THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Step into Alaska’s high country on a 90-minute helicopter tour that lands on ancient glacier ice and a windswept alpine ridge. Perfect for families and photographers seeking dramatic, close-up glacier experiences within an easy flight from Girdwood.
Step into Alaska’s high country on a 90-minute helicopter tour that lands on ancient glacier ice and a windswept alpine ridge. Perfect for families and photographers seeking dramatic, close-up glacier experiences within an easy flight from Girdwood.
Book with Alpine Air Alaska
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Alpine Air Alaska · Anchorage, Alaska
Glacier Discovery Tour takes you from the hangar in Girdwood into the heart of the Chugach Mountains, a short flight from Anchorage, Alaska. This 90-minute helicopter trip blends aerial theater with two on-ground landings: a 15–20 minute walk on ancient glacier ice and a second stop on an alpine ridgeline or a glacier-fed lake beach. Those minutes on the ground are rare chances to touch blue ice, photograph crevasses, and, if luck holds, witness a piece of a glacier calving into a turquoise pool.
The flight path itself frames the region: sweeping views down the Girdwood Valley, serrated peaks, and the braided tongues of glacier ice threading through cirques. The helicopters used are Robinson R44 aircraft that seat three passengers, and Alpine Air Alaska runs the operation from their hangar in Girdwood. Check in 15 minutes before your tour; plan for small-group seating and occasional combined parties to meet FAA weight-and-balance rules. Guests weighing 250 lbs or more may incur a comfort surcharge, and those 300 lbs or more should call to explore larger-aircraft options.
Wildlife spotting is part of the rhythm here—moose browse valley willows, Dall sheep cling to limestone ledges, mountain goats stand on knife-edge ridges, and both black and brown bears range in the foothills. Summer visits reveal blue glacier pools and the possibility of dramatic calving; in colder months the landscape is glassy and still, etched in snow.
Practical details are straightforward: bring closed-toe shoes, a windproof layer, sun protection, and a charged camera or phone. Winter calls for warm boots and insulated layers. Infants under 24 months may fly on a caregiver’s lap, but anyone aged two or older must have their own seat. Round-trip shuttle service from Anchorage and Girdwood hotels is available, and Alpine Air Alaska offers an add-on dog sledding experience in summer for guests wanting to extend the adventure—call (907) 783-2360 to reserve.
Why book this trip? It’s a concentrated, high-value way to experience glacier scale without a multi-day trek: the aerial perspective, a tactile moment on ice, and a ridge-top viewpoint combine into a compact, photographic alpine sampler. For families, photographers, and first-time glacier-goers, the Glacier Discovery Tour delivers close-up geology, wildlife opportunity, and that Alaska-specific brand of raw, immediate landscape that stays with you long after you return to Girdwood.
Plan for variable weather and brief ground time: most landings allow only 10–20 minutes, so have camera settings ready and footwear laced. Operators follow FAA and safety protocols; pilots provide a short orientation before landing. If you want longer glacier time or to combine activities, ask about the Ultimate Summer Tour that pairs this flight with dog sledding. Book in the high season; flights are limited and fill fast.
moderate.
1.5 hours.
Light to moderate fitness; able to board a small helicopter and walk short, uneven distances for 10–20 minutes on ice or rocky ridgelines.
The tour is approximately 90 minutes total, including two short landings—plan on 10–20 minutes on the glacier and a similar window on the ridgeline or lake beach.
Check in 15 minutes before your tour at the hangar in Girdwood, Alaska.
Infants under 24 months may fly on a caregiver’s lap; children aged two or older must have their own seat purchased.
Guests commonly spot moose, Dall sheep, mountain goats, and sometimes black or brown bears in the distance.
Guests weighing 250 lbs or more may be subject to a $150 comfort surcharge; those 300 lbs or more should call the office to discuss larger-aircraft options.
Yes—Alpine Air Alaska offers an Ultimate Summer Tour that pairs this flight with dog sledding; call (907) 783-2360 to book.
The Chugach region has long been traversed and used by Alaska Native communities and later by mountaineers and pilots shaping modern access to inland glaciers.
Operators minimize impact by limiting ground time on fragile ice and moraine; visitors should pack out all trash, stay on stable ice, and give wildlife wide berth.
1.5 Hours • Available Year-Round • Best Photo Opportunities
Book with Alpine Air Alaska