icy strait point - Walking of Ancient Oceans and Newborn Forests

[alaska_planner]

Has anyone done this excursion?

 

The description sounds interesting, but i've only found one review of it so far (very favorable) and was interested in hearing other opinions.

 

any information would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!! :)

[Budget Queen]

Post the description for more details. But overall in Alaska with all the excellent trails available, I don't find it beneficial for me, to pay for hiking.

 

There is a nice loop trail around the "Icy Strait" "compound" as well. Adding the walk along the waterfront along the marina into Hoonah is also a very nice walk.

[alaska_planner]

Post the description for more details. But overall in Alaska with all the excellent trails available, I don't find it beneficial for me, to pay for hiking.

 

There is a nice loop trail around the "Icy Strait" "compound" as well. Adding the walk along the waterfront along the marina into Hoonah is also a very nice walk.

 

HI Budget Queen.

 

Here's the description from the RCI excursions brochure.

 

Walking of Ancient Oceans and Newborn Forests Tour - IC40

Take a walking tour to gain an understanding of Icy Strait Point, its natural wonders and its native peoples' deep connection to them. From pebble beach to rainforest, a local guide shares lore and secrets that range from how plants are used for medicinal purposes, to the telltale signs used to spot wildlife. The tour concludes at the Icy Strait Point Museum; next door is a shop where traditional medicines can be sampled or purchased.

 

Highlights:

• Walking Tour: Enjoy an educational, scenic trek that visits beach and rainforest.

• Expert Guide: One of Hoonah's most respected scientific observers brings the area's history to life.

• Wildlife Viewing: Marine mammals such as porpoises, sea lions, seals and humpback whales frequent the nearby waters.

 

What to Bring:

• SeaPass card and photo identification

• Camera/binoculars

• Cash/credit cards

• Sun protection

 

What to Wear:

• Comfortable, waterproof shoes

• Hat and sunglasses

• Layered clothing

• Wind-resistant jacket

 

Important Notes:

• Guests are encouraged to travel light on this rain-or-shine 1-hour tour.

• Waterproof, slip-resistant footwear is required.

• This tour includes approximately 2 miles of walking on boardwalk, gravel pathway, pebble beach, rocky beach with boulders and forest trail. All these surfaces may be wet in any weather.

• Guests should consider their physical fitness level and medical history when considering this tour.

• Guests with pre-existing neck, back, knee and/or shoulder injuries, cardiac conditions, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, other heart or respiratory conditions or any other medical condition or concerns should take particular caution when selecting a tour and should consult with their doctor first.

 

Restrictions:

• Guest minimum age: 12 years old.

Edited January 23, 2015 by alaska_planner

[alaska_planner]

here's the description from the icy straight point website:

 

After a brief history of the cannery buildings, begin your guided walk over the pebble beach to Cannery Point. Your guide will reveal the world hidden beneath your feet, in the smooth stones transported and transformed by fire & ice. Rounding the point, the walking surface becomes uneven as you explore the intertidal zone & the history of the Huna Tlingit's careful exploitation of its resources. Enter the coastal rainforest, where bear & deer, eagles & sapsuckers make their home. Your guide will show you how to observe the traces of their presence, & how to find the many potent medicines hidden beneath the sheltering timber. Your approx. 2 mile walk concludes at the museum entrance.

 

Overview:

Ever wonder what stories rocks would tell if they could talk? At Icy Strait Point they would tell a tale of survival against long odds. Learn to hear their silent song and discover the ancient history of Chichagof Island and its Native people on this walking tour led by one of Hoonah’s own most respected scientific observers.

Highlights:

- Scenic views of Icy Strait during an approximate 2 mile guided walk

- Opportunity to view marine mammals such as porpoise, sea lions, seal and even humpback whales who frequent the nearby waters

- Frequent stops to observe and discuss natural phenomena, from the smallest stone to the tallest tree

Full Description:

At Icy Strait Point’s Fish House Excursion Lounge you will meet your local guide, an expert on Hoonah’s long history of geological changes and human endurance. After a quick history of the cannery buildings, you will leave the boardwalk behind to walk over the pebble beach to Cannery Point. Here, your guide will reveal the world hidden literally beneath your feet, in the smooth stones transported and transformed by fire and ice. Rounding the point, the walking surface becomes uneven as you and your guide explore the life-giving bounty of the intertidal zone and the history of the Huna Tlingit’s careful exploitation of its resources. Next, enter the coastal rainforest, where bear and deer, eagles and sapsuckers make their home. Your guide will show you how to observe the many traces of their presence in this quiet grove, and how to find the many potent medicines hidden beneath the sheltering timber. Returning into the open air by a lily-pond, your tour finally concludes at the Icy Strait Point museum entrance, next to a shop where some of the traditional medicines mentioned on the tour can be sampled or purchased.

What to Bring:

- You should always take your SeaPass card (provided onboard the ship) and photo identification when in port

- Guests are encouraged to travel light on this 1. 5 hour tour

- Camera

- Binoculars

What to Wear:

- Waterproof, slip-resistant footwear is required for traveling safely over the damp and uneven surfaces of the beach and forest, rain or shine.

- Layered clothing appropriate for the weather conditions.

Important Notes:

- Participants must be at least 12 years old.

- This tour includes approximately 2 miles of walking on boardwalk, gravel pathway, pebble beach, rocky beach with boulders and forest trail. All these surfaces may be wet in any weather.

- Guests should consider their physical fitness level and medical history when determining whether this tour is appropriate. Guests with pre-existing neck, back, knee and/or shoulder injuries, cardiac conditions, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, other heart or respiratory conditions or any other medical condition should take particular caution when selecting a tour. Guests who have concerns should consult with their personal physician before engaging in any activity that may be strenuous for them.

 

We are a locally owned business with a local workforce. 80% of our staff are Alaska Natives and shareholders of our parent corporation Huna Totem - Join us on tour - let us show you our home, "We live here!"

Edited January 23, 2015 by alaska_planner

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi Beth, been lookin at Icy Strait tours myself. Not sure which tour to take, won't be going til Sept, on the Radiance, so....

[Budget Queen]

With this being only an hour, it isn't going to involve much in my opinion. Depends what you are looking for? I would not count on any wildlife viewing in that short time.

[alaska_planner]

With this being only an hour, it isn't going to involve much in my opinion. Depends what you are looking for? I would not count on any wildlife viewing in that short time.

 

we're not looking for wildlife.....from what i understand from this description, it sounds like a ranger walk - where they explain the plants/trees/signs of wildlife (droppings and the like)..

 

certainly boring for some people, but we like that sort of thing..

 

we're big into nature walks with an expert who can explain what we're walking in...

 

which is exactly what this sounds like..

 

my question is if anyone has been on this tour and whether they thought the guide was good or not...

 

that makes all the difference in the world,....if the guide isn't knowledgeable or not able to share that knowledge then it's not worth the time...

 

this excursion was new last year, so i was hoping someone had been on it and was still hanging around these boards :)

Edited January 24, 2015 by alaska_planner

[Budget Queen]

we're not looking for wildlife.....from what i understand from this description, it sounds like a ranger walk - where they explain the plants/trees/signs of wildlife (droppings and the like)..

 

certainly boring for some people, but we like that sort of thing..

 

we're big into nature walks with an expert who can explain what we're walking in...

 

which is exactly what this sounds like..

 

my question is if anyone has been on this tour and whether they thought the guide was good or not...

 

that makes all the difference in the world,....if the guide isn't knowledgeable or not able to share that knowledge then it's not worth the time...

 

this excursion was new last year, so i was hoping someone had been on it and was still hanging around these boards :)

 

You can be pretty sure you will have a knowledgeable guide as this whole "Icy Point" compound is run by the native corporation. I know several workers there that are from the same family, who have been involved with the tours from the beginning.

[alaska_planner]

You can be pretty sure you will have a knowledgeable guide as this whole "Icy Point" compound is run by the native corporation. I know several workers there that are from the same family, who have been involved with the tours from the beginning.

 

thanks!

well we just signed up for all our excursions and decided to go for this.

i hope it's as good as it sounds :)

[alaska_planner]

update-

 

my daughter ended up doing this excursion and it was her favorite excursion of our entire trip to alaska!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

the tour ended up being 2.5 hours instead of 1.5 hours...

 

my daughter said the guide was fantastic....she loved every second of the excursion..

 

(i didn't go because my mom isn't able to walk for that far - so i took her on a different excursion for non-walkers)...