Whittier, Alaska, a town nestled at the head of Passage Canal and surrounded by towering mountains, serves as a gateway to the Alaska Marine Highway System, and a port for cruise ships and day sightsee cruises. The reason we ended up in Whittier is because we booked the 5 1/4 hour “26 Glacier” Cruise.
Getting to Whittier was part of the fun. We were staying in Girdwood, about 45 minutes away, and to get to Whittier one needs to go through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. A tunnel, big woop? Why you wasting our time? Well, this tunnel is a little special. Not only is it the longest highway tunnel in North America (going through Maynard Mountain) for 2.5 miles, it is also a combined highway and railroad tunnel. The tunnel is only lane lane, so to accommodate the trains and cars, there is a schedule of when the tunnel is open to traffic in either direction. To make the cruise time they want you there for the 10:30 tunnel, but we decided to go for the 9:30 tunnel and check out Whittier a little bit before the cruise.
When we arrived at the tunnel entrance, we paid a toll (with cash) with a person in a booth. The fee is based on the type of vehicle. They give you a little brochure of the town and tell you what lane to wait in. Having arrived a little too early, we were car #2, and watched as the lanes started to fill up with other cars, busses, and trucks. We saw a train pass by to enter the tunnel, and a bit later, it was our turn. The lane light lit green and we began. The speed through the tunnel is 25 MPH and they want you to keep a little distance between the vehicles. The approximate 6 minutes of travel time within the tunnel was sorta neat. The road, the train track, the few emergency areas, darkness but with lights, shields on the top and some sides to probably prevent rock or water falling on the road, moisture on the walls. Then, a pop of brightness in the distance letting us know we were almost at the end. Having gone through the tunnel it was obvious why you can’t walk or bike through the tunnel.
Soon after we exited the tunnel, the road drops makes a Y. A public parking on the left, or towards the right is the small downtown. We parked in a spot, and then walked to the town side via the the tunnel under the train tracks. We walked down Whittier Street to the Anchor Inn. A very old hotel that we weren’t sure if it was open. Justin went up the stairs first, and yes, that door led us to the restaurant. It was old and not much to look at, but they were attentive. We ordered breakfast and it was done quickly. The breakfast was surprisingly good. I thought their hashbrowns were cooked nicely and had flavor, Justin also commented later that night, that his breakfast here was the best food he ate all day. After leaving we walked back down Whittier Street and looked at the Begich Tower, where most of the residents of Whittier live, the old Buckner building and other buildings. We headed back to the water, where there were a few eateries and shops. I was surprised how small Whittier was for a town that gets a lot of cruise traffic.
We checked into our cruise, and then waited more, we were getting excited to see more glaciers. We boarded and found our assigned seat. We were at a 4-seat window table facing backwards. We were joined by a nice couple and had good conversations over the course of the afternoon.
The cruise itself was aboard a comfortable and well-equipped vessel, designed for optimal viewing with lots of windows and outside areas. As we navigated out of Whittier’s harbor, the scenery immediately captivated us. Steep, forested mountains plunged directly into the deep blue waters, waterfalls cascaded down rocky faces like silver ribbons, and we were fortunate for blue skies. Our knowledgeable onboard narrator provided fascinating insights into the area’s geology, wildlife, and the history of the glaciers we were about to encounter.
Getting to the glaciers took a little time, so they provide lunch. They brought the lunches in lined baskets with your choice of chowder or chili (selected at registration), oyster crackers, a roll & butter, a slice of cheese, coleslaw, fruit snacks, and a peppermint patty. It was during this time we encountered our first wildlife — a sea lion. A little father away, we saw 2 humpback whales close to the shoreline — but farther away then I would have liked, only got a bit of view of a fin and tale. A bit later we saw a dall’s porpoise. The captain ensured everyone on both sides of the boat got to see it and went in slow circles so your view was always changing. Throughout the day, we saw lots of sea otters floating on their backs and black-legged kittiwake (bird).
The highlight, of course, was the parade of glaciers. We started in the College Fjord section and moved into the Harriman Fjords. The narration helped us identify the different glaciers, sharing their names, origins, and interesting facts about their movement and recession. It was both educational and awe-inspiring to learn about the immense forces that carve these icy landscapes.
The best part was Surprise Glacier, we cruised close enough to truly appreciate its intricate texture of the ice, especially when looking through the binoculars. In the water at the base of the glacier were mini ice burgs. For me, that made the experience. Seeing glaciers is one thing, but to see glaciers from the water, with little burgs floating by made it feel complete. There were a lot of people on the boat, not quite full to capacity, but full enough that the outside area were people deep and all talking, so they say you might be able to hear groans and cracking sounds emanating from the glacier but I didn’t. Like earlier, the captain circled around so everyone was able to see the glacier. At the same time we were viewing the glacier, in the other direction on the slopes were several mountain goats and a bear. So when not looking at one thing, you were peering through your binoculars looking at the wildlife.
With the highlight behind us, we began the trek back to port. We continued to see many sea otters floating and some seabirds soaring overhead. Unfortunately no more whales were spotted.
When in Alaska, a Glacier Cruise is a must. However for us, the 5 1/2 hour cruise was a bit little too long for me & Justin. I think the shorter 3 3/4 hour tour from the same company, or the tour out of Seward would have been sufficient for us – and I think those get closer to a glacier. Sometimes its quality of quantity. No matter which you chose, seeing the dramatic beauty of the landscapes, the glaciers, the wildlife, it will stay with you long after you’ve returned to shore.