Copper River Wilderness Lodge - Two excursions in one day?

Just booked the Princess 'Off the Beaten Path' cruisetour (JA6) for August, which gives us only one full day at Copper River. Our first trip to Alaska, so thought we'd ask the experts... is it possible to do a flightseeing tour and a glacier hike on the same day?

Princess offers the Wrangell-St. Elias Air Panorama tour (2 hours) and Worthington Glacier Hike (7 hours). Are the departure times compatible that you can do both?

As an alternative, are there private companies servicing Copper River that combine flightseeing and a glacier hike on a single day trip? If so, do they provide transfers to/from the Lodge?

In terms of the quality of the flightseeing - how does Kennicott Mine / Wrangell-St. Elias Flightseeing (11 hours) compare to the 2-hour Panorama tour?

Any other tips/advice on Copper River tours in this Princess itinerary would be most appreciated - thanks!!

Just booked the Princess 'Off the Beaten Path' cruisetour (JA6) for August, which gives us only one full day at Copper River. Our first trip to Alaska, so thought we'd ask the experts... is it possible to do a flightseeing tour and a glacier hike on the same day?

 

Princess offers the Wrangell-St. Elias Air Panorama tour (2 hours) and Worthington Glacier Hike (7 hours). Are the departure times compatible that you can do both?

 

As an alternative, are there private companies servicing Copper River that combine flightseeing and a glacier hike on a single day trip? If so, do they provide transfers to/from the Lodge?

 

In terms of the quality of the flightseeing - how does Kennicott Mine / Wrangell-St. Elias Flightseeing (11 hours) compare to the 2-hour Panorama tour?

 

Any other tips/advice on Copper River tours in this Princess itinerary would be most appreciated - thanks!!

Princess does not allow vendors other than the ones they use (read-take a cut of the fee!) on their properties. If you book a private vendor, you have to walk off the property and meet them on the road!

Sorry no, not likely available. Frankly, there is FAR more than just flying around here. The biggie is to GET to Kennicott/McCarthy. You may want to rethink this and look for a cruisetour, that has 2 nights there. One isn't enough, and you also are probably just passing through Valdez?? Some great glacier areas there. Excellent glacier kayaking.

Well, normally if it appears I might not get back to a certain portion of the world, then, I go for it and pack the most I can in the limited time available.

In your case, I would try and do the Kennecott/McCarthy all day. Providing that is the one on which you fly in and out of McCarthy on Wrangell Air and tour the area between flights.

I would probably shun the all day van ride back and forth to the Kennicott River that is offered, but then, I do know folks who have taken it and enjoyed the trip. Also, I would skip the Worthington Glacier trip and the two hour flight see of the Wrangells, in favor of a trip to Kennecott/McCarthy. Preferably by air.

Here are past links to C.C. discussions on this subject:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1203877