Get More out of Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay is both a sensory and anticipatory experience. Travelers wait eagerly to see, hear and feel ice rumble, grind and tear off a glacial face a half-mile wide. They rush to the ship’s railing to see ice chunks … oftentimes larger than their house … drop to the sea in what seems to be slow motion. The subsequent wave rocks the boat to the oohs and ahhs of the passengers. The spectators anticipate it, squinting in rain and blustery winds to observe the scene from start to finish.

Unparalleled adventure is another main attraction of this region. Flight seeing, kayaking, sport fishing, biking and wilderness trekking; it’s all here. Kayakers enjoy paddling in mirrored water so flat and blue it takes a second look to ascertain where sky meets water. Wildlife abounds, with moose, bears and deer on spruce-blanketed mountainsides.

Glacier Bay is also a 3.3-million-acre time machine; a look at what much of the North American continent experienced during the Great Ice Age. As you travel from the glacier you can see the transition from ground-hugging lichens to wildflowers to mature forests 200 years old.

It is a highlight of Alaska’s Inside Passage cruises. While many people have experienced Glacier Bay on a cruise, relatively few have disembarked and seen below the tip of the iceberg. It is actually a shame if you don’t take time to set foot on solid ground and get up close and personal with wildlife and everything else that Southeast Alaska has to offer.

There are day cruises which allow you to view the glaciers, and additional days can be booked in order to view the park itself. You can go for a flight-seeing tour over the bay, hike, bicycle or rent a car and drive around. It is fun to sit at a coffee shop and talk to the local people. To properly experience Glacier Bay in this fashion takes several days of independent discovery.

Located in a rainforest overlooking Bartlett Cove, Glacier Bay Lodge is the only authorized concessionaire in Glacier Bay National Park. The lodge’s modular accommodations offer multi-tiered walkways that course through the surrounding rainforest. The water-view rooms are worth the slightly additional price to watch the evening sunsets. It is an easy walk from the lodge to the park’s immediate attractions.

The Baranof Wind is docked nearby and is currently the only day-tour catamaran permitted inside park boundaries. Narration on the park is superb in delivery and content and features wildlife from the onboard park naturalist along the 62 miles to the head of the bay. The Baranof Wind pulls up to the smaller glaciers, stops for a while to allow photos and continues on its way. You can expect to view several of the bays 16 tidewater glaciers. Some of the heavyweights include the Grand Pacific Glacier, a full 2 miles wide at its terminus. Margerie Glacier is over 250 feet tall and is popular for its ice calving.

You will want to dress warmly with a hat, coat and gloves to remain on the outer decks for the best views of glaciers and wildlife. Seals, mountain goats and puffins are almost always sighted. The Forest Loop trail near the lodge offers an excellent after-dinner hike to enjoy the flora, fauna and history of the area.

Glacier Bay Country Inn is a refined Alaskan hideaway buffered by 160 acres of dense rainforest and meadow and boasts a private airstrip. From there you are able to flight-see over the mountain peaks and rainforests of coastal Alaska, landing on remote saltwater grass flats and river gravel bars, taking in the scenic wonders of the region.

The Country Inn’s main lodge is an oasis of luxurious country living, Alaska style. Five themed guestrooms, each accommodating up to four guests, are guaranteed not to disappoint with their plush comforters and meticulous housekeeping and service. A large dining room with huge glass picture windows overlooks the meadow where wildlife is often seen during breakfast or dinner. On the second floor there is a large library of books with several comfortable couches. The TV/game room offers several hundred videos and DVDs. But with the huge scenic windows and fabulous scenery, the TV doesn’t get much use. Inside the front door a computer room offers internet access as well.

The service at Glacier Bay Country Inn is vintage Alaskana. There is time to relax and watch moose in the meadow, or just enjoy the remote setting. The lodge's three-course meals have been featured in Food and Wine, Saveur and Bon Appetit magazines.

There is more to Glacier Bay than what can be seen from your deck chair on the large cruise ship. It can warm your heart like no other place on earth.