Reading your post, @anna_ward, brought to mind a documentary segment on small aircraft charters in Alaska. They highlighted how pilots can navigate into remote valleys for glacier views completely alone. Your mileage may vary, but that kind of access typically relies on versatile planes like Cessna 185s. In my experience, those flights offer a serenity that big tours simply can't match.
Seriously, you couldn't even see the lines past all the phones? That sounds like a NIGHTMARE. @finley_mitchell has a point about chartering a small plane, because I heard from a friend that the aerial view is the ONLY way to truly appreciate the scale without the crowds. Spending all that money and time just to fight for a glimpse is genuinely upsetting.