Russell Island Adventure

One of the nice things about getting an entry permit to Glacier Bay National Park is the fact that it’s not going to be crowded with other visitors. Yes, there can be two large cruise ships every day steaming up to the glaciers and back out. But there are a lot of hidden gems that the cruise ships never get to see.

One of these is the back side of Russell Island as you approach Tarr Inlet. Cruise this little channel and your odds of sighting wildlife increase immensely. I have seen brown bear and mountain goats almost every time I use it. There is also the possibility of seeing moose grazing on one of the outwash plains or a lone wolf trotting along the shoreline. While you want to scan the cliffs for goats, they can also be seen right at sea level as they like to lick salt off the rocks and seaweed.

On the mainland side the cliffs go up over 3,000 feet but the shoreline is broken up by glacial streams. There can be surprise around every little point. I like to cruise it north to south for that very reason getting as close to the north shore as I can. There’s a reef off the north end of Russell Island to be avoided but he rest of the route is easy to navigate. It takes some concentration because the depth shallows quickly off the outwash plains and there are some charted rocks close to shore.

Another great wildlife viewing area along the eastern shore is the area around Gloomy Knob. The knob is not marked on the standard nautical charts, but is well marked on the standard park service map just north of Tidal Inlet. Once you are along this shoreline make sure you check out both areas for bear and mountain goats.