Full-Day Glacier Hike

Interested in joining us for a glacier hike in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park? Here’s what you can expect when you join us for our Full-Day Glacier Hike on the Root Glacier!

Your day of hiking on the Root Glacier begins at our office in the historic mill town of Kennecott, Alaska. Here you will check-in with our friendly office staff before meeting your guide and the rest of your group. Once introduced to your guide, they will fit you with crampons. Crampons are steel spikes worn on your shoes to make hiking on the glacier ice a breeze! Before you leave for the day, they will make sure you have all of the essential items needed for a day on the glacier – please reference our Equipment List for more specifics.

From our office, your guide will lead your group down the main street of Kennecott, passing the red and white buildings that stand as a reminder of the highly successful copper mining operation that boomed here in the early 1900s. The main street gradually turns into the 2 mile glacier trail that was originally built as a wagon road to supply the Erie Mine, six miles up the Root Glacier. In May and June, brilliant blue lupines bloom alongside the path. As summer matures, fireweed and wild rose bring splashes of vibrant pink to the landscape.

Gradually, the trail descends towards the edge of the Root Glacier. As your guide pauses to explain the local geology, flora, and fauna, you’ll enjoy spectacular views of the rock-covered Kennicott Glacier and the white ice of the Root Glacier. While the majority of your 2 mile hike is over a well maintained trail, the last ¼ mile does require descending over steeper loose rock. Once you make it to the edge of the glacier, your group will take a break while your guide instructs everyone on how to put on crampons, proper walking techniques, and general glacier safety.

Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for! Now you get to follow your guide onto the glacier itself. As you hike up the glacier, you’ll notice how water runs all over the surface of the ice. The water joins into bubbling streams and waterfalls. In steeper terrain, that water picks up speed, and carves deep canyon-like ravines in the ice, forming beautiful and enticing water slides. At level spots, the water collects and reflects a breathtaking blue. As the ice gives way to the warmer melting water, holes, known as moulins, form.

Along the way you will stop to enjoy the lunch that you packed, taking the time to sit in one place for a little while and enjoy the views. How far out on the glacier you go will depend on your group, but usually you can expect to go anywhere from 2-4 miles. After “lunch with a view”, your possibilities are endless! Your group and your guide may decide to head up-glacier towards the massive Stairway Icefall where the possibilities of finding undiscovered moulins and deep sparkling blue pools are good. Or, maybe you’ll set your sights across the medial moraine for Donoho Falls and the thundering cave it creates as it tunnels its way under the Root Glacier. No matter what you decide, you can’t go wrong! This truly Alaskan day-hike is sure to leave you spellbound and eager to share your discoveries with other travelers over dinner.

As the day draws to a close and the light softens, you and your guide will begin to make your way back towards Kennecott. Rushing water and your footsteps are the only sounds you’ll hear as you take one last look over your shoulder at the magnificent 7,000 ft Stairway Icefall. The adventure is far from over though. It’s the time in the evening when the trail is quiet, and animal sightings are likely. Keep your eyes peeled and your camera ready!

We get asked this question a lot – and it’s a good one!

Both Glacier Hikes take the same 2.5 mile trail to the Root Glacier. However, on our Half-Day Glacier Hike you’ll hike an average of 5 miles over the course of 5-6 hours, while on the Full Day Hike you’ll hike closer to 8-11 miles over the course of 8-9 hours.

In general the Full-Day Glacier Hike is much more strenuous. You’ll get to go further out on the glacier, where the terrain can be more challenging and varied. Because you get further out on the glacier there is a chance you won’t see another group for hours! We consider our Full-Day Glacier Hike more exploratory and there is no set route.

We recommend that you join us for a Full-Day Glacier Hike if you’d like to jump into a Blue Pool, as the pools are not always accessible on a Half-Day Glacier Hike.

On both hikes you get to see incredible glacial features, learn about our local environment (including some glaciology), and interact with a surreal landscape that you’ll remember forever! You can’t go wrong no matter which hike you choose!

Absolutely! We recommend joining us for a Full-Day Glacier Hike if you’d like to jump into a Blue Pool, as the pools are not always accessible on a Half-Day Glacier Hike. If you’re interested in jumping into a Blue Pool, you may want to bring a bathing suit, change of clothes, and towel. But don’t worry, if you forget a suit or change of clothes, you can always jump in the buff!

Wondering what a Blue Pool is? It’s an area on a glacier where water collects. The water in the pool emits a beautiful turquoise color! These pools can often be very deep – perfect for diving into or doing a big old-fashioned cannonball!

We do not recommend trekking poles for the glacier portion of your trek. Trekking poles can be helpful for the hike to the glacier, but are not required or necessary for all hikers. If you decide to bring trekking poles with you for your trek, please make sure they can easily break down so that you can store them on/in your pack while exploring the glacier.

We’re happy to say that the Root Glacier is a Valley Glacier, making access far easier than if it were high in the mountains. In fact, you will actually lose elevation to access the glacier! You’ll start your hike at roughly 2,000 feet and over the course of your day, you won’t gain or lose much more than 200 feet.

Tipping is customary in the guiding industry and always appreciated. While our guides are paid professionals, gratuities help make guiding a sustainable career. A good guideline is 10–20% of the trip cost—typically $10–$35 per person for day trips, and 10–20% of the total cost given at the end for multi-day trips. Tips can be given in cash, via Venmo, or by card. If your trip includes a flight, please tip your pilot separately, as any pre-tips go directly to your guide.

WSENP is located in Southeast-Central Alaska, about 300mi East of Anchorage and on the Canadian border.

8 guests to 1 guide, multiple tours can go out at once.

Yes, you do need to bring your own lunch.

You’re welcome to reserve a Snack Pack or purchase one at our office. Due to item availability (and the remote nature of McCarthy), substitutions may occur. They typically include:

• Nuts
• Beef jerky
• Granola bar
• Candy bar
• Fruit snacks
• Fruit leather
• Rice Krispie Treat
• Snack crackers

Absolutely! At checkout, select the private group option for the number of guests in your party.