OK, so if you're in Alaska... you have to go ice climbing. It will probably be one of the coolest things you will ever do. And if you do it, make sure to go with MICA because they are beyond awesome. There is no way I can describe how fantastic the guides are and it's not because they didn't laugh at me when I hit myself in the face with my boots while taking them off. These guys seriously rock. So after I saw Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' I realized I would not only have to go see the glaciers before they all melted, but I'd have go to climb one too. So I made sure ice climbing was a part of my itinerary during my trip to Alaska and away I went. I was somewhat dubious about the whole thing at first. I'm really gung ho about trying new stuff and I try really hard, but in the end, sometimes physically I just can't keep up. I realized there would be a lot of upper body strength involved in this and got sort of wary when I saw all the gear I needed. Plus, it was raining. I checked in at their main office which is on Mile 102 of Glenn Highway (about 2 hours north of Anchorage). I signed waivers and got outfitted in gear which was all provided (rain proof clothing, boots, helmet, harness...) You're supposed to come with a lunch, day pack, rain gear, warm payers, and sunglasses but if you don't have it, they have extras so no worries. Also, don't forget to bring a camera because you're really gonna want to document this trip. Once you're done getting outfitted, you take a drive down to the Matanuska Glacier (make sure to use the bathroom before you leave because the trip is about 6 hours). Aside from the cost of the actual ice climbing trip ($130.00/person) there is also a fee to enter the glacier park which is $15/person. There's a bit of a hike up and around the glacier before you start climbing and it can get sort of taxing with all your gear. Our guide Cornelia kept us informed about all the different facts regarding our surroundings and the glacier itself which was very informative and even entertaining. Once you get to the wall you'll be climbing, you get all your gear in check and your guide will hook you up with your harness and you'll be doing a couple of practice climbs before a big one. Now here was where I started to wonder if I would be able to do this. It was hard. It required a lot of strength and patience. I kept slipping and sliding straight down the wall and bless Cornelia's heart, she had to hold on tight so that I wouldn't fall and smash my head in. I felt bad cuz I'm sure I gave her a crazy workout. But I realized I really wanted this experience so I just stuck it out climb for climb and I was really proud of myself. It is just an amazing experience and when you climb up to the top, it's surreal looking down and around you, seeing the glaciers for miles and miles. Kinda scary too. I wish I could do a better job of explaining it but it's one of those things you've just got to experience firsthand to really appreciate it. The weather was cold but you couldn't really tell from all the exertion from the climbing. However, when you stop moving you can really feel it. There was no specific time we stopped to eat lunch, we just ate whenever we were waiting around to climb or we were resting. You know how Visa has ads with lists of things to do in your lifetime? This should so be on that list and everyone should go. read more

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3 of my friends and I went on the Ultimate Helicopter tour and couldn't recommend it more! Our guide, Brett, was super knowledgeable about the glacier and ice climbing, tailored the experience to our interests and abilities, and was awesome to hang out with. Even though they couldn't guarantee that certain glacial features would be accessible because the glacier changes from week to week, they worked hard to honor our request to explore any crevasses/ moulins available, and we appreciated that Brett taught us how to ice climb at a quicker pace given our existing experience with climbing/ canyoneering. The helicopter tour was also a gorgeous way to see Matanuska glacier, and Dusty, the pilot, was an excellent flier. We'd 100% recommend this tour and MICA guides to anyone who wants to get out into the backcountry side of the glacier and explore its depths! read more

Superd location, superb travel company and best guides. Loved every part of the trip. Our guide Chris was extremely patient and very motivating ( Without which my wife would not have made the climb :P :P ) A big thanks to everyone A big thanks to David for clicking those jaw - dropping photos. Worth every penny. Thank you all read more

My husband and I had a great time on the Glacier Ice Trek! Our guide, Annie, was awesome! She is knowledgeable and passionate about giving you a great experience. The trek group is small, making it very personable for each person. Thank you Annie and MICA Guides for the adventure!!! read more

Okay, so I didn't do the super cool thing and go ice climbing, but I did do the glacier trek that they offer. When I got there, I learned that I was the only one that had signed up for that particular trek. I was super stoked! I met my guide, Natalie, and got my helmet and crampons. Away we went... I got soooo lucky - Natalie was awsome and she knows her stuff. I felt completely comfortable and safe with her leading me around some sketchy ice/slush areas. Being the only one in my group, it felt as though I was out there with a buddy instead of a guide. She's really personable. The next time I'm in the Anchorage area, I'll definately go back to MICA Guides to go ice climbing! read more

We did lots of cool stuff in Alaska, but climbing on a glacier has to rank in the top five activities we did. Well, okay, *I* did; the wife stayed back at the hotel to watch Jersey Shore after too many nights in the wilderness. I chose MICA over some other glacier climbing places because it's a very short hike from the parking area to the ice, meaning more time climbing and less time hiking. We were on the ice for about six or seven hours, and I was totally exhausted from the adrenaline and physical exertion by the end of the day. We had a very small group - just three clients and the guide - so we all had as much "on rope" time as we wanted. The trip is expensive but I certainly felt like I got my money's worth thanks to all the time on the ice and the small group. Interesting side note: The last time I went glacier trekking was in Iceland in four years prior. I mentioned this to my guide at the beginning of the trip, and we determined that he was also my guide in Iceland! Apparently, the ice climbing world is a small one indeed. read more

Of all the activities we did in Alaska, this was my favorite. Glacier Ice Climbing! They suggest you arrive with a nice lunch, dressed in layers, gloves, and a waterproof coat. MICA will provide you with boots, ice cleats, helmet, coat, and sunglasses. At the end, you'll look like a miner.. or at least I did. You'll take off from their offices down to the Matunuska Glacier where you'll trek on top of the ice to the first climb spot. Even the hike to our first climb was gorgeous. Fields of mountainous blue ice with the Chugach range as a back drop. I took a lot of pictures that day. Our guide was a New Zealander named Cornelia. She was great. She had a lot of facts about the glacier and she definitely knew her stuff about ice climbing. We did climbs in two locations. The first was at a huge tower of ice jutting out from the glacier. The second was in a crevasse that a small water stream had carved out over the years. Cornelia was a good teacher in the use of the ice picks and climbing safely. Plus, there was plenty of time to see the climb sites as Cornelia set up the safety lines and harnesses. When you're done with the first climb, you have a tremendous amount of satisfaction and accomplishment. The secret is to keep your feet parallel with the glacier to really dig in the foot spikes and good footholds. The views on top of glaciers are stunning. The MICA Ice Climb was a great time and I'm glad we took the time to do it. I would recommend it to anyone. review 2/2/08 I.M.Y. read more

My team member Jessie took her husband on the MICA Glacier View Zipline this weekend and can't stop raving about it! Judging from the video and pictures that she took it was quite a ride. Although they only opened the Zipline this year, Safety standards were high and the view fantastic! The drive out to the Zipline is almost enough adventure in itself. You drive along the bluff mountainside and enjoy Alaska's beauty at it's finest. Ride the Nitro and take in a view of the Glacier, river and mountains surrounding. Just beautiful. It is now on my bucket list! read more

My boyfriend and I went on the glacier ice climbing trip with MICA guides and it was fantastic! Our guides Noah and CJ were great! They were professional and super knowledgable about the glacier and the area. MICA guides provided us with the gear we needed to have a great day!! Would definitely recommend. read more

MICA Guides - Second climb of the day - Climbing Near Me

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We had a great experience doing ice trekking with Warren. He was amazing, took us to different places along the glacier, was very friendly and helpful! We enjoyed every second of our glacier experience! read more

A must-do if you're in AK! I mean, how often do you get the opportunity to go climb a glacier?? Our guide was Tex and he was fricken awesome. Mica has all the gear you need to spend the day axing some ice! Tex was super experienced and really cool at making sure we understood the next step and felt comfortable doing it. Make sure you take some sunscreen and snacks. It's a long day and the sun beats on you especially hard and bright when your face is hugging ice all day. Go do this! It'll be the highlight of your AK visit! read more

MICA Guides - With our awesome guide Tex! - Climbing Near Me

This was the highlight of my trip to Alaska! Ice climbing with Mica is truly unforgettable. Each and every staff member was professional, respectful and friendly. Guides Lizzie and Chris were uber patient throughout the entire day, starting with making sure I was comfortable with my gear as I changed sizes a million times and continuing on as I yelled and panicked every time I lost my balance on the glacier lol. Also David the photographer was great to have with. I'm normally scared of such sports but I absolutely loved learning how to walk on and then climb on these frozen masses. It was the perfect balance of effort and challenge and safety. I always felt safe with Lizzie and Chris (and mumbling prayers to G-d;)). The trip length was perfect for our group of five , again a good balance of work and rest. They never pressured anyone into doing things but were always there to give a hand, encourage and support. I started off a scaredy cat and now I can't wait to come back and climb taller glaciers! PS they had all the gear they told us to bring in stock for free rent but I suppose big groups or odd sizes shouldn't rely on that. PPS I never spend this kind of money on activities but it was well worth it, thank G-d. read more

MICA Guides - Climbing my way back after being lowered into a terrifyingly deep valley :) - Climbing Near Me

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My family and I had an amazing time on the glacier hike yesterday. We are from Alaska and would highly encourage Alaskans and tourists to do this tour. We did the advanced glacier hiking tour. My family thought we were going to be walking around the glacier till we showed up and realized my mom had actually signed us up for the advanced trek. But the advanced trek is totally doable if you live an active lifestyle. We are a group ranging from 25- 60 years old. Personally, I was pretty timid about hiking on a glacier but Lacie put me at ease with her competency about glacier hiking and safety awareness. To be honest, what really made this experience amazing for our family was our tour guide-- Lacie! She was very knowledgeable, passionate, patient, encouraging and personable! My family felt very safe with Lacie as our tour guide and would highly suggest her. Mica is lucky to have such a great guide on their team! Thank you so much MICA! What an incredible experience! read more

MICA Guides - Climbing Near Me

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I had an amazing time hiking a glacier with Laci. Her knowledge was not only impressive, but also made me feel very safe. I knew I was in good hands with her. All staff were very professional and friendly, with their focus on safety. I had an AMAZING time on my hike. The views were breathtaking. Laci was also great company on the hike, sharing many interesting facts and answering questions about the glacier. She is such a gem! I highly recommend this hike to anyone! read more

This hike was the highlight of our trip. The guides were fantastic and were fun to be around all day. Bring some cheesy jokes and be ready for a good casual fun hike. We decided to do the advanced trek which turned out to be a great decision. I would definitely recommend the advanced trek if you live an active lifestyle. Bring lots of layers for all weather conditions. You'll need more than a T-shirt and flipply floppys. This is a hike...in Alaska...on a Glacier... Overall we were impressed and happy with MICA Guides. This is a must do activity while in Alaska! read more

Wow wow wow! What an experience, of a lifetime! This was truly beyond my expectations. It's difficult to describe the impact of being on a glacier and seeing the variety of features and colors created on that unique environment, so you must see it for yourself. And MICA was exceptional. We did the Advanved Trek with Warren as our guide. He was funny, informative, professional, and most importantly my gf and I felt entirely safe with him at times. This was a highlight of our trip and I would do it again and recommend it without hesitation. Also, round out your day with the Alpenglow camping package on site. Well worth it!!! read more

Seriously, you have to do this. First of all, walking on the Glacier is not the things that you could do everyday or everywhere. Second, Even though you can hike by yourself without guide, but with MICA guides, they're actually perfecting the experience as the guides know the route, the history and cool spot better. They provided us with all the equipment we need and taught us on how to use it on the Glacier. Our guide was awesome too. She was caring and really experienced. She explains a lot about the glacier itself and told us her story about her experience with it. It feels like hike with your own friend. The view itself? I couldn't say enough. It's breath-taking and a lifetime experience. Drinking directly from Glacier, see that wild glacier right in front of your face ... really really awesome things to do before you die and I think we could not get those all experiences if we were gone by ourself. If you wanna make this Matanuska Glacier experience more complete, you have to have it with MICA guides. read more

A must do if you are in AK!! It was a great experience and it was made even easier and beautiful by MICA people. I don't think I could have done it without our MICA guides - Ben, Chris and Sam. They were so motivational and inspiring and any sports adventure needs that push and encouragement to get over your initial hiccups. Although we signed up for custom climbing these people took us for hike/walk on the glaciers, showed us crevices and to beautiful views of the glaciers. They also offered to take pictures of the group(we were 10 friends), that added a bit personal touch to the whole experience. It was our best day of the whole Alaska trip :) I appreciate their friendly nature. read more

I'm still on cloud 9 from today's adventure!!! We ended our Alaska trip with the ice cave/trek adventure and it was a bucket list experience! We had the best guide ever, Lacey. She was extremely knowledgeable and emphasized safety. The tour is worth every penny, please don't go out there on your own. MICA GUIDES and Lacey, thank you for an unforgettable trip! read more

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All over their website they advertise 2 hours of zip lining. When we arrived, got set up, and went down the zip line it only took 20 min. They drove us back to the parking lot and told us we were done. We brought it to their attention that it says 2 hours and nowhere does it say it's only one trip down. They said that if there happens to be a big group that it can take up to 2 hours but other than that it's just one trip down. I was greatly disappointed especially considering I felt ripped off for paying close to $200 for 2 people to do this zip line ONCE. Not to mention we had to drive 2 1/2 hours just to arrive at this place and another 2 1/2 hours back for only spending 20 min. At this place. read more

WOW, WOW, and FREAKIN WOW, A vacation turned into an adventure. Thanks to our guide Axel for taking an old man out of his comfort zone on our glacier tour. You are an amazing young man and guide. Special thanks to our pilot Dusty whose knowledge and equal concern for the local wildlife should be truly appreciated. Thank you to the whole staff at MICA Guides, truly a memorable experience. read more

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Wow. Without a doubt the highlight of our 2 weeks in Alaska and the best value for the money of all the things we did. Our guide, Kendall, was absolutely the best. She is a true professional and made us feel very safe with her care in checking our equipment and her vast knowledge of the terrain, while making it all great fun, too. She tailored how strenuous the hike was for me, a 60+ year old in the group, while still making it exciting and energetic for the 30 somethings in our group. Kendall was very knowledgable and shared tons of information along the way. The ice is unlike anything I have seen before and every where one looked there was something below, above or around you that was awe inspiring. It was like being on an alien planet in places. I cannot say enough good things about MICA and Kendall in particular. Plus there is so much to see in the Matsu Valley that it was worth the trip to that part of Alaska for certain! Thank you MICA. read more

We did advanced ice trek. Our guide was Scott. He did an amazing job of teaching us the basics of exploring the glacier. We felt confident and safe to explore. He took us to really cool areas and had fun friendly attitude. We were in awe of the magnificent Matanuska Glacier. Our trek was an event and memory of a life time. Thank you Scott. read more

Did the advanced trek w Brett, He is a rockstar guide! Could not have asked for a better experience. The glacier is epic in every way you can imagine and having an insanely skilled guide lead the way gave us the chance to see places I may never see again. Check them out! read more

First of all. Our guide, Joe, he's cute. :D And they are all very nice people. Then when they heard us need to leave a bit early during eventing, they helped us re-arrange the event, but still did all the things. They are awesome! MICA provides all the equips with shoes, clothes, helmets, safety ropes, hammers...and secured us well~! We walked into the wild glacier, and surrounded by the amazing icy blue glacier and did ice climbing, starting from easy ones then a more steep one. After that, they asked us if we want to continue or explore. We would love to try different things so we went for a glacier hike, and saw some amazing secret ice cave! It's really amazing and an awesome add on. Then we went back and headed for zip-line, which was fast and got a good drop :D. So, nice people, great guides, great glacier, great activities. And we honked to say hi when we passed them again later. :D love it! read more

AMAZING experience! Lots of info and guidance from our guide Adam, who was also patient with my girlfriend when she was slowly making her way up on her first climb. The long hike to the glacier was a sight to see. Definitely a memorable activity that'll require energy and a fearlessness.. highly recommend it! read more

We just got back from Alaska and this was one of the highlights of our trip! Mica guides provides everything you need for your ice trekking. We took the 4:00 pm tour with Katie and Shannon and Luke joined us as we were the last tour of the day. Very professional and organized. We were a group of four ranging in age from 30's to 63 and actually climbed up to the glacier and we accomplished this in a safe manner. You can see the beautiful blue color of the ice, fill your bottle with fresh glacier water. So peaceful and amazing. Even the drive we took to their location was full of spectacular views. read more

This was a great experience! Our guide Noah was wonderful! This was definitely one of the best things we did on our trip to Alaska! We had no experience ice climbing and they provided everything we needed. I would recommend this to anyone! read more

MICA Guides - Climbing Near Me

My partner and I went ice climbing for the first time on Matanuska glacier with two guides from Mica (Brett and Lacie). Both of them were friendly, fun, competent, and mindful of our safety. The photographer (David) took some awesome photos (although bear in mind that photos aren't free or cheap, since David was there exclusively to take photos and wasn't also acting as a guide). All-in-all, we had a fantastic time, and I'd totally recommend it if you're up to the challenge. read more

One of the highlights of our Alaskan adventure vacation. We have been hiking and biking all over Anchorage and the surrounding area and this was the first outing that truly felt how we expected Alaska to be. We were in awe of the size of the glacier and all the different types of ice, colors and textures that made up the Matanuska Glacier. Our guide, Ellie, was really sweet and friendly. She was very knowledgeable about the glacier and the surrounding area. She made it a great learning experience and felt personal and as close to a one-on-one trip as we could get. Very glad we used Mica guides instead of doing it on our own. I felt safer using the equipment they provided and using their extensive guide knowledge as to where and how to walk on the glacier. Don't miss the chance to go on the Matanuska Glacier Trek with Mica Guides. read more

Rip off. This outfit is a ripoff. We booked this online and in good faith showed up to the adventurous zip line. It was a farce. When we got there they wanted to charge us more than a hundred dollars more than we had booked. BE CAREFUL OF YOUR BOOKING THEY WILL CHARGE YOU EXTRA IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL read more

My boyfriend and I went on the Ice Fall Trek tour with MICA and had a phenomenal time! Our tour guide's name was Levy - I usually prefer to explore on my own, but having Levy as a guide made the experience so much better than I could have predicted. Booking: Booking the tour was easy. It's online and very clear. However, as soon as I booked our tickets for the tour, I realized I booked for the incorrect date. I called MICA and they fixed it without question. Customer service in general was on point. They send you a lot of information about how to drive to them which was very helpful. The drive from Anchorage is beautiful so budget some extra time to stop and take photos either there or back. Checking in: Once we got there, we checked in with a very friendly employee. It was quick and easy. She was happy to answer any questions we had. After that, we had time to hang out before our tour guide got to the meeting spot. They have flushable toilets and a little shop for food. Once we met with out tour guide, Levy, and group, a family of 4, he checked we had the right gear, fitted us for crampons, and got us helmets. Then we piled into a truck with another group and got to the glacier within 15 minutes. The Glacier: This is just a very unique and cool experience. Levy took us to these interesting parts of the glacier and gave us little science lessons as we continued on our hike. From our understanding the pace of the trip is determined by the fitness/comfort level of the tour group which made it feel very natural and relaxing. He was happy to answer questions and encouraged us to let him know if we wanted to explore somewhere. He added so much to the experience partially with his knowledge of glaciers in general, but also of his experiences on that one. He could tell us what the glacier looked like this morning or last month and it really emphasized how much the glacier changes. Besides his general enthusiasm for all things glacier, we felt very safe with him. His experience in emergency situations and professional demeanor really put me at ease. If you're planning on going to other glaciers during your trip to Alaska, I highly recommend doing this tour first. When we went to other glaciers, we were able to use our newfound knowledge from the tour to better understand glacial formations, rock patterns, etc. It enhanced our experience throughout the rest of our Alaska trip. This was a great, classic Alaskan experience which I'm so thankful I spent the money on. I highly encourage you to request Levy if he's still around! read more

Alonna and Warren were amazing guides! I was absolutely terrified of hiking on the glacier and they really made me feel safe and comfortable. I had so much fun. Will be visiting again very soon! read more

Super cool, a lot of fun, and Lizzie was a great guide!

I had a great time on the Ice Fall Trek with my brothers and sister-in-law in July, 2011. The guide was very accommodating and the views were awesome. I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys beautiful scenery while going on an easy- going "hike" on a glacier. Make sure you give yourself adequate time to get there. There was some road construction when we went.. Despite being late, they were very courteous and waited for us to get there. read more

MICA Guides - Ice Fall Trek - Climbing Near Me

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Me and my husband did the Ice Fall trek close to Labor day weekend. Sarah was our guide and she was awesome. She was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. We were lucky to have a small group, it was just one other couple and they where fun too. She gave us a lot of tips about the rest of the places we were visiting on our trip as well. I was also impressed by how organized MICA guides was. In addition to the minimum gear such as boots, helmet, crampons etc they also had rain pants, backpacks, extra jackets etc. I am not saying go underprepared but if you do forget something they will still provide everything they can to make your experience enjoyable. Will definitely come back to the more advanced ice treks and ice climbing trips they have :) Thanks for making my first glacier experience so amazing :) read more

My husband and I had a wonderful and informative time on the glacier. The company is very well organized and the guides make sure you are well prepared, have fun and learn a bunch about what you are seeing and walking on. Highly recommend!!! read more

AMAZING! Hiking the glacier is an experience you can't put down in words. You just have to do it with MICA! Our guides were incredibly knowledgeable and patient with our large group. We always felt safe and would never be able to experience the sites and sounds of the glacier without these guys. Thank you so much! read more

I have done many things during my stay in Alaska and ziplines were by far one of the coolest things I've been able to try. I have a disability where I use a cane for long distances and can't get down hills. The girls who lead our tour were helpful and kind ensuring that even without my cane I was able to get to where needed. We even got to stop and see Moose. In fact I saw more Moose in that day then my entire 2 years in alaska. Super awesome absolutely recommend. read more

Our guide was Sara and she was extremly knowledgeable and helped/guided us throughout the advanced trek. Highly recommended.