Wrangell - St. Elias National Park
Paddling - Icy Bay
The coastline of Wrangell-St. Elias stretches 150 miles from Icy Bay (approximately 40 miles north of Yakutat). Most of this coastline is wild and exposed to the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska or Yakutat Bay except for the relatively calm waters within Icy Bay.
Since 1900, four huge tidewater glaciers have retreated to form Icy Bay on the coast of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The protected, blue waters surrounded by spectacular glacial scenery and an abundance of wildlife are ideal for sea kayaking.
Icy Bay is composed of four separate fjords resulting from the retreat this century of Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall Glaciers. It is a dynamic glacial system. Calving tidewater glaciers, icebergs and barren rugged landscapes are predominant in the northern portion of the bay.
Most kayakers access Icy Bay by chartering a small bush plane to drop them off at Kageet Point on
the eastern edge of Icy Bay or Pt. Riou, located on Chugach Alaska Native Corporation land southeast
of Icy Bay. (Because access to Icy Bay is restricted to small bush planes, most parties use collapsible kayaks.) Or they signup and tour the area with one of the tour operators servicing the area. Before flying into Pt. Riou, visitors should request permission by writing Chugach Alaska Corporation. See Resource page for contact information. A list of local air taxi companies is available from the NPS.
For information on Russell Fjord, contact the U.S. Forest Service in Yakutat.
Permits are not required for private trips although voluntary backcountry registration is recommended
for your safety. Contact the Yakutat Ranger Station for forms.
Weather: The weather in the area is extremely wet. Overcast days and rain predominate. The area averages
over 134 inches of rain a year with most of it falling August through November. May-July are the best
months for kayaking.
Ice: The water temperatures of Icy Bay vary from 34 to 42 degrees F (1.1 to 5.6 degrees C). Icebergs and ice flows block various parts of Icy Bay throughout the year, especially in May and June. Kayaks can
slowly push through the smaller ice pieces safely, but the larger icebergs are potentially dangerous and
may break up or turn over without warning. Stay at least one-half mile away from the face
of a glacier due to unpredictable calving of ice, both below the water and above. Calving icebergs can
create large waves that wash up high onto nearby shores. Kayakers should keep this in mind when
going ashore in the vicinity of a glacier.
Minimum Impact: Please be considerate of the environment and other boaters who are expecting an unspoiled wilderness trip by using minimum impact camping practices. Stoves are recommended for cooking as firewood is normally very wet. Deposit camp fire ash in the ocean. Deposit human waste below the mean high tide line so that the wastes are carried into the ocean. All trash must be carried out of the area.
Please be aware that Icy Bay is used by commercial fishermen and logging companies for a safe
anchorage from storms. The area is sometimes used by local residents for subsistence purposes.
The ice flows in the area provide habitat for harbor seals and their newborn pups in May and June.
Please keep your distance from seals using ice flows during these critical months.
Further Information: Contact the Yakutat Ranger Station.
Maps: USGS: (1:250,000) Icy Bay, Bering Glacier ($4.00). (1:63,000) Bering Glacier A-1, Bering Glacier A-2,
Icy Bay A-1 & A-2 (one map) ($2.50 ea). Note: Maps do not show the full extent of the receding glaciers. For information on ordering maps by mail, see Resources page.
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