Juneau and Skagway are separate ports along the Inside Passage in Southeast Alaska, and Denali is in the Northern Interior of Alaska. Juneau is located at the southern end of the Juneau Icefield, while Skagway is at the northern end of the Juneau Icefield, approximately 90 miles apart. Our Denali base is located outside of Healy, Alaska on the Denali Parks Highway. This is about 250 miles north of Anchorage. We strive for uniformity across all TEMSCO operations, you should choose the tour and location that fulfills your ideal Alaska itinerary.
Juneau: We will provide transportation to and from a central location in downtown Juneau to the TEMSCO base which is about a 15-minute drive from the port. Pickup at select hotels is available upon request and must be arranged at the time of the booking.
Skagway: You will be asked to make your own way to the base at the onset of your tour but will be provided with transportation either back to your ship or into town at the end of the tour. If you do choose to walk, the helicopter base is about a mile away from the furthest pier. There is a local shuttle service that will drop you off for $2 per person. This shuttle service operates between each dock and downtown. There is a shuttle stop at the end of each pier, as well as every other block on Broadway St. in the downtown area.
Denali: Complementary transportation is provided from all area hotels.
The best time to book your tour is whatever time works best for you. There is no time of day that is consistently better than the other in terms of weather. Weather in Alaska is ever changing and predicting the weather from month to month is nearly impossible.
We strive to provide uniformity across our operations. Both locations offer similar flight, glacier, and mushing times. We recommend booking your glacier dog sledding tour in the location that best accommodates the additional activities that you wish to pursue.
TEMSCO complies with the flightseeing and wildlife viewing practices recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alaska Travel Industry Association. Our tours are not advertised as wildlife viewing excursions, but on occasion, we may see mountain goats, eagles, moose, or bears.
Alaskan weather can be unpredictable. Passengers are encouraged to dress in layers. This should include a waterproof outer shell, gloves, hat, and sunglasses (See examples below). For all glacier tours, TEMSCO Helicopters encourages guests to bring sunglasses. The reflective glare from the ice and snow is quite bright even when it’s not sunny. NEOS Overshoe brand glacier overboots are provided to ensure a safe walk on the ice. The boots slip on over the present footwear so guests should wear sturdy and comfortable shoes. Complementary lock boxes are available at each location to store what you do not wish to take with you on tour.
TEMSCO provides NEOS brand glacier boots. These boots have thick soles with excellent traction for our guests to walk on the glacier. Boots are available in a wide variety of sizes from XS to XXL; fitting US men’s size 3-17 and women’s size 4.5-15 (See size chart below). NEOS are functional, user user-friendly, and they slip on right over your shoes. Guests should wear sturdy and comfortable shoes. We also have children’s snow boots for young kids; these will be worn instead of their current footwear. For guests who have feet that are too large for the NEOS, we also have Yaktrax that can stretch over their existing footwear.
You are welcome to bring your camera or binoculars but will have to leave the cases behind. TEMSCO has a strict no-bag policy. We have lock boxes where you can store your belongings at our bases.
The following items are NOT PERMITTED on any TEMSCO flightseeing tours:
- Carry-on bags of any kind; including purses, backpacks, camera/video bags
- GoPro Extension poles or selfie-sticks
- iPads, iPad minis, or any tablet device
- Drones
- Animals of any kind (Including service animals)
- Food or beverages
- Smoking, including E-cigarettes
The temperature on the glacier can vary each day and change every hour. Guests are encouraged to dress in layers (See the question above for instructions on what to wear). It may be hot in town but the weather on the glacier can be much cooler.
Seating in the aircraft generally consists of 2 passengers in the front seat and 4 in the back seat. Seating is based on the weight and balance of all the guests in the helicopter. Requests of where you sit and who you fly with cannot be guaranteed; however, we strive to keep groups together.
There is no age limit on any TEMSCO Helicopter tours. Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to fly without a guardian. A parental consent form is required at check-in for all passengers ages 12 to 17 who will be flying on any of our tours unaccompanied by a Parent or Legal Guardian. Parents/guardians will need to be with the minor prior to departure time to sign the waiver. TEMSCO must be notified prior to the departure if there will be an unaccompanied minor.
We do not have a weight restriction; however, we have a weight surcharge. Any guest weighing over 250 lbs. fully clothed at the time of the tour will be assessed this surcharge fee. This is for the safety, weight, and balance of the helicopter and passenger comfort. Passenger size and weight can be a factor in the comfort and enjoyment of the flight. To comply with FAA safety requirements, avoid flight delays, and enhance the overall tour enjoyment for all passengers, the following policies have been established:
- Any passenger whose weight is 250 lbs. (113 kilograms) or more fully clothed at the time of departure will have a surcharge fee added to the ticket price. This surcharge fee will allocate the guest an additional half seat in the aircraft. The weight surcharge is on a per-person basis. The combined weight of other members of the party does not negate this policy.
- Guests who wish to be weighed to get a precise weight at a TEMSCO base will be refunded if their weight is less than 250 lbs.
- Any passenger whose weight does not exceed 250 lbs. (113 kg), but has concern about adequate seating space, is encouraged to exercise the option of paying the additional surcharge to ensure extra space in the helicopter.
We do not offer senior or child discounts. However, there are a few important things to consider with children. Children under 24 months at the time of the flight will not need a ticket. They are considered lap children as defined by the FAA. The baby will be seated in a parent or guardian’s lap for the duration of the flight. On a child’s second birthday, they will be considered a ticketed passenger and will need to purchase a full-fare ticket.
Consult with your physician if you have concerns about participating in any tour. Please reach out to us at [email protected] with any specific questions.
Full participation on all TEMSCO tours requires periods of walking over even and uneven surfaces. TEMSCO excursions are listed as moderate in terms of the activity level required for these reasons:
- Guests will need to walk a minimum of 120 yards total during the tour. The distance walking from our base to the aircraft, and the distance from our helicopters to our camp on the glacier is approximately 30 yards each way.
- The sizeable steps that guests must navigate while getting in and out of the aircraft. These steps are approximately 18 inches high (see photo below).
- The natural surface of the glacier can be uneven and cracked.
*Please note, that the dog sledding camp is covered with snow.*
- The only tour where guests may remain seated in the aircraft is the Pilots Choice tour. On all other tours, guests must disembark the helicopter.
For any questions, services, or adaptations please contact the TEMSCO location that you are touring with.
Juneau: [email protected] (907)789-9501
Skagway: [email protected] (907) 983-2900
Denali: [email protected] (907) 683-0683
