Get ready for an experience of a lifetime, and you must plan a tour to see Alaskan glaciers during the vacation. Drive through the gorgeous Alaskan backcountry and plan an unforgettable cruise to see one of the most amazing and unique parts of Alaska, the glaciers. Sadly, the number of glaciers and their area is trending downward.
Alaska’s glaciers extend down into the sea mountain peaks and can be hundreds of feet high, and are miles and miles long. The best time to take an Alaskan cruise is May through September when the weather is perfect, and there are plenty of opportunities to see the wildlife.
Here are some of the must-see glaciers of Alaska:
1. Knik Glacier – Located in the Chugach Mountains to the east of Anchorage, the melting glacier is like a 400-foot wall of ice that spreads across six square miles. A helicopter tour is the right way to admire the melting glacier and its expanse.
2. Matanuska Glacier – The Matanuska Glacier is the most impressive Glacier that can be seen from the roadside. There are several pullouts all along the highway to see the four miles wide Glacier and one can drive up near the Glacier to get close-up shots.
3. Exit Glacier – Another popular glacier among locals and tourists is the Exit Glacier that offers different views from different points. One can easily reach the parking area after taking the Exit Glacier Road and take any of the trails in the area to see the Exit Glacier from close.
4. Mendenhall Glacier – Mendenhall Glacier is easily accessible by road and gets more than 400,000 visitors each year. The half-mile vast Glacier feeds Mendenhall Lake that is filled with some icebergs as tall as 200 feet. Explore the area but do not forget to take a large aerial map of the icefield.
5. Portage Glacier – Located about 50 miles south of Anchorage, Portage Glacier is popular among tourists. However, the Glacier has been retreating for decades now, and one has to travel further to see the Glacier. Take a boat cruise on Portage or hike on any trails that will lead you to the Glacier.
6. Spencer Glacier – Spencer Glacier offers a majestic sight, and the only way to reach it is by rail. Located between Anchorage and Denali, the Glacier ends in a gorgeous glacial lake that is filled with dark blue icebergs saturated by freshwater. You can also hike to the Glacier on your own.
7. Valdez Glacier – The Valdez Glacier has already become a popular tourist destination today. In the past, during the 19th century, it was a stop for the business prospectors during the Gold Rush. This glacier lake area is popular with winter sports enthusiasts and is more than six hundred feet deep.
You can visit any of the above glaciers in Alaska , and it is sure to make an unforgettable experience. The sheer lofty ice walls with deep blue holes and the sounds of creaking ice will haunt your memories for a long time. No matter where you go and what Glacier you see, you will be rewarded with an amazing and truly unforgettable experience.