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ICE CAVE
TOUR

Day Trip

Explore below the Kennicott Glacier!

Under the edge of the Kennicott Glacier is a world that few get to see and experience. Explore along the edge of this 24-mile long glacier and crawl beneath the surface where you’ll see glowing blue walls of ice and light seeping through cracks and holes! To get there you’ll cross over loose rock, shifting mud, and rushing and dripping water. This trip is challenging, but the reward is well worth it! And the pictures and memories will last you a lifetime. 


This trip is only for sure-footed people who don’t mind getting wet and dirty! The way down to the caves is steep over loose rock. At the entrance, there is often rushing water and falling rock (we loan you a helmet). Once inside the caves, you lose daylight (we loan you a headlamp) and there is rock, mud, and water rushing over the ground and water dripping down from above you. This trip is not recommended for those who experience claustrophobia. Travel between caves (if multiple are accessible) requires traversing over loose rocks and crossing creeks.


Your guide is there to lend you a hand over the unstable terrain and to give you words of encouragement along the way, but please note that this is an extremely challenging trip. Because of the challenging nature of this trip, we strongly encourage you to assess everyone in your group to make sure this is the right trip for them. Refunds are not issued if you are physically unable to make it to the caves. If you have any doubts about your ability to participate in this tour, please call us for additional information. The ice caves are also subject to collapsing or unexpected flooding, making the conditions extremely variable. If we need to cancel due to unsafe conditions, you will receive a full refund. 


This tour only takes you below the glacier’s surface. If you are interested in exploring the white ice of the glacier above check out our
Half-Day Glacier Hike, Full-Day Glacier Hike, or Ice Climbing Trips!

ADVANCED RESERVATIONS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!

Tour Details

Price
1 participant – $420 total
2 participants – $641 total
3 participants – $662 total
4 participants – $798 total
5 participants – $919 total
6 participants – $945 total

Mileage
3-5 Miles

Terrain 
Steep loose rock, falling rock, small dark spaces, creek crossings

Tour Length
5-6 Hours

Dates Offered
June 15th – August 15th, 2024

Condition dependent! May need to cancel last minute due to unsafe conditions.

Tour Start Times
9 am in Kennecott

Additional 1pm start offered July 1st-31st

Age Limit
Not recommended for those 8 or younger

Group Size
PRIVATE ONLY –  No more than 6 participants per trip.

DETAILS

Trip Highlights

  • Find hidden ice caves along the edge of the Kennicott Glacier
  • Surround yourself with vibrant, dense blue ice
  • An unforgettable, otherworldly experience
  • Follow the ever changing tunnels under a glacier
  • Pictures that will last you a lifetime!

What’s Included?

(Pick-up time and location vary depending on your lodging location. Please reference your confirmation for specific details.)

What’s Not Included?

Equipment List

Come prepared with the following:

  • Rain Gear – Both jacket and pants!
  • Extra Layers – Warm sweater and/or jacket.
  • Hat and Light Gloves
  • Sunglasses and Sunscreen 
  • Bug Spray
  • Hiking Boots with ankle support or other sturdy walking shoes.
  • Trekking Poles can be helpful on some portions of the trail, but your guide may ask you to put them away once in the cave. If you choose to bring poles, please make sure they are collapsible and can be easily stored away.
  • Lunch, Snacks, and a Water Bottle
  • Camera/Phone to Take Pictures!
  • Backpack – Please make sure it is big enough to carry your extra layers, lunch, water, and the helmet we loan you!

FAQ

Each activity that we offer is unique and requires a different skills set that may not be suitable for all ages. Here are the age limits for our Day Trips:

Kennecott Mill Town Tour – All ages are welcome! Please keep in mind that there are steep stairs that all participants must be able to navigate independently. A hands free carrier is required for those 2 and under.

Half-Day Glacier Hike – All ages are welcome! Consider that you will hike between 5-6 miles. A hands free carrier is recommended for young children. A Private Trip is a great choice depending on the ages and abilities of your kids.

Full-Day Glacier Hike – All ages are welcome! Consider that you will hike between 8-11 miles. A hands free carrier is recommended for young children. To give your family the ultimate flexibility, a Private Trip is a great choice depending on the ages and abilities of your kids.

Ice Climbing – We recommend participants be 8 years old or older. Participants are expected to swing ice tools that can weigh between 2-5 lbs and use their own strength to move themself up the wall. Please consider your kid’s capabilities! We strongly encourage that families with children under 8 years old book a Private Trip.

Raft & Flightsee – We require participants be 8 years old or older. Participants must be able to hold on to the boat independently and be able to quickly and fully follow instructions given by the guide.

Kayaking Trips – We require participants be 3 years old or older.

Fly-In Hiking Trips – All ages are welcome! A hands free carrier is strongly recommended for those 2 or under.

Tipping is customary in the guiding industry and always appreciated. Our guides are paid professionals but tips make up a significant portion of their income and can go a long way toward making guiding a feasible long-term career choice. For our day trips, a good estimate is between 10% and 20% of the trip cost. So if you go on a day hike or climb with us, that would come to between $10 and $35 per person, depending on the trip and the percentage. As in any industry, your tip should be based on the service you feel you received. If you had the time of your life, the sky’s the limit! You can tip your guides in cash, via Venmo or you can leave a gratuity on your card. If your trip includes a flight you should plan on tipping your pilot independently, any amount that you pre-tip will go to your guide directly. Thank you for considering this ahead of time!

Meet the incredible guides that are the heart of our trips!

Who are the guides that make up the St. Elias Alpine Guides team? They are a diverse and competent group of people from all across the country. Their extensive outdoor experience, wilderness medical training, and great personalities make them stand out from the crowd. We put them through a thorough training program unique to our area – glaciology lessons, backcountry navigation, and training trips on the slopes of the Wrangell Mountains add to our guides’ abilities to adapt and dominate in the diverse terrain of WSENP. From a glacier hike to an 8-day expedition, they’ll be sure to make it a trip of a lifetime! Because our schedule is as dynamic as the environment we live in, we usually assign guides the night before for our Day Trips. And while we can’t guarantee who your guide will be – we love and trust every one of them and we know you will too!

Cancellation Policy

Your payment is fully refundable up to 48 hours prior to the start of the trip. If anything comes up prior to that time, call or email us to cancel your reservation for a full refund. Within 48 hours, there is no refund for cancellations. No-shows will be charged the full price. Our trips go out rain or shine! In the rare event that we to cancel a trip due to dangerous conditions, you will be notified and receive a full refund.

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