- Strenuous
- 15+ years old
- 5.25 hours
Our Extended Helicopter Glacier Trek is for adventure seekers wishing to maximize their time on the glacier, explore more territory, and learn basic ice climbing techniques.
Quick Details
Trek into the Glacier Blue
Our Helicopter Glacier Trek provides you with two hours on the glacier to learn basic glacier travel techniques, explore, take pictures, and appreciate the magnificent surroundings. This Alaska glacier tour begins with a short drive from the cruise ship terminal, or other pick-up location, to our base located next to the Juneau International Airport.
You will be outfitted in state-of-the-art trekking equipment and given a safety briefing before boarding one of our A-Star helicopters. Once loaded and ready, you will have an opportunity to explore Juneau’s incredible range of ecosystems while soaring over old-growth trees of the Tongass National Forest, dramatic mountain ranges, and expansive flows of ice that change from white to brilliant shades of blue. Flight routes are the pilots’ choice depending on conditions to give you the best views of the day.
Upon landing at our base camp on the glacier, your guide will outfit you with crampons, a helmet, and an ice axe to make it easier to walk on the slick terrain. As you begin your trek, our guides will demonstrate different techniques for glacier travel and allow time for practice as you become comfortable walking on the ice.
You will have ample opportunity to capture unique once-in-a-lifetime photos while your well-trained guides teach you about the history and geology of the area. After your tour, our comfortable vans will bring you back to your drop-off point.
Book your Juneau, Alaska glacier trek online today!
Please see FAQ’s page for general information about our tours and safety, here.
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- The total tour duration is 4.25 hours
- Tour includes approximately 30 minutes of helicopter time and 2 hours on the glacier
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- Enjoy sweeping views of the massive Juneau Icefield and Tongass National Rainforest on your helicopter flight to and from base camp.
- Learn and practice the proper use of ice-trekking gear while on your two-hourlong hiking expedition.
- Pose for pictures in front of azure-blue ice features and drink pure glacier water straight from the source.
- Explore the most pristine, remote areas of the glacier and gaze into deep crevasses, while admiring the grandeur of the area’s massive icefall.
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- Must be at least 12 years old to participate.
- Must have the ability to walk for two full hours over uneven and moderately steep terrain.
- For liability reasons, our NorthStar employees cannot lift guests into or out of the helicopter. Our staff will be there to assist, though guests are responsible for handling these steps on their own.
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We will provide you with rain pants, a rain jacket, gloves, a harness, mountaineering boots, crampons, gloves, ice axe, helmet and a hip pack with water and a granola bar.
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You should dress for a 10-15°F temperature decrease from sea-level (at the cruise ship docks) to the glacier. We recommend that you dress in long socks, warm layers, and sunglasses.
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NorthStar’s policies prohibit the following items on our aircraft/tour:
- Bags or cases of any kind
- iPads or tablets, tripods
- Selfie sticks or other extendible items
- Drone
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Due to weight and balance limitations, as well as guest safety and comfort, passengers weighing 250 pounds (113kg or 18 Stone) or more will be charged an additional $150.00 to reserve adequate space on board the helicopter. Total weight includes shoes and clothing. Surcharge must be paid at time of booking.
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We arrange seating based on the weight, balance, safety, and comfort of the whole departure, and cannot guarantee that we will be able to keep groups together on the aircraft. Please note that we will do everything possible to keep groups together for the flight portion of the tour, but we are sometimes required to split a group between multiple helicopters. All groups will be together for the glacier portion of the tour.
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If you decide to cancel more than 24 hours before departure, you will receive a refund minus a 10% cancellation fee. If you cancel less than 24 hours before departure, you will not receive a refund.
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Weather in Juneau can often be overcast and rainy. Decisions to operate tours are based on safety and tour quality. Should we decide not to operate your scheduled tour we will do our best to reschedule. If this is not possible, you will be refunded in full. In most cases we will not make the decision to cancel a tour until within an hour of departure, as the weather can quickly change and we do not want to preemptively cancel a tour – if it is at all possible it will run.
