Alaska: Winter or Summer? A Glacier Landing Tour Comparison
- Alaska Helicopter Tours
- May 30
- 6 min read
Wondering when to book your Alaska helicopter glacier tour? Both summer and winter offer stunning and totally different glacier experiences. Here’s what you need to know to choose the best season for your unforgettable adventure.
Is it Better to Visit Alaska in Summer or Winter?
This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the truth is, Alaska is incredible year-round, but the seasons do vary in dramatically different ways. It really depends on what kind of Alaska you're looking to explore.
Summer in Alaska:
Up to 20 hours of daylight (hello, midnight sun!)
Mild temps perfect for hiking and outdoor adventures
Lush green landscapes and active wildlife
Salmon runs and wildflower blooms
Full access to remote areas and open attractions
Ideal for packing in more daylight adventures
Winter in Alaska:
Smaller crowds and a more remote, authentic feel
The best time to visit Alaska to see the northern lights dancing across long, dark nights
Pristine snowy landscapes and dramatic photo ops
Unique winter activities like ice climbing and snowshoeing
A true Arctic wonderland few tourists experience
Glacier helicopter tours are especially magical in any season, but the experience varies significantly. So it’s not about which season is better, it’s about which kind of glacier experience calls to you. Let’s take a closer look at what makes each one special.
Quick Decision Guide: Winter vs Summer at a Glance
Choose Winter If You Want:
Dramatic ice formations and blue ice caves
Stunning golden hour photography with orange-glowing glaciers
Fewer crowds and intimate wilderness experiences
Winter-specific activities like ice climbing
Choose Summer If You Want:
Brilliant blue melt pools and flowing glacial streams
Long daylight hours (up to 20 hours per day)
Fresh glacial water straight from the source
Combined activities like heli-hiking and fishing
There's really no wrong choice: glacier landings are amazing any time. Let's dive deeper into what makes each season special.
Glacier Scenery & Features
Winter: Dramatic Ice Architecture
Winter transforms glaciers into natural ice palaces. The flowing rivers, streams, and ponds you'd see in summer are now frozen solid, creating entirely new formations that exist only in the coldest months.
Winter Features:
Ice caves - Navigate stunning blue caverns carved by nature
Massive ice walls - Towering formations impossible to see in warmer months
Frozen icefalls - Dramatic cascades of ice suspended in time
Snow patterns - Wind and snow create intricate designs across glacier surfaces
Frozen icebergs - Solid structures in glacial lakes (though they can still move from glacier pressure!)
Our pilots become your personal ice guides, helping you with ice cleats and leading you safely to these incredible formations.
Summer: Alaska’s Living Glaciers
Summer reveals glaciers as the living, flowing rivers of ice they truly are. This is when glaciers show their most dynamic personality, with meltwater creating some of nature's most beautiful features.
Summer Features:
Brilliant blue melt pools - Often called the most beautiful blue color in the world
Fresh glacial streams - Crystal-clear water flowing directly from ancient ice
Melt ponds - Temporary pools that form and change throughout the season
Exposed glacier blue - See the deep blue ice without snow cover
Active glacier movement - Witness the glacier's slow but constant flow
Don't forget your water bottle - you'll want to taste the freshest, cleanest water on Earth straight from the glacier!
Alaska Weather in Summer vs Winter & Helicopter Tour Flying Conditions
Winter: Arctic Beauty with Comfortable Flying
Alaska's winter helicopter tours offer surprisingly comfortable flying conditions. While ground temperatures can be frigid, our heated helicopters keep you warm during the flight. Winter in Alaska lasts about eight months, creating a dynamic, ever-changing landscape that's anything but frozen in time.
What to Expect:
Crystal-clear visibility on crisp winter days
Snow-covered peaks creating dramatic contrast
Hoarfrost making forests shine like diamonds
Comfortable cabin temperatures despite outdoor cold
Summer: Extended Daylight & Mild Temperatures
Summer brings Alaska's famous midnight sun, giving us around 20 hours of daylight on the longest day of the year. This extended daylight means more available tour times and better flexibility for your Alaska vacation schedule.
What to Expect:
Mild temperatures perfect for glacier walking
Long days allowing multiple tour options
Clear skies ideal for photography
Pro tip: Pack sunscreen - glacier ice reflects intense UV rays!
Check Anchorage weather trends ahead of time, and current conditions right before your trip, to help you pack with confidence!
Glacier Tour Photography & Lighting

Winter: Golden Hour Paradise
Photographers often prefer Alaska in winter, and for good reason. Due to Alaska's high latitude, we experience extended "golden hours" with longer sunrises and sunsets compared to the lower 48 states.
Winter Photography Advantages:
Extended golden hour lighting lasting hours, not minutes
Orange glow illuminating white landscapes
Dramatic contrast between snow and blue ice
Unique ice formations that don't exist in summer
Wildlife tracks creating natural leading lines in snow

Summer: Vibrant Colors & Extended Shooting Time
Summer photography in Alaska offers its own magic, with vibrant blues and extended daylight giving you flexibility for the perfect shot.
Summer Photography Advantages:
20 hours of daylight = more shooting opportunities
Brilliant blue melt pools providing stunning focal points
Green landscapes contrasting with white glaciers
Clear water reflections
Dynamic weather creating varied lighting conditions
Activities & Adventures
Winter: Ice-Focused Adventures
Winter opens up unique glacier activities impossible during warmer months. The solid ice formations and stable conditions create opportunities for specialized winter adventures.
Winter Activities:
Ice cave exploration - Navigate through natural blue ice chambers with expert guides, discovering stunning formations only accessible in winter's frozen conditions
Ice climbing - Scale frozen waterfalls and ice walls with professional instruction and specialized equipment
Glacier landings - Safely explore areas of the glacier covered in fresh snow and frozen pools, experiencing the glacier's winter transformation
Winter heli-snowshoeing - Helicopter access to pristine powder snow locations for peaceful snowshoe adventures through untouched wilderness terrain
Summer: Water Features & Hiking
Summer's milder conditions and melted features allow for different types of glacier interaction, focusing on the glacier's role as a water source and hiking destination.
Summer Activities:
Glacier landings - Glide over mountain peaks and land on exposed glacier ice, where you can take in stunning melt pools—and even sip fresh glacial water straight from the source.
Heli-hiking - Exploring wilderness areas with helicopter access as you hike in glacial valleys
Dog sledding - Experience Alaska's state sport on glaciers with professional mushers and Iditarod-champion sled dogs
Paddleboarding - Paddle across crystal-clear blue glacial pools in pristine wilderness settings
Heli Fishing - Helicopter access to remote rivers and streams for exclusive fishing opportunities with little competition from other anglers
Which Season Should You Choose?
Choose Winter If You're Looking For:
Unique ice formations you can't see anywhere else
Intimate wilderness experience with fewer tourists
Dramatic photography with golden lighting
Special winter activities like ice cave exploration
Shorter trip planning - winter tours often have more availability
Choose Summer If You're Looking For:
Comfortable conditions for extended glacier time
Flexible scheduling with long daylight hours
Interactive water features and glacial streams
Combination experiences with other summer activities
Family-friendly conditions with milder weather
Practical Planning Tips
Winter Tour Considerations:
Dress warmly for glacier walking (we provide guidance)
Book early: winter has fewer available tour days due to weather
Flexible dates help ensure flying conditions align with your schedule
Photography gear should be cold-weather rated
Summer Tour Considerations:
Pack sunscreen: glacier reflection intensifies UV exposure
Bring a water bottle for fresh glacial water tasting
Layered clothing recommended for changing conditions
More tour options are available due to extended daylight

Year-Round Glacier Landing Tours
We offer glacier landing tours throughout the year! Our experienced pilots and guides know exactly when conditions are perfect for safe, spectacular flights in any season.
Our Premier Glacier Landing Locations:
Knik Glacier Landing Tours - Departing from Palmer (just 45 minutes from Anchorage), experience our signature glacier landing on the massive Knik Glacier in the Chugach Mountains
Bear Glacier Landing Tours - Departing from Seward, land on the spectacular Bear Glacier with stunning views of Resurrection Bay and the Kenai Peninsula
Whether you choose winter's dramatic ice architecture or summer's flowing blue pools, you truly cannot make a wrong choice. Every pilot, guide, and guest we've spoken with says the same thing: both seasons offer experiences so unique and beautiful that you'll want to return for the other season. Many of our guests book return trips specifically to see how dramatically the same glaciers transform between seasons.
Still can't decide? Contact our team - we love helping guests choose the perfect season based on their interests, schedule, and what they're hoping to experience on their Alaska adventure.
This article does an awesome job breaking down the unique experiences you can have on an Alaska helicopter glacier tour, no matter the season! I never realized how much the lighting and activities would differ between summer’s endless daylight and winter’s magical northern lights. It really reminds me of playing Bitlife —every decision leads to such a different adventure.
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