If you ever have the chance to hike on a glacier, take it! Glaciers provide the most exotic landscapes you’ll ever encounter, riddled with crystalline blue crevasses, winding ice caves, and mysterious vertical shafts called moulins that lead straight into the heart of the ice.

With that said, glaciers aren’t the inanimate ice cubes you might expect. They’re always shifting under stress, albeit very, very slowly, until some part of the ice dramatically gives way; and there are threads of flowing water -- from trickling streams to gushing cataracts -- running straight through the ice.


The same characteristics that make glaciers so interesting also make them dangerous. Gaps in the ice may be covered by snow or, more rarely, by an innocent-looking cap of ice that can give way when you step on it. Falling into one of these holes isn’t like stepping into a pothole. If you can be rescued, you’re going to be chilling in a literal deep freeze until rescuers can fish you out, using specialized gear and training that may or may not be ready to hand. 

Glacier Hiking Safety 101

So how one earth can you stay safe on a glacier? Your best bet is to either take a class on glacier travel or travel with an experienced guide. The following tips will do a lot to keep you stay warm, comfortable and safe on any glacier trip, but keep in mind that they can't replace hands-on training or an in-person guide -- at least one of which you should have when you venture onto the ice.

Choose your season. There’s a reason most guide services only offer glacier hikes in the summer and fall: Waiting until the snow has melted off exposes dangerous gaps in the ice, making them easier to avoid.

That also makes it easier to see the dense, deep blue ice that makes glaciers so spectacularly beautiful.

Ditch the puny ice grippers. There are some really great ice grippers that can do double duty in town and in most trail conditions -- but glaciers require something burly like Kahtoola Microspikes or Hillsound Trail Crampons. At a minimum. Full-on crampons are even better, because their spikes take a bigger "bite" from the glacier to give you better purchase.

Stay in control. It takes a lot of work to slip with crampons on your feet, but it's possible -- especially if you trip and fall. So keep your feet under you, take smaller steps than usual, and be especially careful when stepping up or down on uneven surfaces.

Wear waterproof boots. Sure -- waterproof boots aren’t always the right answer to wet trails. But a frigid, wet glacier is no place to walk around in your tennis shoes. Warm, waterproof boots are your best defense against the constant wet, cold conditions you’ll find on almost any glacier.

Bundle up. On a warm summer day, you might find yourself hiking on solid ice in a short-sleeved top and shorts. But bring extra layers with you anyway -- things can get cold fast when the sun goes down, especially if you remain stationary for any length of time.

Speak up. Your guide will choose the route through the ice, based on his knowledge of glacier travel in general and that glacier specifically. But you are still ultimately responsible for your own safety -- so if you see, hear or feel anything that seems unsafe, say something right away.

Never guess. Never take a single step unless you're positive you're stepping onto solid ice. Your guide or your glacier travel class (remember, you should have at least one of the two) will teach you to spot less-obvious signs that something might not be safe. In the meantime, use a heavy dose of common sense and leave the spectacular "Look ma! I'm on an ice bridge!" photos to someone else. Beware any hollow or booming sounds underfoot; they mean there's open space down there -- maybe a lot of it. 

Always Ask “Why?”

This applies for any guided hike, or any other situation in which you’re entrusting someone else with any part of your safety and well-being. Pay attention during the pre-trip safety briefing and, if you have any questions then or during the trip, ask! Your guide should always be able to explain not just how they handle safety but why things are done a certain way.