Glacier Bay National Park
There are days of long-planned travel to places that slightly disappoint, and there are others where the grandest expectations are exceeded by reality. Flying over Glacier Bay National Park is definitely the latter. What a magical afternoon!
We drove toward Skagway from the Yukon and entered Alaska for the first time headed for the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Our original plan was to see Glacier Bay on a flight from Haines, AK with Mountain Flying Service. However, we found their booking office in Skagway and were offered the flight at the same reduced price as going from Haines. It was a gorgeous crystal clear day, and we made the great choice to go ahead.
The plane, a DHC-2 Beaver, was very cool and meticulously maintained by the company owner/ pilot, Paul, who has been doing this for years. We joined a family of four from France for the last flight of the day which was extended 30 minutes because of the beautiful weather, a total of 3 hours with 75 minutes over Glacier Bay Park.
The views were amazing: ice and snow stretching for miles, mountains on every horizon, and occasional glimpses of the Pacific Ocean, bays and lakes glistening in shades of green and blue. The plane dipped into small valleys and banked against high, snow covered cliffs. Enthralling and magnificent!
There are basically three ways to see Glacier Bay Park: On a cruise liner, (my last choice), on a National Park boat day trip from a tiny town on the edge of the park reached by a flight from Juneau (about equal in expense with the flight we took), or the small plane “flight-seeing.”
When we landed, we found Skagway almost empty as most of the tourists had departed for the cruise ships. We enjoyed dinner at Skagway Brewing Company before the two hour drive back to our campground in Whitehorse, Yukon on the scenic Klondike Highway. Passing through customs both directions was easy. A stunning day with many hours of daylight and a highlight of our Alaska trip.
TLT Evaluation - Glacier Bay National Park - Breathtaking 5/5,
Cadillac’s Viewpoint: What is not to like. I am such a skillful aviator - the day was perfect. Cadillac’s Elevation 5 Antlers
Up top and up close
A dramatic glacial river
We dipped low over this area and on that bridge in three days I would photograph eagles and a bear a bit to the right of the photo
Two glacial “rivers’ merge at the dark stripe
This glacier ends on land so just melting ice seeps into this bay
This glacier ends in the water so the edges calve - they are 200 to 300 feet high and note the water color change.