Whale 68 Articulation Project

The Return of "Snow"

 
Whale 68 flukes
A fluke photo from the final sighting of Snow, or Whale 68, on June 26, 2001. Snow was struck and killed by a ship two weeks later.
 

Visitors to Bartlett Cove now have the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with an impressive 45 1/2 foot, adult humpback whale skeleton! Currently, this is the second largest re-articulated humpback whale skeleton on display in the world!

 
lifting whale carcass
Park employees and volunteers moved the massive skull of Whale #68 (a.k.a. Snow) with the help of some heavy equipment.

NPS

In July 2001, a 45 1/2 foot adult female humpback whale was found dead at the mouth of Glacier Bay after having been struck by a cruise ship. Known as Whale #68, or SNOW, this humpback was a regular visitor to Glacier Bay and was observed regularly since 1975.

The entire skeleton was collected, and over the intervening years many volunteers from the community, including high school and college students, have worked alongside Glacier Bay staff to retrieve, clean, and preserve the whale bones.

In October 2012, the park contracted with Whales and Nails to clean, repair, and articulate Snow's bones. A large whale exhibit shelter was built in Bartlett Cove to house the enormous skeleton. Whales and Nails completed the two-and-a-half year project during the summer of 2014 and Snow was put on permanent display in Bartlett Cove on September 25th, 2014.

 
 
 

Last updated: January 7, 2020

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
PO Box 140
Gustavus, AK 99826

Phone:

907 697-2230

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