Baird Glacier
The Baird Glacier is located about 20 miles northeast of Petersburg, Alaska. It has a large glacial outwash plain and terminal moraine in front of the ice which supports a diversity of plant and animal life. The outwash plain developed over many decades of sand deposits due to floods and coastal uplift. The terminal moraine is a prominent, long mound of cobble, boulders and sand left behind when the glacier terminus rested there for many years. There are no recreation facilities such as cabins or shelters at the glacier, though other FS cabins such as Spurt Cove and Cascade Creek are nearby in Thomas Bay. Forest Service developed hiking opportunities in the area include Falls Lake and Swan Lake trails.
Baird Glacier Story Map - For more photos and information about the Baird Glacier click here.
Planning your trip – The Baird’s outwash plain and terminal moraine are part of a world class nature viewing site. Baird Glacier flows into Thomas Bay which empties into Frederick Sound. As you enter the bay from Frederick Sound and head towards the far end of the bay, the steep granitic walls will become closer and surround you. They were smoothed by the Stikine Icefield including the Baird and nearby Patterson glacier, which scoured the surrounding rock and shaped the landscape.
May through September are the best months to visit, although an individual will need to apply caution during the breeding period of the Arctic Tern from early May through August. Visitors coming to the area during this time period should avoid walking near areas where the birds are congregated and audibly warn intruders to stay away. Disturbance can not only cause nest abandonment, but tern eggs are laid directly on the ground and are very difficult to see! A suggested hiking route is provided in the map below for staying clear of the main nesting areas.
Getting There - The Baird Glacier environs is accessible by boat from Petersburg.
The glacier environment is a dynamic landscape with cold water constantly moving, from cascading waterfalls to swift silty rivers. Visiting by boat can only be done within the confines of the tides, coming in just before the high and leaving before the tide starts to turn in a few hours. Visitors can also camp on the outwash plain in the areas of higher relief and be picked up the next day. Outfitter and guide boat operators based in Petersburg are familiar with these confines and will plan accordingly. If you are going in your own boat and not part of a guided tour, no special permit is needed.
Boats enter the channel along the outwash plain on an incoming tide, using a fathometer to measure depth within the shallow, cobble-ridden, silty water. Several locations are possible for disembarking from the boat, with a boulder studded sandy area to guide you to the main viewing areas. It takes about 20 minutes to hike from the boat to the glacier viewing area.
Visitors wanting to climb onto the Baird Glacier cannot access the ice from the terminal moraine any longer, as the 2015 flooding and rapid retreat has broken up the terminus. A lake is blocking foot access from the terminal moraine to the ice. Climbers must plan accordingly, using small pack rafts to paddle across the lake to the ice to reach the icefields’ multiple peaks.
General Information
The first inhabitants of this area were the Stikine Tlingit of the Taalkweidí clan. Thomas Bay was a traditional hunting and trapping area with a year-round village located at the mouth of the bay. Archaeological evidence indicates at least one additional camp in the bay that was likely occupied prior to European influence. There are also tales of tragedy about the bay – a report of a slide that destroyed a village killing over 500 people and the hauntings of kustaka’s (or kóoshdaakaas) in the Ess Lake area.
As European settlers from Norway arrived Petersburg at the turn of the 20th century, the area continued to be used extensively for hunting, trapping and fishing. The bay has been the site of many activities including mining in the 1920s and 1930s, logging, trapping, a shrimp cannery and recreation opportunities, which include Civilian Conservation Corp trails and a shelter along the Muddy River. The Muddy River flows into Frederick Sound just outside the bay.
Today the area remains a popular destination for sightseeing charter boat tours, fishing and hunting, and recreation at the Forest Service cabins and trails.
None
Facility and Amenity Information
Restrooms
Restrooms are not available at this site.
Water
Potable water is not available at this site.
