Hubbard Glacier

Nature’s Drama Experienced Daily

Among the many scenic gems on Alaska’s southeast coastline, Hubbard Glacier is the most dramatic. Comprised of the longest river of ice in North America, beginning in Canada and flowing 76 miles to Russell Fjord, the glacier itself originates at Mount Logan, North America’s second-tallest mountain. And, while 95% of the world’s glaciers are retreating, Hubbard Glacier is still advancing.

As the largest advancing tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier’s terminal face is the dramatic end of a process that began 450 years ago as snowfall on the slopes of Mount Logan. The blue wall of ice rises 350 feet above the waterline and extends 250 feet below the sea. Movement of up to 36 feet every day results in daily calving—breathtaking moments where ice cleaves off the wall, and can be the size of ten story buildings.

With calving occurring on a daily basis, Hubbard Glacier offers the best opportunity to observe glacial processes as they unfold—a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Your captain will slowly turn your ship into Yakutat Bay, navigating the awe-inspiring wall of ice. Enjoy incredible picture-perfect views from just about anywhere on the ship as our dedicated onboard Naturalist narrates the experience and keeps an eye out for the whales, harbor seals, and otters that hunt in the bay’s waters. With its dramatic and massive 7-mile-wide face, and ever-changing wall of ice, Hubbard Glacier lives long in the memory of any visit to Alaska