Our group did the Glacier Blue Kayak and Grandview Tour which started with a trainride from Girdwood to Spencer Glacier. Then we had a quick kayak lesson, then paddled across the water to get up close to the glacier. Once we walked up close to admire the view, we did a meaningful meditation, took some pictures, then headed down for lunch. The box lunch was plentiful and fresh. Just enough to keep us satisfied as the train went up to Grandview to see a few more glaciers and some waterfalls that you can't get to by road. All in all, Ryan and Caroline provided us with a safe and fun day that was unforgettable. Definitely the highlight of our time in Alaska. read more

We did the Spencer glacier tour and the weather was absolutely horrible. River was our float guide and was fantastic. The glacier and the lake were absolutely amazing. The tour was about two hours and we got soaked and were very cold - but if you want to see glaciers they exist in cold and wet places. Our waterproof gear was not good enough to stave off the rain. Our guide had hot chocolate for us about half way through and it was excellent and appreciated. This was a spectacular excursion. Highly recommended. Get warm and water prof gear and layer. read more

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Spencer Iceberg and Placer River Float Trip My wife, 14 yr old son and I signed up for this adventure so we could see stuff no other way to see. First, we booked directly thru Chugach Adventures. We looked at the Alaskan RR booking but they have limited slots and it's a few $ more. We met up with the guide director at Portage Depot, where we got on, who helped us get checked in and rubber boots acquired. We boarded the train and took a 20 min (or so) ride to where we got on the bus. A bumpy ride then down to the river. Quick safety talk and on the rafts and away we go. The scenery is awesome. Words can't describe what you see. Nature. The entire ride is about 2 hrs. It went by too quick. The part of the tour that made it extra special was our raft guide, Ben from Virginia. His knowledge of the wildlife and glaciers and river were amazing. He was like having a specialist all these areas and explaining what we saw without sounding like a know it all. So tip: ask for Ben when booking if you can. We went the fist of June and there was still snow on the ground, which Ben said was unusual, but the area had a long cold winter. Temp was mid 40s and breezy so for dress, non-denim hiking style pants. Stay away from cotton in general. Layered shirts and jacket, thick socks, gloves and knit cap - I call it a toboggan hat. We were plenty warm. We took our Go-Pro for lots of pics. Brought some snacks as well, as Ben brought some too. Ben said we covered about 6 River miles total. When we ended, they helped us out of the rafts up some stairs to our train. Back in Portage about 20 mins later. While on ride back, my wife and I enjoyed an adult beverage sold in the train and the boy have a mini pizza. It was one of the best adventures we've ever taken anywhere. Scheduling, execution, personnel. Absolutely excellent. read more

This was a great adventure! You board the train in Anchorage (if coming from Anchorage) and ride it to the Spencer Whistle Stop. It's about a 3 hr ride and stops in Portage and Whittier. You get a narrated tour during the trip and may even spot some wildlife. The guides come find you on the train and go over liability and give you boots. Hint: If you have your own rain boots, bring those. The ones they provide don't have much traction and are large. You then get off at the Spencer Glacier stop and they transport you via bus or can to rafting or canoeing. I had initially signed up for the float, but was able to switch to the canoe. Hint: Go for the canoe, it's a better trip. The floats go down the river. The canoes paddle across the lake to the glacier and then hike up onto the glacier. Since my objective was to touch a glacier, the canoe was the better option. Don't worry about the canoe being too strenuous. I'm not very outdoorsy and it was relatively easy - and fun! It's a much smaller group than the float. There were just 12 of us divided into 2 canoes. The guides were awesome. Very knowledgable and friendly. And I got to stand on a glacier! The only way to get to the Spencer Glacier is via train. So it's incredibly peaceful and uncrowded. We were literally the only ones on the lake. After the canoeing trip (about 2.5 hours), you return to the train stop, take the train to Portage, and then get on a motor coach to Anchorage. This saves a lot of hours on the return trip. All in all, I had a good time and would recommend it. read more

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Our kayak trip with Chugach adventures was a trip of a lifetime. We had a private tour with our awesome guide Brooke, who took us through beautiful giant icebergs and Spencer Glacier and also did not mind being our photographer through the entire trip. They provided lunch and an awesome mind blowing, private tour. Her company was very good at making us feel safe and sanitizing all equipment and kayaks. read more

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We got up very early to get to the train station to take the train to the glacier. What a fantastic day. Our guide was incredibly informed and entertaining. We kayaked across the lake to the glacier. Hiked up above the glacier and then kayaked back for lunch. The lunch was prepared by the staff and delicious and zero waste. Got to take the train a bit longer and then a coach bus back to Anchorage. Really special adventure. read more

Our family had an outstanding experience with Chugach Adventures on the Spencer Iceberg and Placer River Float tour. Ari went out of his way to kindly accommodate a late booking over the phone. We enjoyed the tour of the AK Wildlife Conservation Center with guide, Josh. Illiya really took care of us after and ensured we got where we needed to go since we weren't included on the master booking sheets for the train or river float. The icebergs on Spencer Lake and the silty Placer River were truly stunning and our raft guide, Ryan was a lot of fun as he encouraged conversation and shared his knowledge of the river. The passion, knowledge and openness of all the guides led to an unforgettable trip. read more

This excursion was so much fun! It was the perfect balance of thrill, beautiful sights, and guided tour information. Our rafting guide Meg was very fun, outgoing, and well informed on the glacier and wildlife. She was also very funny! Honestly, the guide makes or breaks an activity like this, and Meg was the best guide we could ask for. The majority of the rafting trip was on the relaxing side with calm rapids. Since Meg did all of the paddling and even brought us snacks and hot cocoa for the ride, we were really able to sit back and relax! The train ride also had beautiful sights, and on the final ride back, the guides Johnny and Ryan kept us laughing up a storm! read more

What a great day we had yesterday on the Spencer Glacier, Bears, Trains, and Iceberg tour. Perfect in every way. Particular kudos go to our rafting guide, Ben. He had a wealth of knowledge of the area, but also knew when to be quiet and let us appreciate the quietness. He really made the trip! read more

What an epic adventure of a life time on the glacier float boat tour. It's right up there with helicopter ride to the top of a glacier in Alaska. The moment we met our awesome guide, Brooke Edwards, we instantly knew we were going to have an amazing time. She was knowledgeable and narrated about the great outdoors in Alaska. First, we visited the Wildlife Conservation Park. A yummy sandwich, tangerine, Hawaiian chips, snack bar, water, hot water to make hot coco and teas were provided for us. Onward to Summit Lake Lodge, pit stop to use the restroom and soak in some breathtaking view of the lake and a small sailboat in the background for photo opportunity. Coffee, drinks, pastries and ice cream really hit the spot! Just another short leg to our train stop where we were fitted for our rubber booties before hopping aboard our train ride to Spencer Glacier. A short hike to a shack to get fitted for our PFD's and safety talk before hopping on your designated tender. We floated and touched small glaciers as if it was a ride at Disneyland. One must experience this because words cannot describe how amazing it is- to get so close to it. Perfect moment- bucket list- checked Wait, there's more! Await a grade 2, float ride down the river! Brooke rocked our boat with her long stride and strength and maneuvered about so we could capture 360 degrees of pure natural beauty. Imagine, we had 7 adults and 3 teens - that's a lot weight- yet we floated! Incredible that Mighty Brooke was able to handle all our weight. We knew she could! Yay Brooke. Be sure to include this once in a lifetime excursion when you visit Seward, Alaska. You won't be disappointed!! read more

I do all types of adventure travel. Today, I spent a day with Chugach Adventures that I would rate in my top 10 days on the trail. We took a helicopter to Comet Glacier, hiked 9 miles to Spencer Glacier, rafted around the icebergs in the glacier lake and closed it out rafting 7 miles down the river to the train. The entire day was first class with two amazing guides, flawless logistics, great lunch, flexibility to find our own path, etc. I'm thinking multiple days are in my future with them. Fantastic! read more

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I had an incredible time with the owner and guides of Chugach Adventures! Transformation is hard and requires conflict. This was, by far, the most comfortable transformative experience I've ever had. And, it's among my top 10 most positive (keeping in mind that I've given birth 3 times)! We had adventure, relaxation, a gourmet meal prepared fireside (including bread pudding--fireside!), parties, socializing, cultural exchange... I mean, at times everything was so still and beautiful, that I was brought to tears! I highly recommend this company, in general. If you can get an overnight tour along Spencer Glacier, even better. They leave the area (and you) better than they found it. read more

Thanks to Chugach Outdoor Center staff and our guide Orion for an awesome experience rafting today! Whitewater rafting in Alaska in such beautiful country!! Tons of fun and lots of great guidance on Class V rapids that were everything I hoped. read more

We had a phenomenal experience with this company! I have never been so happy. They treat you amazing and make sure that you are having a blast! Kendall was our driver who picked us up at the hotel and over to the wildlife center and the train stop. She was amazing. There were others at the river area. Our guide on our raft was amazing and the person who gave us the informative talk before we headed out was phenomenal. They gave us great recommendations on what else to do in the area. Again, this company is family friendly and puts your needs and concerns number one. Highly recommend! We did the Bears, Trains, and Icebergs tour. We are a family of four with a 6 year old and 2 year old. read more

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This is a review for the Spencer Glacier Iceberg Float. If traveling from Anchorage this activity, while it has it's moments, is not worth the trek. If arriving by Alaskan Railroad the journey takes a surprising four and one half hours, due to the train moving somewhat slow but it really ventures out of the way to pick people up at Whittier (and the train stopped there for 40 minutes) then backtracks to Portage wasting a large amount of valuable time. As the bus ride back took barely over an hour this was frustrating that this aspect of the journey was not better planned. The excursion itself starts out great with nice vistas of the Spencer Glacier. You commence your journey by floating around nearby icebergs - large chunks of ice that have fallen off the glacier. You even get to touch some of the icebergs and I enjoyed tearing off a small piece and making an iceberg popsicle. I do wish we had ventured closer to the glacier (it looked beuatiful) but instead we started down the river. While there were a couple small rapids (strong class one to weak class two) at the onset that were fun, within fifteen minutes all the best parts were over and the rest of the float was uneventful and actually became boring. The scenery is nice, but nothing like of the glaicer and ice bergs, no wildlife was spotted (other than seaguls, a couple flies and a construction worker) and the rest of the water was quite tame. Furthermore the seating in the rafts were not very comfortable. The rafts hold up to eight passengers (plus a guide) and boots, life jackets and optional rain ponchos are provided. If you are in the front expect to get splashed a bit at the beginning but otherwise you will stay dry (if it is not raining). Mosquitoes were not an issue in his area. The guides were competent and friendly. I had been informed by the agency I booked with there was a provided "deli style lunch" but this turned out to be untrue (not sure whether Chugach provided bad information or the agency was misinformed). There were light snacks served, but poor quality and oddly not until a stop at a sand bar towards the very end of the trip - it seemed like a sly way to market the trip as being fifteen minutes longer than it really was. If you are staying in Portage or Whittier and want a sedate outdoor activity this might be an adequate choice but if coming from further away or interested in something with an excitement factor or opportunities to view wildlife this is an excursion to avoid. read more

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I love it! We did the Spencer Glacier Lake tour with some friends from out of town. I have heard great things about this company and knew it would make the perfect highlight to our friends trip! We definitely were not disappointed! We saw an eagle feeding her freaking babies form the observation deck on the train ride, countless intense aqua blue icebergs, incredible awe inspiring Spencer Glacier up close. We had two awesome guides Erin & Carson, both incredibly knowledgable about the area, glacier and lake. We had the lake to ourselves on a day that could not have been more perfect unless the boat was filled with puppies. Seriously you should consider the puppies... This will definitely be our recommended go to excursion for anyone visiting! read more

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Chugach Adventures runs a fantastic tour from riding the Alaska railroad to touching Spencer Glacier icebergs and floating the Placer River. They are well organized, safe and fun! Our guide, Sadie, was knowledgeable, professional and calm. A great way to spend a day in Alaska's wilderness. read more

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So worth it!!!! What a blast! Guides were awesome! Views were breathtaking. I would do this trip again in a heartbeat!!!

We had an excellent experience with Henesy, Saddie and Kendal. The entire staff is very friendly, easy going. The kayaking experience is very unique.they take you for a quick hike up close to the glacier after. The rest of the afternoon you board a train to grandview which is very scenic. The coordination, courtesy and hospitality were impressive. read more

this summer my friends and I participated in the overnight camping at spencer glacier with chugach adventures. If you are looking for the unique opportunity to get completely off the grid for the night and experience Alaska's true wilderness while also staying well fed, warm, and incredibly entertained then seriously book these guys! for my review, I'd like to share 3 things i was worried about prior to this camping experience with Chugach and how Chugach handled all three of these concerns like a boss. 1st Concern: Will I freeze!?!!!! Being from Hawaii, my tolerance for cold weather is minimal to say the least. I get cold easily and I HATE being cold. I was so worried I was going to freeze out there but the guides we had were so good about keeping me nice and toasty the entire time! from lending me extra layers while we were rafting, to keeping an amazing camp fire going once we got to our camp spot to setting us up in warm tents, cozy sleeping mats and thick sleeping bags- i never got cold once! The guides were incredible in making sure we were always a comfortable temperature. 2nd concern: I am a picky eater so will i be cool to eat the type of food they make us while we are out there? Okay, I totally admit- I'm probably one of the most difficult people to cook for. And then add my 3 girlfriends to our group... between us we had to accommodate vegan, gluten free, allergic to nuts, lactose intolerant... I mean seriously, if i were the chef i would have read our list of restrictions and gave up immediately. But the chef we had out there didn't just make it work, he rocked it. Even in having to work with all of our dietary limitations he made us something incredible for every meal. Super fresh, super tasty- could not have been more stoked on the food and the chef this tour provided. It was perfect! 3rd concern: won't it be weird camping with a bunch of strangers? If your used to hiring guides while your touring then this probably isn't something that would cross your mind but for me, I usually don't hire guides. Usually when we are traveling we just try to do stuff on our own....in fact this might be the first time i've ever been guided or at least the first time I've been guided for this extensive amount of time. I thought, Would it be awkward? I'm a bit of an introvert and I kind of like to do my own thing so I was unsure of how much I would enjoy the company of people I didn't know. Well, let me tell you how this turn out. The guides we went out with were not only the reason we stayed comfortable physically but their insight, stories, and personalities made our experience so much better than we ever could of had if we had tried camping out there on our own. All of them were so fun and awesome and by the end of it all, had really become like new friends to us. In conclusion, the overnight glacier camping tour that we did with Chugach was incredible! if you are Adventuring around Alaska by railroad like we were, then absolutely add it to your itinerary. I put together a trailer of our alaska adventure for the Railroad Cooperation. Lots of clips from our experience with Chugach Adventures are in there. So, if you want to put some visuals to these comments I've been raving about have a look for yourself: https://youtu.be/NHZv_W2OUUk read more

This is a reliable company that really go out of their way to make sure everyone has a great time. I supposed it could have been our personal guide that made the difference but everyone else seemed to have a blast as well. It doesn't take much once you are up close to the natural beauty Alaska has to offer, these guides are just a great way to do it safely and with help. Spencer was our guide and he was a joy to be around. Can't wait to go on another adventure! read more

Knowledgeable, fun guides who are extremely well equipped to meet any need. It's definitely worth spending a lot of time with this adventure company and do a multi day trip. The Overnight Glacier Camping was spectacular and comfortable with amazing food. Dinner was an Alaskan salmon bake, vegetarian curry (best part), and so much more. They went above and beyond to tailor the experience to my groups needs and abilities. You could be a complete outdoor adventure novice and have the best and most comfortable time of your life. Kayaking and rafting around the glacial lake and going right up to the ice took my breathe away. They had hot drinks on the raft and awesome rubber boots for us. Out rafting guide, Emily, had even brought extra layers of clothes if we got cold on the water. The last part of the trip was the raft trip down the Placer river to the railroad pickup. Very relaxing trip with beautiful views. Ilia told us about the surrounding area and some great stories about different trips he's guided. read more

Camping with Chugach Adventures was the best part of our trip to Alaska! Corey and Saraj were awesome guides that showed us a different perspective of Alaska's natural beauty. The train ride through the countryside, blueberry picking, and camping was an all encompassing beautiful experience with amazing scenery, great food, and exceptional company from our guides. This was definitely a stellar experience! read more

We went on a completely unforgettable rafting adventure at gorgeous Spencer Glacier yesterday in the late afternoon. The vacation God's were smiling on us - our family of 3 were the only ones on the raft, we had Jacob as our guide, and there were no other boats on the lake. The beauty, peace, and calm were like Heaven. Jacob did everything he could to make our experience what it was. After paddling us as close to the glacier as was safe and all around the icebergs and sharing intriguing historical information about this area, he cooked us a salmon dinner that was crazy delicious. The only improvement I could suggest to the owners of this company is to be sure to include salmon for the guide! After working so hard, I felt badly that there wasn't any salmon for Jacob . Needless to say, our family will never forget our Spencer Glacier adventure and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to touch the beauty and grace of Alaska. read more

We had an amazing day of adventure at Spencer Glacier Lake, thanks to Chugach Adventures. Our guide, Illiya Pekich, was a fabulous tour guide for us as he paddled our raft across the lake to the edge of the glacier, stopping along the way to take photos of people in the raft, and pointing out interesting facts about icebergs and the glacier. After rowing us back from the glacier to Chugach Adventures' base camp, he and Emily hosted an elegantly prepared fresh wild salmon dinner that was gourmet all the way--including white wine spritzer with fresh blueberries and strawberries, and chilled with iceberg ice from the lake. They treated our group like royalty, from beginning to end. Looking forward to my next adventure with Chugach Adventures! read more