Castner Glacier is not a stereotypical blue glacier calving into the ocean, but rather a gritty valley glacier covered in rock, mud, and—in the winter—snow. Castner Glacier is the simplest glacier to reach coming from Fairbanks, and for the past several years it’s been the easiest place to find an ice cave as well. In summer, a raging torrent of silty water flows out of the ice cave at the glacier’s terminus preventing access inside. But in the winter, the water level falls and the surface freezes over, allowing visitors to explore inside the ice cave.

Thousands of locals and tourists alike pay a visit to the ice cave each winter season. However, there are no signs and no maintained trail leading to the glacier or the ice cave. The ice cave “trail” you may hear about in winter is really just a path in the snow packed down over time by the sweat of many hikers traveling along Castner Creek, and it often disappears after heavy snow or windy weather until it is packed down again or a new trail is created. In fact, I’m often the person who breaks in the trail to the ice cave and I make sure it follows a safe route when I do, but sometimes others create less-than-optimal trails in the snow which lead hikers through hazardous areas or rough terrain.

Hiking or snowshoeing to Castner Glacier is possible for most people who are capable of walking three miles without difficulty, and if you have good directions and the weather is nice then you can possibly stumble there without a guide, but during or shortly following heavy snow or windy weather, or in extreme cold, the hike can be quite difficult or perhaps impossible without snowshoes or skis, and most people are hesitant or unprepared to explore very far inside the ice cave at the front. Many self-guided hikers fail to reach the glacier when the conditions are more challenging, and some that do reach the cave still wind up lost in the dark on their return hike because they started late or blowing snow obscured the trail on the way back. Some self-guided hikers have fallen into Castner Creek or broken through the ice on the cave floor into deep water, while others have slipped on the ice in the cave and broken bones or been hit by falling rocks when visiting in warmer periods when the ice is melting. (Falling rocks are a major danger in summer, but still a possibility in the afternoon in early-to-mid October and late March through April. Rocks are otherwise frozen in place during the rest of winter.) Nearly all tourists from out-of-state have no experience hiking in subzero temperatures and some who underestimated the danger of a -40°F wind chill have suffered frostbite injuries on their faces on the worst weather days at Castner. Almost every tourist who hikes to the glacier unguided in winter is also confused by the unfamiliar terrain they encounter during the hike, the animal tracks they see in the snow, and the nature of the ice cave itself. Castner Creek is a changing landscape with signs of the glacier’s retreat all around, and moose, wolves, fox, lynx, snowshoe hares, ptarmigan, wolverines, bears (until they start hibernating in November), and other animals are quite active in the area.

Tours of Castner Glacier are available from October 1 through April 30 and are led by me, Steven Miley, or by my personally-trained assistant guides, who are all highly experienced Alaskan outdoor enthusiasts. (See their bios below.) All tours are private and limited to about 4 hours in duration, though many groups finish their tour in 3 hours when the trail is solidly packed. Usually, only half of the tour is spent walking to or from the ice cave while the rest is spent exploring, photographing, and playing in the snow. If you’re looking for a longer or more challenging hike, check out the tour pages for Canwell Glacier and Black Rapids Glacier. Group sizes larger than 6 people require special accommodation and customers must inquire before booking, while groups larger than 10 people cannot be accommodated, sorry. The objective on every tour is to safely reach and explore inside the first ice cave at the front of the glacier while teaching participants about the Alaskan landscape they encounter along the way. Note that in October and early November, the floor of the ice cave may not be frozen solidly enough to enter, but customers will still achieve an impressive view peering into the cave even if they can’t get inside. In past years, it has been possible to enter the ice cave for a short distance after the water level drops in September, but because the ice cave morphs as it melts every summer it is impossible to predict accessibility for early winter until roughly late August each year. The floor of the ice cave progressively freezes over farther inside throughout winter, allowing participants to explore very deep inside the dark, otherworldly depths where few people venture. It’s always near freezing temperature in the back of the ice cave, so on frigid winter days the ice cave seems quite warm inside! After visiting the ice cave, participants can try climbing the steep, snow-covered glacier for an impressive view or take a scenic detour to see more glacier ice as time and energy reserves permit.

Snowshoes and ice cleats are included in the base tour cost along with any other special equipment you might need, including headlamps, helmets, and hiking poles. Typically, snowshoes are only used after heavy snow when the trail is in poor condition since walking in ice cleats is otherwise easier, but customers who wish to try snowshoeing may request to do so. Snowshoeing is more strenuous than most people imagine! You do not need to bring your own snowshoes, ice cleats, or any other equipment beyond your winter clothing, though you are welcome to use your own equipment if you already have it. (Please note: Snowshoes are not the same as winter boots! Snowshoes attach to your boot and help spread your weight over the snow. See the first two photos in the gallery above for an example of what snowshoes look like.) Customers do need to supply their own footwear for the hike; a winter boot designed for walking in snow and subzero temperatures is recommended unless you are visiting in October, in which case regular waterproof hiking shoes are usually sufficient. When customers show up unprepared for subzero temperatures I can usually provide mittens, snow pants, heavy jackets, and face coverings to ensure they don’t suffer in the cold, but I cannot provide boots for everyone! You need this gear for the rest of your Alaska trip and you’ll be colder when participating in less strenuous activities like aurora viewing or dog sledding, anyway, so don’t skimp on a pair of winter boots or mittens! Rental gear is available in Fairbanks from Alaska Element and Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental, while quality gear for purchase can be found at many outdoor stores in Fairbanks including Beaver Sports, REI, Big Rays, The Prospector, Wooly Rhino, and Sportsman’s Warehouse. Walmart and Fred Meyer sell cheaper, less durable gear that can still get the job done. If you show up with wimpy shoes and the temperature is near 0°F or below, be prepared to use toe warmers and walk really fast.

Scheduled tours led by my assistant guides are available during the peak seasons around the holidays and late February through March, while I personally guide tours from October through April. If you can’t find availability for your desired dates, contact me and I may be able to arrange an additional tour for you. The calendar for the base tour option will show more availability during peak seasons, so check there if you don’t see availability on the other calendar. Scheduled tours of Castner Glacier are unavailable from May through September, but may be added on demand depending on the conditions. I offer optional adventure portraits on tours that I lead, and so does guide Grant Wilson. The base tour cost does NOT include transportation from Fairbanks to the tour start point at Castner Creek, but optional transportation is available for customers who do not wish to drive on a first come, first served basis. Please note that these options may not always be available.

Please show up on time for your tour! If you are excessively late, your tour may need to be hurried or cut short, or potentially canceled without refund. The drive from downtown Fairbanks to Castner Creek takes roughly 2.5 hours without stopping, but after factoring in a restroom break in Delta Junction and a couple stops for photos at scenic points along the way the total time is usually closer to 3 hours. When the roads are “Difficult”, or if you just plan to drive slowly, you may need to budget an extra 30 minutes. Note that customers are not expected to drive if road conditions are “Very Difficult” or “Hazardous” according to Alaska 511, in which case we’ll attempt to reschedule your tour or refund you if the tour must be canceled. If conditions are “Hazardous”, tours will automatically be canceled, but if customers are comfortable driving through isolated sections of “Very Difficult” roads, the tour may still be conducted. Most customers will rendezvous with their guide in the town of Delta Junction one hour before their scheduled hike and either carpool with or follow their guide the remaining 48 miles to Castner Creek through the mountains unless the customer has purchased optional transportation or special arrangements have been made. Customers participating in later afternoon tours in March will usually meet their guide at Castner Creek. Customers who wish to break up the drive should consider staying closer to Castner Glacier in Delta Junction or the Lodge at Black Rapids, which are great places to view the aurora.

To book your tour or view availability, click one of the “Reserve” buttons at the top or bottom of this page.

Guide Bios

Phillip Wilson

Phillip was born in Delta Junction, Alaska and raised in Fairbanks. I’ve hiked 130 miles on a traverse of the eastern Alaska Range with Phillip and we’ve been on several other adventures together. Phillip has guided tours for me and the Lodge at Black Rapids for the past few seasons. After living in a van for several years (by choice), he recently built and moved into a new house in Palmer, Alaska. Phillip graduated with a B.S. in Geology from UAF and has conducted glacier chronology & geomorphology research in the local area since 2017, so he can tell you everything you want to know about the terrain you’ll encounter in the Alaska Range. In his spare time Phillip enjoys ski mountaineering, climbing, and backpacking.

Grant Wilson

Grant was raised in Fairbanks, Alaska and also joined me on my 130-mile traverse from Black Rapids to Healy with his brother Phillip. I once photographed Grant climbing a massive rock gendarme at night under the aurora and another time I photographed him paddling through the Castner Glacier ice cave in a packraft. An avid rock and ice climber, Grant knows how to send it and is always plotting his next adventure with plans to summit Denali soon. Grant has spent his last few summers commercial fishing in Bristol Bay while also guiding tours for the Lodge at Black Rapids. For customers who agree, Grant’s adventure buddy Steve the Dog may accompany them on their tour. (Steve is a friendly black lab with tons of energy.) Grant is also a budding outdoor adventure photographer and he will be offering optional adventure portraits for customers using my professional photo equipment.

Some of Grant’s handiwork behind the camera is showcased below.

Dave McCombs

Dave is a lifelong resident of Delta Junction, Alaska. In the summer Dave and his family operate Tangle Lakes Lodge on the Denali Highway. I met Dave while he was managing the Lodge at Black Rapids, for whom he guided many guests to Castner Glacier. Dave has spent plenty of time hiking, skiing, sheep hunting, and otherwise recreating outdoors in Alaska throughout his life. We’ve hiked to Black Rapids Glacier together and have teamed on several adventures to Castner & Canwell Glacier. Easygoing and friendly, Dave can tell you all about life in rural Alaska.