Hellllllp! One BIG excursion...or 5 little ones????

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kalei

Guest
Ahhhhhhhhh.... I'm soooooooooo confused! I'm from Hawaii, never ever seen snow! Alaska has been a dream for me since I was 12! I'm going on the diamond cruise in August.

Has anyone done the 6 hour Heli/glacier extended trek in Juneau? It's like 4 hours of hiking and climbing ice!!! :) It's $445.00 bucks though! So my question is......instead of doing 4 or 5 little excursions for like $100 bucks each ie; hiking, snorkling, kyaking, etc......maybe it would be a once in a lifetime thing to get in a helicoper and get dropped on a GIGANTIC glacier to explore, hike and ice climb???

Can ANYONE enlighten me about what would be the most exciting, adventures, life changing experience in Alaska?
 
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cruisegary

Guest
gotta tell ya, just the cruise will be awesome. Watching the scenery from the ship is fantastic. But, since most of the close in snow will be gone, you might want to get out onto a glacier. Unless you are a big hiker, just landing on a glacier for 20 minutes will be the biggest thrill.

In Junuea you can take a $5 bus to the Menhanhall Glacie and walk up to within I guess a quarter mile of it.
 
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dusty

Guest
i agree with cruisegary.

if this is your dream you will be sorry afterwards if you do not do the glacier and ice tour. first check and see if you can get the tour cheaper on the net through a different tour co or even the ship you will be on. for other things to do in the ports you can do the menenhall glacier tour for $10 ( $5 ) each way in junea and you can stay as long as you like, skagway has free walking tours with rangers for info about the town and the gold rush days ( just type in skagway and bring up all there is to do there ) . and in ketchikan you can go to saxman village and totem bright park for $35 total with www.rainbirdtours.com. go and walk on a glacier, wander through the ports, keep your eye out for any wildlife and have a great time. what time of the year are you going and what ship will you be on?
 
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kalei

Guest
Saaa..weeeet! Thanks you guys! Great advice! I guess I needed a little more reinforcement about the glacier thing.

Gary, I'm a HUGE hiking fan! I guess it's in my blood being from Hawaii and all. Holy macaroni....I would either hike up a mountain to swim in the waterfalls, or scoot down a mountain to go surfing at the beach. Either way, I love a challenge! I hate walking on flat terrain, gimmi some hills anyday! I guess that's why the 4 hour hike w/ ice picks and stuff has just got me TOTALLY , insanly, excited!

I think I would be sad to just stand on a glacier. I would be like.....ummmm...excuse me....do you mind if I hike that thing?! I'll be right back! LOL!!!! hee,hee,hee!!!

Dusty, I'm going in August on the diamond princess. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh I"m sooooooooo freaking excited! I just went out and bought all kinds of warm clothes. Being that I moved from Hawaii to Florida, I've never been cold before. I'm a little scared to be honest! What if I get to the glacier and I'm allllll like.....ummmm.....berrrr........nevermind....I think I'll just build a fire and wait for ya'll to come back! LOL bahhh haa haa can you imagine? Would that just be alllllll #$$%^$#@ up! hee,hee,hee

Anyway, thanks you guys for the advice!
 
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cruisegary

Guest
go for the hiking thing. There are for sure options to use ice picks, etc which is right up your alley.

Cold? Not a big deal. Other than the fact that the glaicer is ice and therefore cold, the air will not be that bad. Layers is the answer. Do you know that people actually ski in short sleeves? Find some reports of people that have done the hike via searches here or elsewhere. And I am sure buried someplace in some trip reports you will find some that have done it.
 
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kalei

Guest
Short sleeves???? HOLY! No way! Awesome! Cuzz, I'm NOT going to bring a huge heavy jacket. I plan on layering. Whatever that is. I did buy lightweight long sleeve shirts and a windbreaker. All pretty lightweight stuff. Sounds like that will do it. And I'll wear like a camisole/tank under the long sleeve shirt.

I tried to find someone who has done the glacier trek, w/ no luck :( Maybe I'm searching with wrong words. I'll try "hike" Thanks!
 
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p.g.

Guest
Hi bring a fleece jacket to layer under your windbreaker. A long sleeved shirt and a windbreaker are not enough.
There will be a good chance that you encounter some decent weather, but , still , you should have a decent fleece or sweater.
 
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dusty

Guest
kalei

hi, this is dusty again. wow, you are really getting so close to your cruise. how exciting!!!!!. i just wanted you too know that one fleece will be plenty. and heck, if you decide you need more just buy something as a souvenier for when you get home. if it is too hot to wear in florida you can hang it on the wall as a '' reminder ''' hehe.

also in junea, you can go up on the TRAM and do some great hiking up there. my brother-in-law just got back from his trip and he said it was fantastic up there. he really wore out a pair of comfy shoes with all the hiking he did on his own in the ports . just dont get lost. is skagway you can get a map of the city at the tourist station and walk on your own to '' soapy smiths cemetary '' ( a visitor site ) and do some good hiking up there also. it will cost you nothing and you will have a great time.

i know you are going to have a wonderful experience on your trip. dont miss the chance to be on deck when the ship pulls away from the dock and leaves seattle. it is a nice rememberance for your cruise.
 
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dusty

Guest
kalei

welcome back. tell us how much you loved it and what you did. im sure you are glad you took the glacier trip. please post and let us know all about it. i cant wait to hear from you about your '' dream cruise '''.
 
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