ONLY AVAILABLE JANUARY 15 THROUGH MARCH 31 CONDITIONS PERMITTING
Route Description: Very few people venture to Black Rapids Glacier and most people outside of Interior Alaska have never heard of it, but since I started photographing the glacier in 2015 I have been asked about it by locals more than any other place I visit in the Alaska Range. Once the Delta River freezes over (typically by early January) it is a relatively simple 5 or 6 mile walk along the windswept ice of “Black Rapids River” to the glacier’s terminus. Care must be taken to avoid thin ice, slush, and open water in a few places. A large lake in front of the glacier freezes over in winter, trapping several big and small oddly shaped chunks of glacier ice in place, and the ice on the lake itself is mesmerizing when it’s blown clear of snow. The glacier changes significantly during every summer melting season, so there are always several new and interesting features to explore each winter in the moraine, including giant ice walls, cracks, caves, and more. In March there is enough daylight to reach the bend in the glacier valley where the scale of the glacier and the towering mountains it cuts through becomes almost incomprehensible. Mid-February to mid-March is the best time to visit the glacier, but if you start early there is enough daylight to visit the glacier in January. In perfect conditions, the route doesn’t require snowshoes and the walking is rather easy on the ice, but the mileage is still long and the terrain a bit rugged. In heavy snow years or after a recent snow the route becomes more strenuous and may require snowshoes. Strong winds can make portions of this hike challenging. Participants should be in great hiking shape and ready to face the elements! (No ice climbing gear required.)
Route Length (Expert Only): 11+ miles round-trip, 200 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Rates
Expert Tour (8-12 hours)
1 Person $425
2 People $475 ($237.50pp)
3 People $600 ($200pp)
4 People $700 ($175pp)
5 People $800 ($160pp)
6 People $900 ($150pp)
Alaska Resident & Military Discount: Parties with at least one Alaska resident or active duty U.S. Armed Forces personnel receive a 10% discount. Enter code “AK_AND_MILITARY_DISCOUNT” at checkout.
Add $50 per person for professional adventure portraits. (High-resolution digital files delivered via web download after your hike.)
Receive a $100 discount when you also book an Aurora Borealis Photography Tour. (Please inquire.)
Rates above do not include transportation from Fairbanks! Optional transportation is available for an extra fee.
If you require optional transportation from Fairbanks, please note the tour durations above do not include travel time, and that travel time from Fairbanks is approximately 2.5 hours each way.
All tours are PRIVATE and involve no technical rock or ice climbing. Maximum group size 6; special arrangements must be made for larger groups up to 10. Children are welcome on tours but there is no youth discount; see age recommendations in difficulty ratings below. Full payment is required to reserve a tour. A 5% cancellation fee is charged when reservations are canceled at least 10 days in advance. A 50% cancellation fee is charged when reservations are canceled less than 10 days but at least three days in advance. No refunds are given for cancellations made less than three days in advance, though customers will receive credit for a future tour. Tours may be canceled due to extreme cold (below about -15 °F), in which case your tour will be rescheduled or fully refunded. However, 0° F is near average during the coldest months (December & January) and it’s actually a comfortable temperature to recreate in once your blood gets flowing, so clients should prepare to face cold temperatures and dress appropriately. For complete tour policies and more tour information, see the Black Rapids Tours FAQ.
Difficulty Ratings are assigned to each route as follows:
Easy: Low mileage & elevation gain, easy snow travel, suitable for people of average fitness and kids about 7 and up
Moderate: Rugged terrain, higher mileage, and/or breaking trail required, suitable for people of good fitness and kids about 10 and up
Difficult: Very high mileage, rugged terrain, and/or significant trail breaking required, suitable for tough kids about 12 and up
Please contact me if you have questions about the difficulty of a particular route. Keep in mind that snowshoeing requires more energy than walking, and breaking trail through deep snow can be very strenuous. Using alpine touring skis to travel in the backcountry is generally easiest, but I do not provide ski rentals. (Beaver Sports in Fairbanks rents them.) Snow conditions can greatly affect the difficulty of a particular route, and cold weather may make any trip challenging. You may change your selected route anytime before your tour starts, and I may suggest exchanging routes based on weather, snow conditions and other factors as your tour date approaches.