Icy Straight Point

[misguy]

Here is a brief video with Murray Lundberg, an Alaska tour guide, guest lecturer for the cruise lines, and author of "Murray's Guide to the South Klondike Highway" .

 

[geoherb]

My cruise last month on the Island Princess went to Icy Strait Point. There's not much there. I did not do an excursion. The most exciting thing was seeing bald eagles in the trees right beside the dock. I walked to Hoonah and back. It was nice scenery along the way, but not much in Hoonah. The journey was the destination. I also enjoyed the displays in the cannery and the nature trail. 

 

The people I talked with who did excursions had differing points of view. The ones who went whale watching loved it. Those who ziplined loved it. The people who went bear watching were very disappointed. 

 

 

[reallyitsmema]

What makes this guy an expert?  He is talking about the best king crab that you can buy right on the pier in Icy Strait Point?????  Thinks Norwegian goes there but not many others, never mentions Radiance of the Seas going there every week.  Wouldn't waste my time watching another of those videos, more accurate information can be found in this forum or by doing a quick google search.

[reallyitsmema]

Here is the port schedule for Icy Strait Point.  There are more than one ship there a day and this year, there are days that two ships are there at the same time.

 

http://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Icy-Strait-Point-–-ISP-2019.pdf

[fishywood]

Not going to bother to watch a video from a lecturer/author who can't even spell his purported area of expertise correctly. 

 

[donaldsc]

The guy does not even know that there is no place called Icy Straight Point.  It is Icy Strait Point.  Based on this stupid mistake from Lundberg, why should we believe anything that he says in his video.

 

DON

Edited July 11, 2019 by donaldsc

[pbenjamin]

For what it's worth, we went on a beat tour in Icy Strait Point and were not disappointed.  We saw bears in a couple of places.  We understood that it was more difficult in late May than it might be later in the season.

[pbenjamin]

In a previous one of these videos, Murray Lundberg stated that there was no pier at Icy Strait Point.  It's clear that he hadn't been there in a while.

[Sup'd]

Trying to find info on the nature walk tour through NCL, where are the trails at on this excursion?

 

My plan is I want to get in a nature walk (3-4 hours) morning and afternoon whale watch.  Do I need to do the excursion for the hike or can you find similar trails on your own?

[geoherb]

There's a nature trail to the left as you exit. I don't think it would take very long to do it. I also walked to Hoonah and back.

[verobay]

On 7/12/2019 at 10:11 AM, Sup'd said:

Trying to find info on the nature walk tour through NCL, where are the trails at on this excursion?

 

My plan is I want to get in a nature walk (3-4 hours) morning and afternoon whale watch.  Do I need to do the excursion for the hike or can you find similar trails on your own?

I searched high and low for DIY hikes in ISP and couldn't find any. There's the little nature walk near the dock and the walk into the village along the road and that's about it for free. If you want to spend more than half an hour in nature I think you're stuck with the cruise line hike.

 

Our whale watching captain said there's actually a ton of great hikes around Chichagof island but you really need a vehicle to access them, and a local to tell you how to find the trailheads!

[yorkshirephil]

We visited Icy strait point in June on Queen Elizabeth, we walked along the road to Hoonah and then around town, there is not a lot to do but it is a very nice scenic place, we got talking to a local guy out with his dog who was happy to chat about the town and some of its history. As we walked back there was a pod of humpback whales bubble net feeding in the bay, this was a real bonus, we saw more in the bay than we did on our whale watching tour in Juneau. We also saw a bald eagle swimming, I didn't realise eagles could do the front crawl. There are a few shops, restaurant and a small museum adjacent to the dock which we enjoyed. We loved the wilderness feeling of Icy strait point.

[Budget Queen]

I happen to greatly enjoy Hoonah.   :)   There are some hidden gems,   outside of the contracted compound.     For hiking trails,   this isn't the place  unless you go private guided.    There is the compound trail-   but that is a basic short loop.    

 

I enjoy walking the entire coastal trail-   usually a lot of eagles,  I always have binoculars.     There is a Cultural Center,  with a carving shed that is frequently being worked on.  In front of the high school,  there is a long standing,  multi  years old eagle's nest.   I had the wonderful experience seeing the "shift change"  of the parents for 2 chicks.    I also earlier-   by the former tunnel,  saw a Juvenal-  actually eating a chick .  (nature)   

[quack2]

I love Icy Strait.  No jewelry or t-shirt stores.  Great whale watching.  Exciting zip line excursion.  Nice walk to town and on the nature paths around the pier. 

 

Not everything has to look like Juneau and Ketchikan to be enjoyable.

 

BTW, Murray publishes the very helpful guide to the South Klondike highway.  Stop trashing him.

Edited July 14, 2019 by quack2

[syesmar]

On 7/12/2019 at 12:11 PM, Sup'd said:

Trying to find info on the nature walk tour through NCL, where are the trails at on this excursion?

 

My plan is I want to get in a nature walk (3-4 hours) morning and afternoon whale watch.  Do I need to do the excursion for the hike or can you find similar trails on your own?

It depends on where the excursion is going hiking.  Here’s a Thread from last year that might help.  We enjoyed the short hiking trail and also the coastal walk.  

If you are a nature lover, you will enjoy Icy Strait Point.  

Icy Strait Lodge has car rentals and boat rentals, if that interests you. https://icystraitlodge.com/  The local tribe also offers excursions in dugout canoes.  Hoonah Adventures offers jeep rentals.

Happy Sailing!

 

 

Edited July 16, 2019 by syesmar

[misguy]

On 7/11/2019 at 3:58 PM, donaldsc said:

The guy does not even know that there is no place called Icy Straight Point.  It is Icy Strait Point.  Based on this stupid mistake from Lundberg, why should we believe anything that he says in his video.

 

DON

I hate to say this, it wasn't Murray that mispelled it, it was me.  Not reading what you type is a common mistake.  As far as his not knowing the schedule, that was the only thing he didn't know.  Murray is an absolute expert having guided in Alaska for years and serving as a guest lecturer for several cruise lines.