10 Hours+
$239 + $25 Tax & Fees – Per Person
May 23 – September 16, 2020
Return: 9:15 pm
Ride the historic Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery train from Anchorage to Whittier
The Glacier Discovery route hugs the shores of Turnagain Arm, where the tide can change 27 feet in just a few hours. The route winds its way through the Chugach National Forest, home to Dall sheep, numerous moose, and black bear. As the train makes a turn away from the shore, it enters the glacially carved Portage Valley. A series of small tunnels lead up to North America’s longest shared tunnel, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. This one-way tunnel is the only way to access Whittier on land. Once through the tunnel, the cruise adventure begins!
The Cruise
The Glacier Quest Cruise takes you from Whittier to Blackstone Bay, a dramatic deep water fjord where two tidewater glaciers and several alpine glaciers await. From timberline to sea level, a mature, thick spruce forest provides a dark green contrast against the white spray of waterfalls stemming from the 8 glaciers hugging the mountain peaks.
As you cruise towards the head of Blackstone Bay, Tebenkof Glacier towers above on the left. After passing this valley glacier, Blackstone and Beloit Glaciers rise before you. You will get close to both with plenty of time to watch and listen to the sights and sounds these massive glaciers provide.
Along the way, the vessel also make a stop at an old shipwreck in Shotgun Cove. Be sure to look for wildlife roaming the shores.
The Vessel
The M/V Glacier Quest is an 80-foot catamaran which holds 149 passengers on 3 decks, two of which are enclosed and heated with an inside seat and table for every passenger on board. The M/V Glacier Quest is a smoke-free vessel.
Comfortable upholstered booths with tables are available for all passengers and the large picture windows provide a view from every seat. A saloon, snack bar and gift shop are a few of the other amenities available to our Glacier Quest passengers.
The Glacier Quest can accommodate guests with limited mobility who can walk short distances or step over raised thresholds. An ADA accessible restroom with a baby changing table is available in one of the three restrooms on board. Amble viewing room inside and on the outside view decks gives everyone a terrific view during the cruise
* First rail service begins May 27 Prior to May 27 Motorcoach service is substituted.