6 Day Shoup Glacier to Columbia Glacier and Glacier Island

TRIP DETAILS

Length: 6 Days
Difficulty: Medium - adventurous people in good condition
Dates: Custom Dates Only
Price: $1650pp, Two Person Minimum

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St. Elias Guides

Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park

TRIP LOGISTICS

TRIP ITINERARY

EQUIPMENT LIST

6 Day Shoup Glacier to Columbia Glacier and Glacier Island Sea Kayak Camping Tour

Paddle Shoup Glacier, Sawmill Bay, Heather Bay, Columbia Glacier, and Glacier Island. Enjoy paddling amongst the icebergs, seals, sea otters, sea lions, whales and other curious creatures. View bird rookeries and bald eagles. A great whale-sighting trip, combining two glacial areas and a steep, lush coastline!

Tour Activities

-Sea kayaking
-Camping
-Hikes
-Scenic motor boat ride

Price Includes

-Meals listed in itinerary
-Instruction
-Kayak equipment
-Tents & sleeping kit
-Guide services
-Motor boat transport
-Park fees

Trip Length

6-Days, 5-Nights

Difficulty

Easy / Moderate

Itinerary

One of Pangaea Adventures' most revered trips, and for good reason! The scenery is amazing, the wildlife is diverse, and the campsites are outstanding. Not to mention, the price for such a 6-day wilderness kayak trip is unbeatable. This itinerary has been featured on the travel channel, in the LA Times, and Guardian of London. Please plan to arrive in Valdez the day before the departure date. We also suggest spending the evening in Valdez the day we return from the paddle.

- Day 1 - During the morning, the guide will familiarize the group with the agenda for the coming days and an introductory instruction on sea kayaking and packing the kayaks. Following a scenic water taxi ride to the drop-off, the day will be spent exploring the upper bay of Shoup Glacier Marine State Park. We will find sea otters, seals, and a spectacular rookery of black-legged kittiwakes. This will be our first intimate experience with a glacier. There are also decent hiking opportunities in this area, and the campsite is one of the best in the Sound! (Breakfast) (Lunch) (Dinner)

- Day 2 - Paddling out of Shoup Bay, the group will head south, through the Valdez Narrows and into Valdez Arm. Our destination for the evening will be Sawmill Bay Marine State Park, a protected and pretty bay rimmed with rainforest and lofty peaks. En route, we'll paddle a dramatic coastline adorned with towering snow-capped peaks and magnificent waterfalls cascading down from the cliffs above. Set up a comfortable camp site, and in the evening we can paddle into "Bear's Kitchen" to look for black bear feeding on salmon. Should you bring any rods, there are also some decent salmon-fishing opportunities in this area. (Breakfast) (Lunch) (Dinner)

- Day 3 - After a tranquil evening in Sawmill Bay, venture out into the Valdez Arm for a relaxing paddle along a brilliant coastline to one of our favorite camping beaches. This wondrous stretch of shore has a small waterfall at one end which offers a refreshing bathe. The beach also offers expansive views east across Valdez Arm and south into Prince William Sound. A great place to enjoy a camp fire and evening stories. A walk in the rainforest is always a great option here, too.
- (Breakfast) (Lunch) (Dinner)

- Day 4 - A good push into the Sound and around Point Freemantle to the Columbia Glacier area. A full day of paddling brings us to Heather Bay, a well-protected slice of emerald water and home to a wide variety of waterfowl and marine mammals. It is not uncommon to see rafts of thirty or more sea otters here. Born in the heart of the Chugach Mountains, the Columbia Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in Prince William Sound. Views of snow capped peaks and towering icebergs abound!
- (Breakfast) (Lunch) (Dinner)

- Day 5 - Our day will be spent in Heather and Columbia Bays exploring the ice of Columbia Glacier. This day offers relaxing paddling and easy hiking. The diverse wildlife is a treat on all of our visits. We will possibly stay at the same camp site to give a more relaxed pace to the day, or sometimes we'll make the push north toward the face, or perhaps instead we'll cross south to Glacier Island in the evening. The weather and group's pace and desire will determine the destination.
- (Breakfast) (Lunch) (Dinner)

Day 6 - Our final day starts early with a paddle out of Heather Bay and crossing to Glacier Island (unless we are already camped there). Weather permitting, by midday we'll be turning Bull Head for the experience of a lifetime. Here we get to paddle with a colony of Stellar Sea Lions and possibly even humpback whales. Keep an eye out for puffin and cormorants inhabiting the caves lining the cliff-ridden shoreline. Pull out onto a secluded beach for a bite, hike and unpack. The motor boat will pick us up after lunch for the victorious shuttle back to Valdez.
(Breakfast) (Lunch)

Note: The pace and itinerary of this tour can vary from trip to trip. It is common to camp on Glacier Island on night 5 instead of in Heather Bay, but sometimes we end up staying in Heather Bay or Columbia Bay until the last day as described above. It just comes down to weather, pace and preference. Any which way, you style!

Trip Gallery

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What Our Clients Say

If an amazing, Alaskan wilderness experience is what you seek, you won’t do better than Copper Oar. With my 10 and 8 year-old sons, we floated the Nizina River, hiked on the Kennicott Glacier and sea kayaked in the glacier-filled fjords and bays outside of Valdez. Every moment of the trip was memorable. The guides were well-qualified and knowledgeable. The trip was immaculately planned and executed. And, most important, the wilderness was magnificent.

Jeff N.
Nizina River Multi-Sport Package
2010

Jeff N. - Nizina River Multi-Sport Package, 2010