Mendenhall Glacier Seaplane, Paddle and Guided Hike Tour

Access the remote Norris Glacier by a 15-minute floatplane ride, then packraft on glacial waters, and hike on the glacier surface in a guided tour.

Getting started

Begin at the designated meeting location, where you check in and meet your professional guides for a brief overview of the day. Board the round-trip van transport from the meeting location that takes you to the floatplane base. After a short safety orientation, you get ready to board the aircraft for the flight to Norris Lake.

What to expect

Norris Lake and floatplane flight

Enjoy round-trip transportation and a 15-minute floatplane to Norris Lake, landing on a remote glacial lake near Norris Glacier. You travel in a small aircraft that typically seats six passengers, surrounded by an alpine landscape shaped by ice.

Features

• Scenic flight: Take the 15-minute floatplane to Norris Lake, with your pilot flying you over glacier-fed terrain before touching down on the lake’s surface beside the ice.

• Comfortable transport: Use the round-trip van transport from the meeting location and the included round-trip transportation to move seamlessly between the meeting point and the floatplane dock, so all transfers are pre-arranged for your group.

• Expert guidance: Rely on professional guides who are certified in wilderness safety and first aid, and who begin assessing weather and route conditions from this first stage of the trip to keep the route within the tour’s physical and safety requirements.

• Permits included: Benefit from US Forest Service permits that allow your group to access designated areas around Norris Glacier and its lake legally and in compliance with local regulations.

Packrafting on Norris Lake

Once on Norris Lake, the experience shifts to paddling across glacial waters in compact, stable craft. You travel toward the glacier’s edge in single or double-passenger pack rafts as part of a moderate to strenuous outing.

Features

• Glacial waters: Packraft on glacial waters using clients’ single or double passenger pack rafts, following your guide across the lake for approximately one hour of paddling round-trip, subject to conditions and group ability.

• Equipment included: Make use of all paddling equipment and glacier gear, including paddles, personal flotation setups, and glacier-specific gear suited to cold, wet conditions on the lake.

• Rain gear provided: Stay dry on the approach with rain gear that includes a hooded jacket, rubber boots, and pants, reducing exposure to splashes and glacial meltwater while you paddle.

• Hearty snacks: Refuel partway through the on-water and shore portions of the tour with hearty and healthy snacks and a souvenir water bottle that you can keep after the trip.

Mendenhall Glacier hike

After reaching the glacier margin, you transition from packraft to glacier trekking. This hike on the glacier surface covers up to 2 miles on uneven terrain, with time on the ice depending on group pace and weather.

Features

• Adventurous terrain: Hike on the glacier surface as part of the glacier trekking component, with your guide choosing the exact route and duration on the ice based on current conditions and group fitness. The specific amount of time on the ice cannot be guaranteed and may vary.

• Safety glacier gear: Wear all glacier safety gear, including helmet, micro-spikes, harness, and trekking poles if needed, along with broader safety equipment that supports secure movement on snow, ice, and exposed rock.

• Guidance for a safe journey: Follow your professional guides as they manage the moderate to strenuous hike, taking into account the tour’s physical requirements and ensuring that visiting specific features such as ice caves or moulins happens only when conditions allow, and only if it is safe.

At the end of your glacier hike, you return by packraft across Norris Lake to the floatplane, then fly back to the base and use the round-trip van transport from the meeting location to conclude the tour where you started.