Glacier and icefield travel logistics around the Stikine and Juneau icefields AI-pedia

The Stikine Icecap and the Juneau Icefield are two large bodies of glacial ice in the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains. Both straddle the international boundary between the Alaska Panhandle (Southeast Alaska) and northwestern British Columbia. An icefield is a large, connected area of glacier ice in mountainous terrain. Individual glaciers called outlet glaciers flow out from it. An icecap is similar but tends to bury the underlying land more completely. In this region the two terms are often used interchangeably, so the Stikine Icecap is sometimes called the Stikine Icefield.

Travel on and between these icefields is shaped by a small number of hard facts. There are almost no roads. Weather comes in from the Gulf of Alaska and can stop all flying for days at a time. The outlet glaciers often end in broken icefalls or calving fronts at sea level. Two large rivers, the Taku and the Stikine, cut through the coastal mountains from Canada and cannot be bypassed on ice. The international boundary also runs along the crest of the icefields, and that brings customs and immigration rules into play.

This article describes the logistics of glacier and icefield travel in the area: how people get there, what rules apply, when they go, what hazards they face, how rivers are crossed, how expeditions are supplied and rescued, and which routes are well known. It is a general reference, not a guidebook. Conditions change from year to year, and anyone planning travel needs current, local information.

Geography of the two icefields

Stikine Icecap

The Stikine Icecap lies on the Alaska–British Columbia boundary, roughly east of the towns of Petersburg and Wrangell. On the United States side, most of it is administered by the Tongass National Forest, and much of it lies within the Stikine-LeConte Wilderness. This wilderness area was designated under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980.

The icecap feeds several river systems. The Taku River forms its northern boundary, and the icecap feeds the Taku's southern tributaries. The Stikine River and its lower western tributaries, notably the Chutine River, form its southern and southwestern boundaries.

Important outlet glaciers include:

• LeConte Glacier, on the US side. It flows into LeConte Bay near Petersburg. It is often described as the southernmost tidewater glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. A tidewater glacier is one that ends in the sea and loses ice by calving (breaking off icebergs).
• Sawyer Glaciers, on the US side. Wikipedia names the Stikine Icecap as their parent icefield. Glaciers called North Sawyer and South Sawyer end at the head of Tracy Arm, a fjord south of Juneau. Sources differ on how the icefields north of the Stikine are divided and named.
• Baird Glacier, which descends towards Thomas Bay north of Petersburg and has served as a walking approach onto the icecap.
• Great Glacier, on the Canadian side. It flows towards the lower Stikine River.
• Mud Glacier and Flood Glacier, also on the Canadian side and also reaching the lower Stikine. They bound a small range called the Boundary Range. This range forms an eastern abutment of the mountains that hold the Stikine Icecap. It marks approximately the boundary the United States claimed before the Alaska Boundary Settlement of 1903.

The Stikine Icecap is well known among mountaineers for steep, technically demanding granite peaks and spires. These have been compared to Patagonia in South America. Well-known peaks include Devils Thumb, Kates Needle, the Witches Tits, Cat's Ears and the Burkett Needle.

Juneau Icefield

The Juneau Icefield lies north and east of Juneau, the capital of Alaska. It extends roughly from Taku Inlet in the south towards the Skagway area in the north, and eastwards into British Columbia towards Atlin Lake. A commonly cited figure for its area is about 3,900 km² (about 1,500 square miles), though estimates vary with how the boundaries are drawn and with ongoing ice loss.

Its many outlet glaciers include:

• Mendenhall Glacier, which ends in a lake a short drive from downtown Juneau and is one of the most visited glaciers in Alaska.
• Taku Glacier, the largest outlet, which flows into the Taku Inlet area.
• Lemon Creek, Herbert, Eagle and Norris glaciers, which drain towards the Juneau side.
• Llewellyn Glacier, on the Canadian side, which drains towards Atlin Lake in British Columbia.

The highest summit associated with the icefield is Devils Paw, on the international boundary, at roughly 2,600 m (published figures differ slightly). Large parts of the upper icefield are gently sloping névé. Névé is old, compacted snow that has survived at least one summer and is turning into glacier ice. These gentler upper areas are easier to travel on than the steep, crevassed outlet glaciers that lead down to the valleys and the sea.

The gap between them

The two icefields are separated by the valley of the Taku River. The Taku rises in British Columbia and reaches the sea in Taku Inlet, south of Juneau. Travellers who want to go from one icefield to the other on skis or on foot must leave the ice, descend to the river, cross it and climb back onto the glaciers on the other side. The descent and the climb back up are often through rough terrain at the margins of outlet glaciers.

Access points and transport

Towns in Alaska

Juneau is the main hub for the Juneau Icefield. It has a jet airport with scheduled flights, floatplane and ski-plane operators, and helicopter tour companies. Juneau is not connected to the North American road network. People and goods arrive by air or by sea, including on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system.

Petersburg and Wrangell are the main Alaskan hubs for the Stikine Icecap. Both are island towns served by air and ferry. Wrangell lies near the mouth of the Stikine River, and local jet boat operators run trips upriver. Petersburg is close to LeConte Bay, Thomas Bay and the Baird Glacier. Climbing parties heading for Devils Thumb and nearby peaks have commonly flown in from Petersburg.

Access from British Columbia

Atlin, a small community on Atlin Lake, lies near the eastern edge of the Juneau Icefield. It is reached by road from the Alaska Highway in Yukon. Traverses of the Juneau Icefield often finish here, because travellers can walk or ski off the ice towards the lake and reach a road.

On the Stikine side, the community of Telegraph Creek lies on the upper Stikine River. It is reached by a long gravel road from Dease Lake. The lower Stikine through the Coast Mountains, where the Great, Mud and Flood glaciers reach the river, has no road. It is reached mainly by boat from Wrangell, or by aircraft. Great Glacier Provincial Park protects part of this lower valley on the Canadian side.

Aircraft

Aircraft are the main way onto both icefields:

• Ski-planes are fixed-wing aircraft fitted with skis. They can land on smooth upper glacier surfaces when snow conditions and visibility allow. They are widely used to drop off and pick up skiing and climbing parties.
• Floatplanes land on water. They serve coastal sites, lakes and fjords below the glaciers, such as Taku Inlet, where Taku Glacier Lodge is reached by floatplane.
• Helicopters are used for sightseeing tours with glacier landings, for scientific work and for rescue. Rules on helicopter landings differ between wilderness and non-wilderness land (see below).

Flying depends heavily on weather. Pilots need visibility both to navigate through mountain passes and to judge the snow surface on landing. A whiteout makes the surface appear featureless, which is dangerous for landing. Parties are often told to carry extra food and fuel in case pickup is delayed by days or longer.

Boats and the fjords

Boats provide access to fjord heads and river mouths. Examples include LeConte Bay, Thomas Bay, Tracy Arm, Endicott Arm and Taku Inlet. Fjords below active tidewater glaciers can be partly or completely choked with floating ice, which can block small boats and kayaks. Strong tidal currents and cold water add to the risk.

On the Stikine River, the right of navigation has a treaty basis. The Treaty of Washington of 1871 between the United States and the United Kingdom provided that navigation of the Yukon, Porcupine and Stikine rivers should be free for commerce to citizens of both countries. Jet boats are the usual craft on the lower Stikine because the river is shallow, braided and fast in places.

Land management and permits

Wilderness rules in Alaska

In US federal wilderness areas, motorised and mechanised use is generally prohibited. Alaska is a partial exception. ANILCA allows certain traditional means of access in Alaskan conservation units, including designated wilderness, subject to regulation. These include airplanes, motorboats and snowmachines (snowmobiles), the last when there is adequate snow cover. This is why ski-plane landings in places such as the Stikine-LeConte Wilderness are possible.

Helicopter landings are treated differently. They are generally not permitted in wilderness except for emergencies or authorised administrative purposes. The details are set by the managing agency and can change, so current rules should be confirmed with the Tongass National Forest.

Commercial operations

Businesses that operate on national forest land need a special use permit from the US Forest Service. This applies to helicopter tour companies landing on the Juneau Icefield, glacier dog-sledding camps, and commercial guides leading trips on the ice. Permits can limit the number of landings or clients, partly to manage noise and crowding. Independent, non-commercial parties usually do not need a permit for ordinary travel. Rules on camping, caches and aircraft use still apply.

British Columbia

On the Canadian side, land is mostly provincial Crown land, with some provincial parks. The lower Stikine and Taku valleys are within the traditional territories of First Nations, including the Tahltan and the Taku River Tlingit. Commercial activity on Crown land and in parks is regulated by the province. Travellers on the Canadian side should check provincial park rules and any requirements that apply to commercial guiding or aircraft use.

Crossing the international boundary

The Alaska–British Columbia boundary runs across both icefields, mostly along high, glaciated terrain with no markers that are visible under snow. A traverse that starts in Juneau and ends in Atlin, or that drops from the Stikine Icecap to the Canadian part of the Stikine River, crosses into another country.

Both countries require people entering from abroad to report to customs and immigration authorities. In general, Canadian law requires people entering Canada to present themselves without delay at the nearest open customs office. The United States has equivalent requirements for people entering the US. There are no border posts on the icefields themselves. Parties therefore need to plan in advance how and where they will report. They should contact the Canada Border Services Agency and US Customs and Border Protection well before the trip, because the correct procedure depends on the route, the travellers' nationalities and current policy.

Other border-related points include:

• Passports or other accepted travel documents should be carried, even in the backcountry.
• Firearms carried for bear protection are subject to strict Canadian import rules, and some types are prohibited. They must be declared.
• Aircraft that cross the border must follow international flight and customs procedures. A pilot based on one side may not be able to collect a party from the other side without clearance.
• Search and rescue is organised separately in each country (see below). This can matter if an emergency happens near the boundary.

Weather, climate and seasons

The icefields lie in a cool, very wet maritime climate. Storms from the Gulf of Alaska bring heavy snowfall to the upper icefields and rain at sea level. This high precipitation is what sustains such large icefields at relatively low latitudes and modest elevations. It also means that bad weather can last for many days.

A regional feature is the Taku wind. This is a strong, cold wind that blows down from the interior through the Taku valley and nearby gaps towards Juneau and the coast, mostly in the colder months. It can be violent and makes flying and boating hazardous.

Daylight varies a great deal over the year. Juneau is at about 58°N. Around the winter solstice it has roughly six and a half hours of daylight. In midsummer it has about eighteen hours, with long twilight.

Period	General conditions	Typical uses
Winter (December–February)	Short days, frequent storms, deep cold on the upper ice, Taku winds, avalanche hazard	Little recreational icefield travel
Late winter (March)	Deep snowpack bridging crevasses, increasing daylight, storms still common, rivers may be partly frozen	Some ski traverses and expeditions
Spring (April–June)	Long days, snowpack often settled, crevasses still mostly covered on upper ice, lower glaciers begin to melt	The main season for ski traverses and many ski-plane drop-offs
Summer (July–August)	Snow melts back on lower glaciers, crevasses open, rivers high with meltwater, rain at lower elevations	Research programmes, helicopter tours, rock climbing on Stikine spires
Autumn (September–November)	Increasing storms, early snow, shortening days	Limited travel

The table is a general pattern, not a forecast. Individual years vary widely.

Terrain and hazards

Crevasses and icefalls

A crevasse is a crack in a glacier caused by the ice stretching as it flows. Crevasses can be many metres deep. They can be hidden by snow bridges, which are layers of snow spanning the crack that may or may not support a person's weight.

An icefall is a steep, heavily broken section of glacier where the ice flows over a drop in the bedrock. It contains many crevasses and seracs, which are towers or blocks of ice that can collapse without warning.

The upper parts of both icefields are mostly gentle. Many outlet glaciers, however, steepen and break up as they descend. The lower reaches of tidewater glaciers such as LeConte end in icefalls, crevasse fields and calving fronts, not smooth ramps. Getting off the ice at the coast is therefore often harder than travelling across the icefield itself. Parties travel roped together and carry crevasse rescue equipment.

Tidewater fronts and fjords

At the front of a tidewater glacier, large pieces of ice fall into the sea. Calving can produce waves dangerous to small boats and to anyone at the shoreline. Icebergs can also roll over unexpectedly. Ice-filled fjords such as LeConte Bay can trap or block small craft. Approaching a tidewater front closely by boat or on foot is regarded as very hazardous.

Glacier outburst floods

A glacier lake outburst flood, also called a jökulhlaup, happens when water dammed by glacier ice suddenly drains. In recent years, a glacier-dammed lake in Suicide Basin, beside the Mendenhall Glacier, has drained repeatedly, usually in summer. These floods have caused flooding in the Mendenhall Valley in Juneau, with record floods in 2023 and 2024. Other ice-dammed lakes in the region have produced similar floods in the past, including in the Taku River system. For travellers, these floods can suddenly raise river levels, wash out lake edges and destabilise ice margins.

Avalanches, whiteouts and storms

Steep valley walls above the glaciers produce snow avalanches, especially after heavy snowfall or during spring warming. Rockfall is common on steep peaks in summer.

A whiteout happens when cloud, falling snow or flat light removes visual contrast, so that the surface and horizon cannot be seen. In a whiteout on a large, featureless icefield, navigation depends on compass, GPS and pre-planned routes. Crevasses and drop-offs become hard to see. Long storms also test tents and snow shelters, and they consume food and fuel faster than planned.

Wildlife

Brown bears and black bears live in the coastal valleys and river corridors, and they sometimes cross glaciers. They are generally in their dens through the winter and emerge in spring, so encounters are unlikely in March and more likely from late spring onwards. Bears are mainly a concern at the margins of the ice, in valleys and along rivers, not on the high icefield. Food storage and bear deterrents are standard precautions at lower elevations.

River crossings

Both major rivers that cut through the region rise in British Columbia and flow west to the sea through the Coast Mountains. Because they cross the mountain range instead of starting from it, there is no glacier to go around them. Any route linking the icefields, or continuing south beyond the Stikine Icecap, must cross them.

Stikine River

The Stikine is the largest obstacle for travellers heading south from the Stikine Icecap. It is a large, silty, glacier-fed river with a broad delta of braided channels and tidal flats near Wrangell. Higher up, in the mountain section near the border, it runs in a narrower, faster single channel past the Great, Mud and Flood glaciers.

Possible crossing points range from the delta on the Alaskan side to sections upstream in British Columbia. Each has drawbacks:

• Near the delta, the river is spread over many channels and mudflats affected by tides. Wading may be possible in some channels but not in others.
• Upstream in Canada, the river is more confined and the current stronger. A crossing there also means entering Canada, with the reporting requirements described above.
• In late winter, the river may be partly frozen. Partial ice can be worse than open water. Shelf ice and floating pans may not support a person, and they make it hard to launch or land a small boat.
• In summer, meltwater raises the river and increases its speed and silt load.

Common methods include packrafts (small, light inflatable boats carried in a pack), arranged pickups by jet boat, or simply ending one trip and starting another on the far side. On a ski traverse that bypasses the coastal fjords by staying on the ice, the Stikine is widely regarded as the crux of the route. The crux is the hardest or most uncertain part.

Taku River

The Taku separates the Stikine Icecap from the Juneau Icefield. It also rises in British Columbia and enters Taku Inlet south of Juneau. Like the Stikine, it is glacier-fed and can be swift and cold. The terminus of the Taku Glacier has at times reached the river and its floodplain area, and glaciers on the Canadian side feed tributaries such as the Tulsequah River. Crossing the Taku involves the same decisions as the Stikine: where to cross, with what equipment, and whether the crossing point is in the United States or in Canada.

Equipment and resupply

Equipment for travel on these icefields usually includes:

• Skis with climbing skins, or snowshoes, for travel on snow.
• Sleds (often called pulks) to haul food and fuel for long trips.
• Rope, harnesses, ice axes, crampons and crevasse rescue gear.
• Storm-worthy tents and tools for building snow walls or snow caves.
• Navigation equipment: map, compass, GPS, and pre-loaded routes for whiteout travel.
• Stoves and enough fuel to melt snow for all drinking water.
• Packrafts, paddles and drysuits where river crossings are planned.
• Satellite communication devices (see below).

Long trips may use caches (stores of food and fuel left in advance) or airdrops, where supplies are dropped from a light aircraft onto the snow. Airdrops depend on flyable weather and on being able to find the dropped loads. Caches left on glaciers can be buried by new snow or moved by ice flow, so they are marked carefully and their positions recorded.

Communications, rescue and self-reliance

There is little or no mobile phone coverage on most of the icefields. Satellite phones, satellite messengers and personal locator beacons are widely carried. Personal locator beacons are devices that send a distress signal through a satellite system. Many parties also arrange a regular check-in with someone in town, together with a plan for what that person should do if a check-in is missed.

In Alaska, search and rescue involves the Alaska State Troopers, volunteer groups such as Juneau Mountain Rescue, and, for aerial rescue, the US Coast Guard, which has an air station in Sitka. In British Columbia, ground search and rescue is generally coordinated through police and provincial emergency management with local volunteer groups. Rescue near the boundary may involve agencies from both countries.

Even with good communications, rescue can be delayed for days by the same weather that grounds ordinary flights. Parties are therefore expected to be largely self-reliant. That means carrying the skills and equipment to deal with injuries, crevasse falls and long storms by themselves.

Notable routes and expeditions

Juneau Icefield Research Program traverse

The Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) is one of the longest-running glacier research and field education programmes in the world. It was founded in 1946, with glaciologist Maynard Miller as a central figure for many decades. Each summer, students and researchers travel across the icefield over several weeks. They move between a series of numbered field camps and carry out glaciological measurements, mapping and other science along the way. The traverse traditionally starts on the Juneau side and ends in Atlin, British Columbia. It therefore crosses the international boundary.

The JIRP traverse provides a model for how large groups manage icefield logistics: established camps, helicopter and aircraft support for moving supplies, roped travel on crevassed terrain, safety training, and planning for border crossing at the end.

Ski traverses of the Juneau Icefield

Independent ski parties also cross the Juneau Icefield, commonly from the Juneau area towards Atlin or along the length of the icefield towards Skagway. These trips are usually done in spring, when snow covers most crevasses and days are long. The main difficulties are getting onto and off the ice through the steeper outlet glaciers, waiting out storms, and arranging transport and border reporting at the end.

Climbing approaches in the Stikine

Climbers visiting the Stikine Icecap's granite spires usually fly in by ski-plane to a glacier landing near their objective. A few have walked in from the coast. Devils Thumb was first climbed in 1946 by a party that included Fred Beckey, who went on to climb widely in the Coast Mountains. In 1977 the writer Jon Krakauer made a solo ascent of a new route on Devils Thumb. He took a boat to Thomas Bay, travelled up the Baird Glacier onto the icecap, and had supplies dropped by a light aircraft. He later described the trip in his writing. The account is often cited as an example of the risks of solo glacier travel, including crevasses and long periods of bad weather.

Long Coast Mountains traverses

Some ski mountaineers have attempted or completed very long traverses along the Coast Mountains that link several icefields, including the Stikine Icecap and the Juneau Icefield. Such routes need repeated resupply, crossings of major rivers such as the Stikine and the Taku, and sometimes repeated crossings of the international boundary. They are rare and demand a high level of experience. Details of individual expeditions vary, and reports should be read from the participants' own published accounts.

Glacier change and its effect on travel

Most glaciers in the region have been thinning and retreating, in line with glaciers worldwide. The Mendenhall Glacier has retreated substantially over the past century, leaving a growing lake at its front. The Taku Glacier was notable for advancing through much of the 20th century while most neighbouring glaciers retreated. Glaciologists who monitor it reported that it turned to retreat in the late 2010s.

These changes affect travel logistics in several ways:

• Glacier fronts and lower tongues change shape, so routes onto and off the ice described in older accounts may no longer work.
• Retreating glaciers expose steep, unstable moraine and bedrock, and can leave new lakes that block routes or drain suddenly.
• Snow cover on lower glaciers may melt earlier in the year, opening crevasses sooner.
• Newly formed lakes and changing river channels alter where boats and floatplanes can land.

Older maps may show glacier extents that no longer exist. Recent satellite imagery and local knowledge are often more reliable for route planning.

Debates and open questions

Several matters remain uncertain or open to debate:

• Naming and boundaries. There is no single agreed division between the icefields north of the Stikine River and the Juneau Icefield. Sources differ on which outlet glaciers belong to which icefield, and published area figures vary.
• Aircraft access in wilderness. Allowing aircraft landings supports access, research and rescue. It also brings noise and crowding to wild areas. The number and location of commercial landings permitted on the Juneau Icefield have been discussed in Forest Service planning.
• Best season for long traverses. Late winter gives deep snow over crevasses and few bear encounters. It also brings shorter days, more frequent storms and partly frozen rivers. Mid to late spring gives longer days but faster melting low down. The right choice depends on the route, especially on how and where the rivers will be crossed.
• Glacier hazards in a changing climate. Researchers continue to study how glacier retreat affects outburst floods, slope stability and calving. The outcomes matter for both communities and travellers.
• Cross-border procedures. The rules for reporting entry from remote backcountry routes are set by national authorities and can change. Travellers report that procedures need to be confirmed for each trip.

See also

• Stikine Icecap
• Juneau Icefield
• Juneau Icefield Research Program
• Mendenhall Glacier
• Taku Glacier
• LeConte Glacier
• Stikine River
• Taku River
• Stikine-LeConte Wilderness
• Tracy Arm–Fords Terror Wilderness
• Tongass National Forest
• Devils Thumb
• Boundary Ranges
• Coast Mountains
• Alaska boundary dispute
• Glacier lake outburst flood
• Crevasse
• Tidewater glacier cycle
• Packrafting