Safety Check!
Drysuits are Provided and Required for all Liquid Adventures trips in Bear Glacier
We provide drysuits for all of our clients as part of our Bear Glacier trips. We very rarely have clients in the water, but if it happens we want to be prepared. The water in Bear Glacier's lagoon is fed by glacier runoff, and it is kept colder than the ocean all summer long by giant icebergs. Even if the air temperature is warm, the water is still cold, so our drysuits provide the necessary safety buffer to make sure that getting wet is no big deal.
Even if you choose not to visit a glacier lagoon with us at Liquid Adventures, make sure that wearing a drysuit is part of your plan! It should be considered essential safety gear for any adventure in very cold water. (Note: we only have up to XXL drysuits. As a general rule, if you are close to or over 6'6" tall or 260lbs, you may not fit into our drysuits and cannot go on the trip. For suit dimensions, click here)
A Stunning Environment
Difficulty Level
Some Experience on an SUP required
Have you ever dreamed of paddle boarding next to a Glacier?
Or maybe standing on an SUP staring up at giant Icebergs? In Seward Alaska, you can do just that.
Bear Glacier, which is the largest glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park is close to Seward and also one of the most spectacular places in Alaska. At the base of the glacier's 12 mile ice tongue lies a salt-water lagoon filled with massive icebergs and surrounded by mountains of wilderness. The water is calm and protected from waves. This very unique destination offers us some of the coolest paddling on the planet and it's an amazing place to visit. Better yet, the access is limited to specialized boats and Helicopters! There are no roads and no crowds and you will most likely be the only visitors on a given day.
We offer two access options for this trip. Watertaxi or Heli. For the Helicopter option we depart from the Seward Airport and after fastening our seat belts we begin an unforgettable journey, soaring over peaks of the Chugach mountain range and gliding past the Harding Ice field. We might get an overhead view of a hungry bear, mountain goats, humpback or killer whale. After setting down on the moraine, we’ll pump up our custom inflatable stand up boards, slip on a drysuit and step into liquid. On the watertaxi option you and your guide will load up our gear on the Ghost Marmot and quickly cruise up the west shoreline of Resurrection Bay. On the way you have the opportunity to see whales, sea otters, puffins and other marine life. The captain will take us up the river channel and anchor us by the beach. It’s just a short paddle to the lagoon and icebergs.
Either option will blow you away and we challenge you to find a more surreal place to paddle board.
The features in the lagoon change daily and your guide will choose the best route to navigate through the maze of ice. Wildlife also varies day to day with good chances to view harbor seals and black bears. This tour lasts a little over 5 hours. We meet in the shop at 8am, and often we run a trip at 2pm. Advanced reservations are recommended.
Important notes about this trip:
• This is an adventurous trip. It is very fun, but it's definitely a trip where you are exposed to the elements and can get dirty, sweaty and, tired.
• This trip is not designed for first-time paddlers. If you want to go, but don't have experience on a paddlboard, consider our half day intro to the sport.
• The boat ride out is very fun for most guests, but keep in mind that water conditions can vary, so sometimes the ride can get rough in the type of boat we need to use to safely navigate the river.
• It's important to bring comfortable and warm clothes to wear under your drysuit to ensure that your experience is as pleasant as possible. We highly recommend that you avoid wearing cotton or denim layers.
Explore
Use the numbered steps below to navigate the map and learn more about this SUP trip and where it operates
1
Meet at the shop
16
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2
Board our jetboat
16
0.3
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3
Jetboat ride to Bear Glacier
11
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4
Arrive at Bear Glacier
12
1
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5
Check out the bergs!
14
0.75
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Essential Details
Price
Per Person
Or
Book the Boat for $1800 and have a private trip
Meeting Time
8am / 2pm
Meeting Place
Trip meets at Liquid Adventures' office at 1013 3rd Ave, Seward Ak 99664
Trip Length
Total trip time is 5.5 hrs from start to finish (approximately). Roughly 2 hours are spent paddling.
Group Size
Groups are never larger than 6 people
Minimum Age
Season
Summer
5/20ish to 9/30
Actual start date changes every season, depending on environmental factor.
You Bring
We Provide
Difficulty
Some Experience on an SUP required
While not especially physically challenging, this trip does require that you are comfortable standing on a Paddleboard.
Training
No Experience? Come out with us on a discounted Paddleboard lesson the day before and get your chops to where they need to be.
Other Details
This trip tends to fill up several weeks in advance, as we only take 6 clients at a time. Reserve your trip early!
Due to Park regulations, occasional helicopter traffic, and consideration of other guests, we do not allow drones to be flown on this trip.
The Journey to Bear Glacier
Adventure Packages
Package a tour with our partners and save some serious cash!
We've worked over the last several years to set up partnerships with locally owned adventure companies Exit Glacier Guides and Major Marine Tours. These companies are leaders in their fields, and we're proud to offer discounts on select trips.