should" behave.

 

With that said, late May to mid July are usually the best weather months but there are no guarantees. Go with what best fits your schedule and interests and plan for any time of weather. As far as the natural world of animals and glaciers, you see them when they show up.

[cw2go]

As noted in many other postings, there is no way to gauge the "best week" for these things. Animals, marine life, and calving glaciers do not adhere to any particular schedule.

Our weather varies throughout the summer as well; since we're such a large state, different regions can have different weather. Weather forecasts are just highly educated guesses based on computer models and how the atmosphere "should" behave.

 

With that said, late May to mid July are usually the best weather months but there are no guarantees. Go with what best fits your schedule and interests and plan for any time of weather. As far as the natural world of animals and glaciers, you see them when they show up.

 

 

Thanks but it really wasn't a weather related question? I thought maybe there might be times of the season that bears were more abundant and active in ISP than others and that maybe that might coinside with prime time access to Hubbard. That is why I posted "speculate" I understand weather and Ak do not always go hand in hand, just hoping for the best odds between the two priorities. Hope that made it a bit clearer and thanks again for your input.

[mapleleaves]

Do you want to see brown bears or black bears?

I've never heard ICP mentioned as a prime bear viewing area.

Do the tours you're looking at specifically state that you WILL see bears or do you drive around hoping to see them?

Look at ISP's and Hoonah's visitor information web sites and see what they have to say. Generally speaking when there are salmon spawning you will often find bears so around hatcheries at the end of August is a good time to stumble upon them. But if bear viewing is a priority you should learn more about the prime viewing areas and when to visit.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.landmammals

[cw2go]

http://www.visithoonah.com/attractions.html

 

http://teckkoutfittersicystrait.com/

 

Mapleleaves,

 

The second link is who I was thinking about booking with but really I can look into bears schedules online I just thought maybe some seasoned Alaska cruisers may know when the best time for bears and hubbard may be. After looking at the hoonah site, seems brown bears will be what I am looking for.

 

Thanks,

Patty

[frugaltravel]

All I have ever seen in ISP are "bear searches" not really anything else. There are definitely posts on this forum from people who came up empty-handed in ISP on bear "searches." There are certainly other places with much higher percentage of brown bear viewing (Pack Creek from Juneau, Denali NP, Katmai NP and other places). Personally I would not do a bear "search" but some of certainly enjoyed it.

 

Early in the season is not a good time for bears except at Denali NP. Other than that, as Chenega said, your question is really not a fair one, even for "seasoned" Alaska visitors.

[DougH]

I'm no expert but the bears usually are pretty active when the salmon are running. I did a tour in Aug a couple of years ago and saw lots of bears from ISP. In fact our guide said it was the first time a group told him to head back to the ship as "we had seen enough bears" LOL

[cw2go]

I'm no expert but the bears usually are pretty active when the salmon are running. I did a tour in Aug a couple of years ago and saw lots of bears from ISP. In fact our guide said it was the first time a group told him to head back to the ship as "we had seen enough bears" LOL

 

Now that you have bear experience in ISP by chance with all those cruises under your belt can you tell me what Hubbard will be doing in Aug? :D I am only kidding thank you for your input.

[wolfie11]

Best time for bears in ISP is early in the season when they have just come out of hibernation and are on the beaches eating grass and sedge and when the salmon are running. Early is not the best for Hubbard, though. If it were me, I would look at August or early September.

[cw2go]

Best time for bears in ISP is early in the season when they have just come out of hibernation and are on the beaches eating grass and sedge and when the salmon are running. Early is not the best for Hubbard, though. If it were me, I would look at August or early September.

 

 

Thank you!!!! That is exactly what I was asking. :p

[Assateague Island Princes]

I'm one who went on a bear search in Hoonah (with Misty Bay Lodge). We were there the first week of August. The morning tour got skunked and didn't see a single bear. Ah, but our search was productive:D! We saw a brownie fishing for salmon in the creek, quite a ways off, but he walked towards us (we were standing on a bridge). Watched him = a youngster - fishing for about 45 minutes. He walked right under the bridge we were standing on, and we ended up having about 25 minutes of him literally just yards away. He was totally oblivious to us, concentrating on catching and eating. Atleast til he got right beneath us on the bridge, then he was quite interested. Even started to climb up the side of the bank (which is when I whispered to the armed guide "Is this when I get back in the van?";)). He laughed, and raised his arms above his head, said "Keep moving bear. Get out of here bear." And surprisingly, the bear listened. LOL! Then we drove about 10 more minutes when I spotted what the guide called a "berry bear" on the side of the hill, just off the road, a big old guy munching his way thru a salmonberry patch. We again watched him for 45 minutes and it was just thrilling. This bear was much bigger than the first, with lots of scarring around his face. Again, appeared oblivious to us, as long as we were quiet and watching him, he had no qualms about continuing his feast right before our eyes.

 

It was a wonderful afternoon with Misty Bay Lodge on our bear search (5 of us, plus the guide in a van), after a fantastic whale watch (also with Misty Bay Lodge) in the morning - many instances of bubble-net feeding and breaching. Yes, it was quite a day. We got lucky!:D

[vbmom87]

I was on the same trip as AIP. I chose early August because of the likelihood of seeing bears and experiencing Hubbard Glacier. For me it worked out. We did our bear tour from Juneau to Pack Creek. Although we saw Hubbard and actually got quite close (ranger said it was as close as cruise ships get), there was a family on our cruise that did the same cruise the year before, also in early August, and they were fogged out of Hubbard that year. So, as mentioned, you just don't know.

[Budget Queen]

Do you want to see brown bears or black bears?

I've never heard ICP mentioned as a prime bear viewing area.

Do the tours you're looking at specifically state that you WILL see bears or do you drive around hoping to see them?

Look at ISP's and Hoonah's visitor information web sites and see what they have to say. Generally speaking when there are salmon spawning you will often find bears so around hatcheries at the end of August is a good time to stumble upon them. But if bear viewing is a priority you should learn more about the prime viewing areas and when to visit.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.landmammals

 

Hoonah is a "good" area for cheap ground accessable chances at seeing browns. Have you been to this port??

 

Since my first trip there several years ago, I have posted this. Independents are a FAR better choice as they have more range, ship tours, go back and forth to platforms.

[Budget Queen]

I am looking for what you Alaska regulars would speculate is the best cruise week for access to Hubbard Glacier and Bears in ISP?

 

Thanks,

Patty

 

May, is unreliable for Hoonah, with June better for bears. August would be my bet, AND if, I were to hedge my bets-with "must do viewing", I would be going out ALL day on two of the bear search tours. This would yeild the best chances.