| Portage Glacier tips and photos posted by real travelers and Anchorage locals. • 21 Photos
• 14 Reviews
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 by jjkent
This trail is great for visitors and those new to Alaska. The two views are simply stunning. The trail is moderately steep; most people in reasonable shape will be able to handle it. You don't have to be an expert hiker. It also is pretty short - just over one mile to the pass from the trailhead.
You will have to pay to get through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel - 12 dollars for cars in summer 2003. Alaska Department of Transportation is conducting a study to determine new rates - word is the tunnel fees will decrease for passenger cars...not sure if/when that will take place.
Best time of the year to hike this trail is late May - October. Leave a Comment Address: Whittier, AlaskaDirections: About 300 yards (200 meters) after you exit the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, take the first right and cross the railroad tracks. Take the next right and park near the end of the road (1000 yards). The trailhead is on the left.
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 The Portage Glacier by mcpangieLeave a Comment
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About an hours drive from Anchorage, the drive itself is a constant stream of beathtaking views as you drive along the Turnagain Arm. The cost of the cruise for us was $29. It lasts about an hours and runs at Departure Times: 10:30am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm, 3:00pm, 4:30pm.
The cruise around the lake is on an 80 foot vessel and has an indoor 1st level and an outdoor 2nd level. You definitely must go out on the outdoor level to really enjoy the surroundings. There's a forest ranger that provides the history and information about the local environment and the glacier. The vessel actually gets right up to the glacier only a few hundred yards away. We were lucky enough to see not one, but two calving fall into the lake! Before going to visit Portage Glacier I had seen pictures on postcards, but to really get an appreciation for the size and how blue the ice is you must see it up close. It's hard to believe that Portage Lake did not even exist 100 years ago. For more pictures check out my travlelogue.
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 by masonbryantLeave a Comment
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 Portage Glacier, Alaska by cruisingbug
By the way, the BBVC website says that one can no longer see the glacier from the center, as it's receded. Oh, well. More money for the boat ride operators, I guess! Leave a Comment
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 Portage Glacier by mht_in_la
The best way to view it is either by boat or by foot. By boat, you can take the tour boat "Ptarmigan" around the lake to get a close-up view. By foot, you can hike up the Portage Pass Trail (from Whittier side) to get an aerial view of the Glacier. The Portage Pass Trail is the old roadbed before the tunnel was built. It's on my hiking list but the girl I met on ferry gave me a ride straight from Whittier to Anchorage so I didn't have a chance to do it. We only stopped at a viewpoint at the west end of Whittier tunnel where I took the photo and her dog used restroom. In mid May, the glacier lake was still largely frozen. The Glacier is at the far end of the photo where the mountain meets the lake. Leave a Comment
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This is the most visited attraction in Alaska and is a short drive away from Anchorage at the Kenai Peninsula. You can even take a boat ride to view the glacier close up. Leave a Comment
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 by worldtrekker
This is an incredible spot with often very blue icebergs in fantastic shapes. It's a very popular stop. There's a few very short, easy trails which you can hike on. Watch out for the occasional bear!
From the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center there is a gorgeous view of this glacial lake and icebergs. The visitor center is worth a look.
From the visitor center, you can also continue on through a toll tunnel (new in 2001) to Whittier where you can catch the ferry to Valdez. Before this tunnel was built, you had to load your vehicle onto a flat-bed train to get to Whittier. This is how I remembered it from my previous trip in 1996. It's definately quicker and cheaper with the tunnel.
For more info about the area call the Glacier Ranger District Office in Girdwood: (907) 783-3242. Leave a Comment Address: 50 miles/80 km southeast of AnchoragePhone: (907) 783-2326 (summer)Directions: Drive the Seward Highway south to Milepost 79.1 and turn off onto the Portage Glacier Access Road. About 5 miles/8kms later you'll be at the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center.
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 by worldtrekkerLeave a Comment
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