Yes!  We meet at all the ship piers. When you book, you will advise us of your ship name and then we know which pier to pick you up at based on the ship schedule. There are 3 piers in Skagway and you will meet at YOUR ship pier. Please don’t walk to a different pier. We meet 10-15 minutes prior to your departure time. Just look for our representative holding a Skagway Float Tours sign to find us!

In general, you meet where ship booked tours meet as well at your pier. You will see people holding tour signs and you will look for our representative holding the sign, Skagway Float Tours.

More specifically, For Broadway (BRD) and Ore (ORE) dock, meet off the pier where the dock meets land just outside the security gate next to a large parking area. For the Railroad dock, there are two docking positions. For ships tendering to the small boat harbor (RRF position), walk up the ramp after disembarking the tender and look for our representative.  If you are taking a shuttle bus off the pier from your ship (RRA position), once you get off the shuttle bus look for our representative. If you would like to see where your ship will be docking, see this link https://claalaska.com/?page_id=1250

We also have a town pickup option available at our Golden North hotel building office location at 3rd and Broadway. The ship pier is our default pickup location so if you want to meet at our office we just ask that you check in there minimum 20 minutes prior to the meeting time to let us know you won’t be at the ship pier location.

A brief history of damages to the trail-The Chilkoot Trail sustained heavy damages during unprecedented October 2022 flooding, including a washout of a steel bridge that we used to access our river put-in spot from the trail at the end of our 2-mile hike. Repairs were started spring of 2023 however, with delays of materials, the bridge was not able to be repaired in time for the 2023 season. The new bridge crossing was put in place to allow hiking by June 1, 2024. In 2025, operations on the Chilkoot Trail for the first 4 miles are back to normal however the 33-mile through hike to Canada will likely still not be open this season. It has been closed for through hiking since 2020 due to the Covid Pandemic and border closures and later for trail damages.
In 2023 we were offering a Dyea Nature Walk and Float which had an easier walk through the Dyea townsite. Due to logistics and potential confusion between the two products we are not offering both options this season. Reviews online from 2023 may state the hike was easy but this applies just to that year’s hike itinerary which was different. The Chilkoot Trail hike is much more active and considered moderately strenuous.

Our tours go rain or shine but having said that, Skagway has the least yearly rainfall of any port in Southeast Alaska receiving less than 30 inches of rain per year.

Weather in our area is mostly on the cooler, cloudy side in the summer with temperatures in the 60s. We do sometimes get warm, sunny days and also days of rain as well.

If it is raining the day of your tour, try not to be discouraged. Often the rain will not last the whole day.  Occasionally we start off in the sun too and it can change to rain by the end of the tour. This is why we do not cancel for weather as it can be so variable even on the same day.  One thing Skagway is known for is it breezy conditions so it can feel cooler than the air temperature. We suggest dressing in layers with something light under that you can wear if temperatures are warmer, then a layer of a sweater or fleece and we advise a lightweight waterproof raincoat if the weather looks cloudy/rainy.

The river float is mild with no whitewater splashing over the side of the raft.
We have rain ponchos for protection to wear if needed.
You can bring your camera on the raft ride as it is easy to have out for photos and no need to worry about splashing water. If it is heavily raining we would recommend a ziploc bag or waterproof camera bag to protect your camera on the raft or you are welcome to leave the camera in the supervised van during the tour.

Our tours operate rain or shine. In booking a tour you are agreeing to pay for all the seats you have reserved unless you give Skagway Float Tours 24 hours notice of cancellation or changes. Failure to give 24 hours notice will result in your credit card being charged full price for all seats you have reserved. The only exceptions are if your cruise ship does not make its scheduled stop at Skagway, if the ship is delayed arriving to port, or if Skagway Float Tours must cancel the tour for an exceptional reason. Please be on time for your tour. Due to scheduling, if you are late we may not be able to wait for you and we can not give refunds in this case.

All participants must sign a Visitor Acknowledgment of Risks form at the start of the tour. Children under 18 require parent or legal guardian signature. Our tours do operate in rainy weather so please dress appropriately for your comfort. We strongly suggest a waterproof rain jacket in case of rain.  A hat with a brim can also be helpful if the weather is rainy to keep rain off your face. We provide life jackets, rubber boots, and longer ponchos for the rafting portion of the tours. We include a light snack at the end of all tours-granola bars with a gluten free option.
We provide water bottles and hiking poles for the hike. You are welcome and encouraged to bring your own water bottle-fill it up before tour-as a way to save using disposable plastic.
We like this travel bottle but there are lots of other options for folding water bottles or regular smaller travel bottles.
https://www.amazon.com/Vapur-Eclipse-Foldable-Flexible-Carabiner/dp/B00BI9AM1Y/ref=asc_df_B00BI9AM1Y/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198084925599&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3824603416256185505&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033319&hvtargid=pla-349469720559&psc=1

Yes, however our maximum group size on the trail is 11 total with one guide due to National Park Service Regulations. If you have a bigger group than 11 we would divide you into two groups with two guides and the two groups can depart at the same time but as we start the tour you will be separated on the trail and then divide into separate rafts as well (our largest raft holds 11). If the second grouping is small then there may be additional passengers added to your smaller group. If you have people of varying abilities in your group we can also potentially divide up the group that way. (See above question)

We have an office at 3rd and Broadway in Golden North Hotel lobby that we share with our sister company, Frontier Excursions & Adventures. We would be happy for you to call us at 907-983-3688 or stop by and we can see if we can fit you in on a tour the day you arrive. We usually have some space, but it may not be your preferred time. Our morning departures especially fill up.

We also have other tour options for sale at our office like Helicopter, Flightseeing and Dogsledding tours.

We are an independent company, not contracted with the cruise ships. We are a different provider than they use, which means they have different guides and equipment. For reference in photos online, our rafts our blue, theirs are yellow. You can save money by booking directly with us!