Summer Glacier Dogsledding Tour from Girdwood

Overview

Experience the pure enthusiasm of Alaskan Huskies while mushing on an alpine glacier! Your tour begins with a helicopter flight to a remote glacier camp. Next, you'll ride a dog sled on beautiful journey around an alpine snowfield! This is the dogsledding tour of a lifetime. (This tour departs from the town of Girdwood, located just 35 miles south of Anchorage).

City: Anchorage

Tue 19 Nov

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $612.00

Make a reservation

Tue 19 Nov

Starting at $612.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Round-trip shared transfer from any Girdwood hotel or B&B (if required)

Additional Info

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Small infants (prior to walking) may ride on an adult’s lap free
Operates on a snow-covered glacier, possible cool temperatures and occasional rain, please dress appropriately
Please arrive 30 minutes before your tour time.
Weight limit is 290 pounds per guest. Additional fee for
Must be able to walk unassisted on uneven snow, and hold on to the sled
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

What To Expect

Alpine Air Alaska

From the Girdwood airport, you’ll enjoy a short, scenic flight to a remote camp on Punchbowl Glacier. Guides from Iditarod legend Mich Seavey’s Ididaride Sled Dog Tours will introduce you to the lovable dogs and teach you about the musher's lifestyle before your dogsledding adventure. Take in spectacular views of glaciers and peaks as you ride on the sled, you'll even get a chance to drive the dog team yourself. This is a unique Alaska experience you’ll always remember. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: • Scenic 15-minute flight to and from a remote camp on Punchbowl Glacier • The camp is managed by the Seavey family, renown for raising teams of Iditarod champions • Meet the friendly Alaskan Huskies; learn about the musher’s lifestyle and historic Iditarod race • Plenty of photo opportunities of you on the glacier, driving the dog team, playing with the dogs! • We provide light weight rain jacket and pants, fleece gloves, and outer boots that slip over your shoes We offer a complimentary round-trip transfer from any hotel or B&B in Girdwood. Driving to Girdwood? Park at our hangar. • We ask all guests to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled flight time so you can take part in a short safety briefing before your tour.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (117)

LuckyInCali

Jul 2021

This experience was really hurt for me by the way the dogs are treated. There were around 40 Alaskan Huskies living on the glacier. Their existence was mostly just being chained up in rows on the snow, unable to touch any other dogs, with a tiny plastic igloo (with no door) to shelter from bad weather. They seemed largely starved for affection - or just interaction- but some showed signs of maladjustment, like pacing continually or barking incessantly or being afraid of anyone approaching them. It was not a good experience for those dogs. The highlight for them was pulling sleds (essentially in a loop). They loved that exercise , of course. The helicopter flight was about 5 minutes each way, which was cool but brief. I can’t recommend this activity.

Response from Host

Jul 2021

Thank you for visiting us and for your review; we rely on your feedback to help us improve our operations and we take your comments to heart. Providing a safe and enjoyable experience for our guests and for the dog team is our most important responsibility. For our helicopter glacier dogsledding experience, we partner with Mitch Seavey’s IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours, one of Alaska’s most esteemed kennels. Mitch is known for holding several Iditarod Championship titles and for his family's multi-generational legacy of excellence in sport of dog mushing; what's more important is that he's well known and respected in the mushing community for having high standards for the care and health of his dogs. I tell you this not to diminish your opinion, but to reassure you that we work with professionals who will take your comments very seriously and will always take action to support and improve the wellbeing of the dog team. To address some of your specific concerns, the dogs are under constant care of the mushers who live on the glacier with the huskies. As working dogs - athletes - who prefer temps below zero and are born to run, summer conditions on the glacier are ideal. The sound of the helicopter and the arrival of new people excites the dogs who associate people with their chance to get picked for the sled; they start barking for attention, “pick me, pick me!”. The mushers limit the number of tours they do per day so the dogs can be attended with routine care and training and ample time to run. While the dogs are training on the remote glacier camp in the mountains of Chugach National Forest, if they’re not running the sled they need to be tethered for safety, to prevent them from escaping into the surrounding wilderness. When they’re not on the glacier, they’re back at home at the IdidaRide kennel which is the first tether-free kennel in Alaska with plenty of room to run and interact with other dogs, as seen here: https://vimeo.com/270912927?from=outro-embed The IdidaRide crew is considering a tether-free area for the glacier as well. I assure you your comments will help to improve the experience for the dogs and our guests, thank you for your compassion and care in writing this review. Kindest regards, Christina Gerber, Alpine Air Alaska

Scbaynes

Jul 2021

This was hands down the best experience! If you are going to spend money in Alaska- spend it here!!! Everyone was extremely helpful from the front desk, to the pilots, to the staff on the glacier. The dogs were cute and sweet. The pilots take you up in the helicopter for about a 5 minute ride to the glacier. They drop you off and then you get to spend the next hour or so learning about the dogs, dogsledding, and how to operate a dog sled. Afterwards, you get to run a dogsled team and then hang out with all of the dogs (and puppies). What a wonderful way to see Alaska and have a hands on experience.

Response from Host

Aug 2021

Thank you for your comments! We are so happy you enjoyed the experience. Thank you for visiting us and choosing our glacier dogsledding tour as part of your Alaska adventures. Kindest regards, Christina Gerber Alpine Air Alaska

Tiffany_S

Jul 2021

We had to try a few times due to weather but totally quiet it! 3 min of mushing your own sled! All the dogs are great!