Juneau - flightseeing and dog sledding questions

[inkmahm]

I've searched for info on this board and believe the summary is that there are 3 companies offering the dog sledding on glaciers: Coastal, Temsco and ERA. Coastal and ERA fly over the Juneau ice field to Norris (or another) glacier for the dog sledding. Temsco flies to Mendenhall. I think Coastal is the cheapest in 2008 season at $429 per person. Sound right so far?

 

I'm thinking of booking with Coastal for the end of August when we're in Juneau. If I book early enough in the morning, we could do whale watching or some other activity in the afternoon. Or vice versa. Does anyone know the cancellation rate difference between flightseeing/sledding scheduled for the mornings vs afternoons? Does weather make a difference so that morning fog cancels more excurions then? Am I overthinking this planning? :p

 

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[inkmahm]

Another question- are all three flightseeing companies in Juneau equally as likely to have alternative trips to walk on a glacier in the case of bad weather causing flights not to be able to get to the dog sledding location?

 

I know sometimes the weather can be fine at lower elevations so one tour may be possible when another isn't.

[Donna6369]

I say book your tour in the afternoon. I recently had the dog sled on Mendenhall booked in August at around 10AM (it was the second one for the day) and it was canceled due to fog. I was told all the afternoon ones went up. It was the only tour I really wanted to do and they only one I couldn't do as all the afternoon ones were already booked. I really wish someone would have told me that more morning than afternoon tours are canceled as I would have booked an afternoon one.

 

Enjoy!

[inkmahm]

Thanks! That's what I thought. I'm trying to arrange a morning whale watch followed by afternoon dogsledding. Timing is tight though.

[Budget Queen]

There is no way to predict the future. :) Also be aware that there have been some years that the glacier dog sledding was closed mid August, so keep that in mind. I suggest you cobook your tours, flight and whale watch. Doesn't matter which one is first, NO way to predict -again. But the cobooking will save you an hour in shuttle time.

 

Yes, both TEMSCO and Coastal, MAY offer a regular glacier landing, IF AVAILABLE. Weather means everything.

 

For clairfication, NO ONE would have told anyone, to book the afternoon trips for less cancelations, simply not true. You are just as likely to have morning trips go and afternoon foul weather. That's how it is, and reason, I always recommend people have back up plans in place and do some homework on what else is available to occupy your valuable port time.

[inkmahm]

Thanks for the info. I heard back from Coastal and they do NOT have sled dog adventures after August 15th. I've contacted ERA to see if they do as their site says August 31 as the end date. I know it will depend upon snow levels, weather, etc. but I want to at least start with someone who believes they will still be doing the excursions later in August.

[lilli]

I contacted Temsco to ask this very question and they said that it just varies--sometimes it is the morning and sometimes it is the afternoon, but neither one more than the other! They also guessed about 10-15 % get cancelled but it varies year to year depending on the weather!

lilli

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the info. I heard back from Coastal and they do NOT have sled dog adventures after August 15th. I've contacted ERA to see if they do as their site says August 31 as the end date. I know it will depend upon snow levels, weather, etc. but I want to at least start with someone who believes they will still be doing the excursions later in August.

 

A problem with ERA is they usually will not book ship passengers as they are a big ship contractor. With your time constraints with a whale watch also is a problem with ERA, as they are NOT by the airport, but on Douglas Island, out of the way for a whale watch operator to shuttle you there- IF they would??

[inkmahm]

A problem with ERA is they usually will not book ship passengers as they are a big ship contractor. With your time constraints with a whale watch also is a problem with ERA, as they are NOT by the airport, but on Douglas Island, out of the way for a whale watch operator to shuttle you there- IF they would??

Thanks for the info. I didn't know ERA was out of the way but I did do more searching on this forum last night and found a post about how ERA usually books with the chips and not directly with the tourists. I heard from TEMSCO last night and they have openings for us on a dogsledding tour that is just a half hour earlier (but cheaper!) than the one Princess is offering from TEMSCO. So, we're booking with them and doing the dogsledding on Mendenhall afterall. I figure I can add flightseeing and walking on a glacier when we are in Denali or McKinley Princess lodges as I haven't checked their excursions yet (any suggestions? :D )

 

Harv and marv seem great so far and we are booking with them for the morning whale watching, including paying extra for them to take pictures for us. Their pictures on their site are gorgeous! I know I couldn't get any near their quality with my tiny little digital camera.

 

Now we're just figuring out what to do for lunch and working out the timing details. We'll be done whale watching at 11 am and they will drop us off at Temsco for the dogsledding instead of back at the ship. We would normally get picked up at the ship at 11:45 am for dogsledding so I'm waiting to hear what time they would actually get to the helicopters. I'm guessing 12:15? Somewhere between getting back to land at 11 am and taking off at 12:15 I'm hoping there is a quick stop we can make to grab lunch! I told my husband to tell his parents that I'm booking us every minute that I can for excursions but not to necessarily expect to eat every meal. :eek:

[lilli]

I am hoping to work out something similar to your trip--when are you in Juneau? I read somewhere on here that the whale watching company might be able to order box lunches for you to save the time and hunger!

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know ERA was out of the way but I did do more searching on this forum last night and found a post about how ERA usually books with the chips and not directly with the tourists. I heard from TEMSCO last night and they have openings for us on a dogsledding tour that is just a half hour earlier (but cheaper!) than the one Princess is offering from TEMSCO. So, we're booking with them and doing the dogsledding on Mendenhall afterall. I figure I can add flightseeing and walking on a glacier when we are in Denali or McKinley Princess lodges as I haven't checked their excursions yet (any suggestions? :D )

 

Harv and marv seem great so far and we are booking with them for the morning whale watching, including paying extra for them to take pictures for us. Their pictures on their site are gorgeous! I know I couldn't get any near their quality with my tiny little digital camera.

 

Now we're just figuring out what to do for lunch and working out the timing details. We'll be done whale watching at 11 am and they will drop us off at Temsco for the dogsledding instead of back at the ship. We would normally get picked up at the ship at 11:45 am for dogsledding so I'm waiting to hear what time they would actually get to the helicopters. I'm guessing 12:15? Somewhere between getting back to land at 11 am and taking off at 12:15 I'm hoping there is a quick stop we can make to grab lunch! I told my husband to tell his parents that I'm booking us every minute that I can for excursions but not to necessarily expect to eat every meal. :eek:

 

Have your whale watch, call ahead for take out for you from

 

 

Port of Call

 

Auke Bay, AK

(907) 789-2899

 

It is only a 10 minute drive between the whale watch and TEMSCO.

[inkmahm]

I am hoping to work out something similar to your trip--when are you in Juneau? I read somewhere on here that the whale watching company might be able to order box lunches for you to save the time and hunger!

We'll be in Juneau on August 27th. It's the tail end (no pun intended :D ) of dogsledding season so I'll be lucky if we get to go at all!

 

The box lunches would be great. We're not picky, just need to have SOME food for lunch since I don't know that we'll have much time for breakfast in the morning, either.

[inkmahm]

Have your whale watch, call ahead for take out for you from

 

 

Port of Call

 

Auke Bay, AK

(907) 789-2899

 

It is only a 10 minute drive between the whale watch and TEMSCO.

Really? That's great! Then we should have plenty of time to grab the food and eat before dogsledding. Yay! Thanks so much for the info! (You ought to be a travel agent... )

[NancyIL]

We phoned in a lunch order from Hot Bite at the boat dock, and it was ready when our whale watch ended.

[Budget Queen]

Yes, Hot Bite works better, is right at the marina, that I recall???

[inkmahm]

The Hot Bite / /

Auke Bay Boat Harbor; 907/790-2483

 

"Out the road" at the Auke Bay Marina, the Hot Bite is a good place to know about. After a hard day fishing, or if you're biking round-trip to Mendenhall Glacier from downtown Juneau, tank up here. It's just a shack in the parking lot, with picnic tables in a screened-in porch, and it's high on the grease quotient-but locals love it. Try the grilled chicken or great halibut burgers, with a side of tart vinegar chips, and wash them down with a thick, creamy milkshake. $; no credit cards; local checks only; lunch every day in winter; lunch, dinner every day in summer; no alcohol.

[inkmahm]

YAY! All reservations are made. Whale watching with marv and harv from 8 am to 11 am, lunch at the Hot Bite and get to Temsco for the dog sledding excursion at noon. Back by 2:30 and maybe an hour to run around town to shop.

 

Marv and Harv even keep a copy of the menu for Hot Bite on their boat so it's easy to know what you want when you call in the order!

 

Great service already and we aren't even in Alaska yet. :)

[inkmahm]

.....

[mdeane]

For anyone else looking for a dogsledding tour may I suggest Godwin Tours in Seward. They are cancelled much less than other ports and are a much smaller operation so not so many people. Only 3 helicopters versus numerous ones elsewhere. A very personal tour. I talked with Jim just today and they are booking up fast. Just a thought. We choose them.

[Budget Queen]

For anyone else looking for a dogsledding tour may I suggest Godwin Tours in Seward. They are cancelled much less than other ports and are a much smaller operation so not so many people. Only 3 helicopters versus numerous ones elsewhere. A very personal tour. I talked with Jim just today and they are booking up fast. Just a thought. We choose them.

 

Not sure, is this a second trip with them for you???