View· Northwestern Fjord· Alaska Southcentral — Kenai Fjords & Prince William Sound
Northwestern Fjord and Northwestern Glacier
59° 50.2′ N · 150° 3.9′ W · approximate
A remote fjord west of Aialik Bay with several glaciers at its head, reached over a moraine entrance. Fewer people come here, and the NPS lists glacier beaches named for Northwestern, Northeastern, Southwestern and Sunlight glaciers.
Practical
Position is an open-water waypoint near the head, not the ice. Enter the lagoon and moraine only at high slack tide: the NPS reports strong tidal currents and sudden breaking waves at the moraine entrance, and says the beach outside it is usually unsuitable for landing. Stay at least half a mile from any glacier terminus and two miles off for landing. The NPS asks visitors to limit stays to one night at the Northwestern Glacier drop-off beach. Part of the fjord is Port Graham land (Northwestern Lagoon, also called Otter Cove), needing a permit. Water depths over the moraine are not published in the NPS pages (unconfirmed); sailors should ask the park and use the chart before trying it.
Best for
Remote glaciers at the end of a tide-gated fjord
Season
Summer
Nearby
- Holgate Arm: Glacier and Public Use Cabin (Aialik Bay)6.8 NM away
- McMullen Cove (Aialik Bay)9.8 NM away
- Pedersen Lagoon (Aialik Bay)10.2 NM away
- Kenai Fjords Coast Rules and Port Graham Land Permits (Aialik Bay)10.9 NM away
- Aialik Glacier (Aialik Bay)12.3 NM away
- Abra Cove and Aialik Public Use Cabin (Aialik Bay)12.7 NM away
- Coleman Bay (Aialik Bay)12.9 NM away
- Three Hole Bay (Aialik Bay)14 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).