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NIZINA GLACIER
HIKING TRIP

Day Trip

View massive building-sized icebergs!

Take a short but stunning flight to the beautiful Nizina Valley. Your flight will land only a ¼ mile away from the Nizina Lake, where building-sized icebergs break off the Nizina Glacier to fill the lake. The lake drains into the Nizina River, a mighty glacial river that is commonly rafted and can take you all the way to the Gulf of Alaska. 

 

The glacier, lake, and river aren’t all that this Alaskan wilderness has to offer – 7,500 ft Nizina Mountain and 6,844 ft Chitistone Mountain tower above as you navigate the lake’s edge and make your way towards the broken edge of the Nizina Glacier. Be sure to have your camera ready as you make your return flight! You’ll fly right by the mile-high cliffs, packed full of unique geography and waterfalls spilling down the cliffside.

ADVANCED RESERVATIONS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!

The Alaska Factor

Here in Alaska we’re faced with what we like to call  “The Alaska Factor.” Alaska’s wild and untamed landscape offers us the opportunity to authentically explore true wilderness. Part of embracing the Alaska Factor is understanding that things may not always go as planned. Water levels might rise, snow might fall, glaciers might shift and move – the landscape is dynamic and unpredictable. That’s what makes Alaska, Alaska!

 

It’s important to expect the unexpected! Weather may cause delays, reroutes, or unplanned overnight trips. Although extremely unlikely, there is a small chance unfavorable weather conditions may require you and your guide to stay overnight in the backcountry. On all of our Fly-In Trips, your guide will come prepared with an overnight bag that includes shelter, sleeping bags/pads, and food for your group. Your guide will also have a satellite phone in order to communicate with the flight service. The Alaska Factor makes anything possible, and we’ll always come prepared! Unexpected reroutes that result in a longer flight will incur additional fees. You will be responsible for covering the cost of these fees.

Tour Details

Price
1 participant – $2,460 total
2 participants – $2,460 total
3 participants – $3,621 total
4 participants – $5,916 total
5 participants – $7,395 total
6 participants – $9,984 total

Mileage
Variable!

Elevation gain/loss
Up to 100 ft

Terrain 
Uneven rocky surfaces, some bushwhacking

Tour Length
Full day (variable start and end time)

Dates Offered
 Daily from June 15th – September 8th, 2024

Age Limit
All ages welcome!

Group Size
Always private!

DETAILS

Trip Highlights

  • Customizable route, completely tailored to your interests and abilities!
  • Two 15-minute scenic bush plane flights
  • Stunning views of the mile-high cliffs from your plane window
  • A full day hiking in the Alaskan backcountry beside an iceberg-filled lake at the toe of the Nizina Glacier

 

Once you book your trip, you’ll receive a confirmation with all the information you need!

What’s Included?

  • Experienced and knowledgeable guide
  • 15-minute bush plane flights there and back
  • Emergency overnight gear
  • Roundtrip ground transportation! 
(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 – Cloudy, rainy weather can make even a July day cold!
  • Sunglasses, Sunscreen, and Bug Spray
  • Hiking Boots with ankle support or other sturdy walking shoes.
  • Trekking Poles
  • Lunch, Snacks, and a Water Bottle
  • Camera/Phone to take pictures!
  • Backpack to carry it all.

FAQ

Glacier Activities – Yes, you do need to bring your own lunch. Bringing lunch is highly recommended to help keep you fueled during your time out on the glacier, especially for the Full-Day Hike or Ice Climbing!

Fly-In Activities – Yes. You’ll be out in the Backcountry from morning until evening, so you’ll definitely want to bring a lunch

Raft & Flightsee – No, lunch is provided! Please let us know at the time of your booking if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions.

Kayaking Activities – Yes, you do need to bring your own lunch.

You’re welcome to reserve a Snack Pack for $8 or purchase one at our office at the start of your hike. If you are staying at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge and have purchased a meal plan, they will provide you with a sack lunch for the day.

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!

St. Elias Alpine Guides was started in McCarthy in 1978 by legendary climber Bob Jacobs who wanted to explore even more remote wilds and was feeling like Denali was getting too crowded even back in the 70s! The current owners worked as guides for the company for many years before taking over the business and are only the third owners in 40 years! We’ve been around longer than the Park itself and are the longest continually operating business in the area. We are proud of our long and consistent legacy in the most magnificent wilderness on earth! To learn more about us, click here.

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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