FLIGHTSEEING IN THE LAST FRONTIER
Exploring Alaska’s wilderness in a floatplane
Alaska, nicknamed “The Last Frontier,” is home to some of the world’s most breathtaking glaciers and captivating wildlife. Arguably, there is no better way to appreciate all that Alaska has to offer than by a “flightseeing” trip via floatplane.
Each summer, millions of tourists visit several Alaska cities by virtue of Inside Passage cruises that depart weekly from Pacific Northwest cities such as Seattle and Vancouver. Their itineraries take them to popular towns such as Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway.
While each Alaska city has its own unique charm, a common trait among them is the opportunity for flightseeing via a floatplane tour. Juneau, the state capital, is one of the busiest flightseeing towns and for good reason. Juneau has a massive cruise port capable of hosting several megaships simultaneously. Alongside them
is the downtown waterfront floatplane dock that conveniently operates from morning until night during Alaska’s 18hour summer days.
Most floatplane tours are conducted using a de Havilland Canada Otter, a classic aircraft that has been in service for nearly 70 years. The 10-passenger, high-wing aircraft provides 1-1 seating so that every passenger has both a window and an aisle seat. Provided headsets provide guests with a recorded narrative and live updates from the pilot while limiting engine noise.
Many people use the terms “floatplane” and “seaplane” interchangeably. Technically speaking, both can take off and land on water. However, a seaplane uses its hull for buoyancy whereas a floatplane uses floats. During warmer months it is not uncommon to see traditional aircraft converted into floatplanes.
Glacier watching
One of the more popular tours is the 40-minute 5 Glacier Seaplane Exploration tour from Wings Airways. A few minutes after takeoff, guests soar over the beautiful wilderness of the Tongass National Forest where the first of five distinct glaciers come into view. A vision of grandeur, each glacier has its own name including Norris, Hole-In-The-Wall, East and West Twin Glaciers and the five-mile wide Taku Glacier. They form, in part, the 1,500 square mile Juneau Icefield.
For those with three hours, the Taku Lodge Feast & 5 Glacier Seaplane tour is a deluxe version of the aforementioned tour. In addition to viewing the glaciers, guests land alongside the famous Taku Lodge, built in 1923 across from the Hole-In-TheWall Glacier. There, guests feast on Alaska king salmon (Chinook) accompanied by American classic trimmings such as baked beans, coleslaw, pioneer fruit compote, and fresh bread. The salmon, caught in the river steps away, is grilled outdoors for a truly memorable experience. Moreover, while all manner of drinks is on offer, one would be hard pressed to not try the
homemade lemonade featuring local glacier water. After the huge feast, guests can choose to take a short nature walk or rest comfortably in the lodge. In some cases, the real excitement comes when nearby black bears catch wind of the feast leading them to visit the barbecue pit area in search of leftovers (which they never get).
Hobnobbing with bears
For those whose primary goal is to view a bear in its natural habitat, the eight-hour Fortress of the Bears Kayak-Pack Creek Sanctuary tour from Beyond Alaska might be perfect.
The adventure commences with a 25-minute floatplane flight to Windfall Island on Admiralty Island, known as Alaska’s Fortress of the Bears, where visitors are captivated by unspoiled lakes, rivers and rainforests that are inaccessible by land.
The experience continues with a one-mile kayak excursion to the Pack Creek Bear Sanctuary where the chance of viewing brown bears in their natural habitat is excellent. By some estimates, there are a staggering 1,800 brown bears in the surrounding area. Lucky visitors may also be rewarded with firsthand sightings of eagles and humpback whales.
A picnic lunch is included but given bears’ notorious interest in humanprepared food, all food must be stored in bear-proof lockers during the excursion.
The best bear viewing months are late May and June during brown bear mating season or the salmon-spawning season of July and August.
Not the last
Whether one’s idea of adventure is appreciating glaciers from the air or kayaking up close and personal in bears’ own backyard, flightseeing by floatplane makes it possible. Alaska may be known as The Last Frontier but for those who are fortunate enough to visit this great state, many promise themselves that it won’t be their last adventure.