SSP Photo Tours 06 10 21

Girdwood:
The trip to Girdwood (better known as Alyeska to the locals) has many wonders. On this trip there will be frequent stops for photographic opportunities. Areas of stopping will include Beluga Point, Bird Creek, Bird Point, and several pullouts for wildlife, Virgin Creek Falls, and Alyeska Ski Resort, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Explorer Glacier. Once at the Alyeska Ski Resort, it is highly recommended to purchase tram ticket to the top of the mountain for unbelievable views! The ski resort charges $35 per person for the tram ride. The tram ride is free if you have reservations at the 7 Glaciers restaurant at the top of the mountain. Ask your photographer guide for further details. Plan on 6 hours for this tour.

Whittier:
The trip to Whittier will be awe inspiring along the way. This trip will include the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. This is the longest tunnel (a straight 2.5 miles long) in North America. There will be many stops that will include Beluga Point, Bird Creek, Bird Point, several pullouts for wildlife, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Explorer Glacier, Whittier tunnel and the town of Whittier with many photo opportunities in the area! This is a very beautiful area and trip, so have extra batteries on hand! Plan on 8 hours for this tour.

Matanuska Glacier:
The trip to Matanuska Glacier has many beautiful areas along the way. Stops will be made at Eklutna Tailrace, and pullouts along the way to the Glacier. Once at the glacier you will have many opportunities to photograph the glacier up close and on top of the glacier! Yes you can climb onto the glacier. This area is very beautiful so be prepared to be in awe! Have extra batteries oh hand and plan on 10 hours for this tour.

Hatcher Pass:
The trip to Hatcher Pass has many beautiful areas along the way. Stops will be made at Eklutna Tailrace, the bridge entrance to Hatcher Pass, Independence Mine and the summit. There are many beautiful areas so have the camera cards and batteries ready! This area is highly visited by the locals to pan for gold, berry picking and hang-gliding. The views from the top of the pass are definitely worth the trip! Plan on 8 hours for this tour.

Northern Lights:
Our Aurora Borealis aka Northern Light excursions have an award winning professional photographer working with you to get that ultimate picture of a lifetime. Not only will you see the lights, you will get personalized photographic instructions at no additional cost! Just that alone will pay for this trip and more. Each trip includes Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Water, light snacks, hand warmers, blankets and chairs. Your professional photographer/guide will ensure that your trip is that of a lifetime and fill that bucket list item. We don’t rush like the others as our trips typically last 10 hours. Our trips are geared from the young to the young-at-heart. All of our locations are wheelchair accessible so we can accommodate most everyone.

For photographing the Northern Lights we highly suggest a DSLR camera with a lens that is capable of at least a f/2.8 18-35mm and a decent tripod for best pictures. The Northern Lights can be photographed with smartphones as well. But know that due to taking a time-exposure, your best results will be with a DSLR camera. It can be cold (below zero), so be sure to dress appropriately for the weather conditions and have an extra camera battery. The cold temperatures can drain a battery quickly.

We subscribe to several paid subscription services to track the Aurora Forecast for best viewing probability, weather/cloud conditions, as well as the locations for viewing them. Mother Nature is always the one in control of the lights and there is never a guarantee that the lights will show.

If there is less than a 30% chance of seeing the lights we will cancel the trip and issue a full refund. From a 30-60% chance of seeing the lights, the customer has the option to either cancel for full refund or continue with the trip. At 60% or higher of seeing the lights the trip will continue with no chance for refund. We have a very high success rate of seeing the lights when we conduct our trips.

Call before booking to see if your date is available for the trip.