Alaska in itself is a land of mystery and untouched beauty. It really is the last frontier. So you may not have trouble finding an adventure that is slightly off the beaten path that is unique and will give you a spectacular way to enjoy all that is Alaska. If you’re still trying to make a list of things to do on your visit to Alaska and don’t want to just play it safe and hit up all the tourist sites, read the rest of this post if you’re interested in a once in a lifetime experience.
We visited Alaska at the beginning of the break-up season so a lot of places were still closed, not offering tours, had limited staffing, etc. Let’s just say that we didn’t really do all the research we normally would before our trip or we probably would have recognized that it was still technically the Alaskan winter and practically everyone was out-of-office and shut down. We were on the road and halfway to Denali National Park when my friend realized that they were not offering tours at Denali and we really didn’t know how to get around the park otherwise so collectively we decided to just do something else closer to Anchorage where we were staying.
We were somewhat surprised when we called the Aleyska Resort in Girdwood and they said that there were still helicopter tours provided by Alpine Air Alaska. So we drove about 4 hours back from near Fairbanks and headed to Girdwood.
One of the employees of Alpine Air Alaska picked us up from the Aleyska Resort and drove us to the main office to go over the safety instructions and waiver signing. I really didn’t know what to expect since I’d never been in a helicopter before. They have several different options for site seeing but we opted to do the glacier landing tour which costs a little bit more but again, this really was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the beauty and majesty of the Alaskan backcountry and glaciers.
We had excellent weather as the sun was bright. I suggest that you bring sunglasses even if you don’t do the glacier landing as the sun reflecting off the snow can be super intense. The original helicopter tour for about 30 mins was $299. The glacier landing added around another $100-$150. Now you’re probably saying “Holy crap that’s a spicy meatball to swallow!” Listen…listen…listen…remember that this may be a once in a lifetime experience, so why not? For us, since everything else was closed (even the Denali bus tours), we decided to pay and see what adventures unfolded since we weren’t spending much money elsewhere.
There are weight restrictions so be aware of this before you book, or call the office to confirm that you will be able to fly. Our pilot was Martin from Austria and the three of us hopped into the chopper. Then we lifted off and headed for the hills. It’s cool to be able to talk to each other through the headsets and listen to the ooooohs and ahhhhhs of your close friends. My friend couldn’t stop saying “It’s sooooo blue” because it’s really so true.
Although I don’t like actually flying in airplanes, flying in a helicopter was such a calming experience. It may be that the environment we were flying over was so beautiful and so untouched or maybe it was because I was with my friends. Martin was very informative about where we were flying over and history and pointing out spectacles like mountain goats, moose, or heli-skiers. He also seemed to have an affinity for James Bond and helicopter chases as we whizzed through the valleys and over the glaciers. He even gave us the thrill of our lives by pulling some rather exciting maneuvers over the rocky peaks of the mountains which had my stomach in my throat and my lungs gasping for air in excitement.
We saw the Lake George Glacier, Whiteout Glacier, and Colony Glacier. Now the glacier landing is something special! That probably explains why a lot of people do it to propose to their significant others. It’s so remote and so beautiful the way the blues and whites and black mix in unison are truly amazing! We landed on the huge Colony Glacier.
We even got to drink pure glacial water which was tremendously refreshing. It was so cold & so clean. We also did a little hiking over the glaciers to get some pics. I never felt unsafe at any point and Martin was very helpful with pointing out places that we shouldn’t step on the glacier just in case the ice or snow was thin. Safety was paramount and Martin was a perfect tour guide and host. He also assisted with taking pictures and even let us capture him in a few of the pics. I think he has experience in photography because the shots he took were amazing. I mean you really get the quality service.
He didn’t even seem annoyed at all the chatter on the microphones between us and seemed to understand how awesome this is for his passengers. His commentary throughout the flight and the hike demonstrated his passion for being a pilot as well as his appreciation for nature. What a rare find! One thing I’ll also say is that the whole experience didn’t feel rushed at all and having a whole hour to fly, land, hike, and chat seemed like the time lasted forever.
Boy Versus World’s Tips: If you’re doing any sort of glacier/ice landing, wear appropriate shoes as you’ll be walking on ice. I really love Salomon boots and their winter boots are perfect for walking in all sorts of weather conditions and have superb grip and will keep you warm.
Don’t forget to bring your camera. You can even get great shots with your cell phone camera as well. I seriously had about 1500 photos just from this one experience and I’d say 90% of the pics are superb.
Be sure to re-check that you get all your belongings when you exit the helicopter & don’t leave anything on the helicopter or it goes into lost and found.
Lastly, as I mentioned before, be aware there are weight restrictions, so check the website or call in advance if you have a little extra cushion for the pushin’.
I am very thankful for an excellent trip with Alpine Air Alaska and am actually so glad we decided in a moment of spontaneity to just go with the flow and experience Alaska on a whole new level.
Other than hiking boots, I’ve made a little list of important items to take along on your Alaskan helicopter tour or just things I thought were handy to have while traveling around Alaska. As always, if you have any questions, leave a comment.
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