Glacier Landing with Dog Sledding
Glacier Landing with Dog Sledding
This trip combines the excitement of helicopter flightseeing with dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier.
The remote wilderness area of Admiralty Island lies just 15 miles off the coast of Juneau. Locally known as "Fortress of the Bear", this large island is home to over 1,600 grizzly bears, one of the highest concentrations in the world with approximately one bear per square mile!
Departing from Juneau Airport, your thrilling seaplane flight will begin with a superb bird's eye view of Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier and the Gastineau Channel before landing deep within the Admiralty Island National Monument. En route it is often possible to spot whales, bald eagles and bears.
After a brief induction, it's a short hike along the shore to Pack Creek or any number of nearby popular bear spots. Your pilot and guide, Butch Laughlin, has been conducting bear tours since 1991 and knows this unique landscape very well. Although wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, with such experience, your chances are greatly increased.
Depending on the season, it is possible to see bears feeding on sedge grass in spring or salmon from mid-July to September. Admiralty bears seem to prefer chum salmon to leaner pink salmon and when the salmon are plentiful, the bears become more selective with what parts of the fish they eat. Despite being solitary animals, the bears will tolerate each other during the salmon runs while there is enough food to go around, meaning it is possible to see several bears in any one area.
Visitor numbers are tightly controlled and every effort is made to not impact the bears. The return flight to Juneau is via a different route providing another look at this spectacular landscape including mountains, alpine lakes and the temperate old growth rainforest.
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Glacier Landing with Dog Sledding
This trip combines the excitement of helicopter flightseeing with dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier.
Helicopter Glacier Trekking
Helicopter glacier trekking is the most exciting way to explore the scenic wonders of the glaciers flowing from the Juneau Icefield.
Whale Watching and the Mendenhall Glacier
This tour combines two of the best attractions in the Juneau area — the Mendenhall Glacier and whale watching. The Mendenhall Glacier is Juneau's biggest attraction and a humbling sight, while the waters off the coast of Juneau are well known for the large number of humpback whales that migrate from Hawaii each summer.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.