During our tour Zoe provided us with allll the whale knowledge you would ever want to know (along with some yummy snacks). Juneau Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Tour, Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour & Guided Walk, 212 Admiral Way Ste. The real highlight of landing on the Mendenhall Glacier is getting to go dog sledding in the middle of summer on the ice of the glacier! Absolutely! Juneau Deputy District Ranger Laura Buchheit, in a statement, described thepublic engagementwith the proposal as being in the final stretch.. Amazing once in a lifetime experience! In 1891 it was renamed in honor of Thomas Corwin Mendenhall. Learn more 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) Just amazing being out there. Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy. He shared so much about the Alaska wilderness, geography, plant life and history. **THIS TOUR IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE 2023 SEASON**. Comfortable coach tour through Alaska's Capital City with a stop at Juneau's #1 natural attraction the Mendenhall Glacier. This is definitely considered a strenuous tour due to the length and the terrain; always smart to train for this type of hike and break in hiking shoes. There are a lot of stairs on this hike as well as some rock steps, rocky sections as well as some roots and mud. This exhilarating tour will show you a stunning piece of Alaskan nature as you hike through the Tongass Rainforest towards the glacier. Because the glacier is in a state of constant change, not all features may be present or accessible. She took us up to the glacier, and gave us great context about the local flora and geology! Look for representatives wearing bright blue hats that say "Juneau Tours. Also, I noticed there is mention of a meal being included, though lunch and dinner is on the exclusion list. Our extended Alaska glacier tour gives you ample time for pictures and exploration while trekking with your guides next to the glacier ice itself. The great thing about booking a private tour directly through us is we have the ability to tailor the tour to fit the needs of each group; this is especially a great option for families. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. [3], The Juneau Icefield Research Program has monitored the outlet glaciers of the Juneau Icefield since 1942, including Mendenhall Glacier. This tour has gone absolutely amazing and a must to book with this company. Mendenhall Glacier is one of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in the U.S., loved for its dazzling blue glacial ice that stretches for 13.6 miles. Mac, Zoey, and Nate were awesome crew! A kayak tour is a really unique way to experience Mendenhall Glacier. Year after year, snow accumulates and compacts underlying snow layers from previous years into solid ice. If you're in Juneau on an Alaska cruise and you want to visit Mendenhall Glacier, you have two options - a tour or a shuttle to the glacier. Incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. [11][12], Although there are many negative effects of the recession of the Mendenhall Glacier and glaciers in general, there are also a few positive outcomes. This was one of my favorite adventures in Alaska, such a great experience being out in nature. The end of the glacier has a negative glacier mass balance and is predicted to continue retreating for . The bus goes once an hour. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and Twitter. Naturalist John Muir later called it Auke (Auk) Glacier, for the Auk Kwaan band of Tlingit Indians. Look for representatives wearing bright blue hats that say "Juneau Tours.". Board a modern turbine-powered helicopter for a flight to the world-famous Mendenhall Glacier! Hello, my kid is 9.5 years, can she do this trail? Its quite wet on this trail even when its not actively raining and waterproof footwear is a good idea. If youre planning to hike, waterproof footwear and possibly rain pants are a good idea. Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour 766 Reviews Badge of Excellence Juneau, United States Save to Wishlist From $345.45 Lowest Price Guarantee Select Date and Travelers Check Availability Reserve Now & Pay Later Secure your spot while staying flexible Free cancellation Up to 24 hours in advance. And you get to keep the water bottle! Not able to accommodate larger waist/leg sizes. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. I cant promise your whale watching tour will be as awesome as ours was because we had a rare sunny day and got to observe rare whale behavior (bubble net feeding). It is around 13.6 miles long and is retreating fast. We had the most amazing and spectacular time, especially the time spent exploring the glacier, money and time well spent! Awwww thank you for being flexible even with the scheduling chaos that happened with the cruise ships! The West Glacier trail offers access to the glacier itself and the chance to view ice caves beneath it. The ice is bluest in the areas least exposed to air. These features are never guaranteed but do form throughout the summer. You may also land on a different glacier (Herbert Glacier). Need to be in decent shape as the hike out to the glacier and back is over 8 miles with some minor rock scrambling. I would add more stars if I could. Thank you for joining us! This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. This trip will spend time exploring the glacier up close and hiking around the edges of it safely from the bedrock. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points. Highly recommend if you want to experience the great outdoors and see a beautiful hike! Our policy is here: https://www.ordinary-adventures.com/privacy-policy/. This tour is limited by permits issued by the National Parks Service so book early for this unique experience! Top Alaska tourist attraction Mendenhall Glacier to hit capacity for But shes also trying to make up for the limits with additional city tours of Juneau and with whale-watching tours. Roberts Tramway and the green Taku Smokeries building, is our centralized downtown meeting location for all clients in the downtown area, including the majority of cruise ship passengers. GRAYSCALE (black-and-white) is composed exclusively of shades of gray.. SEPIA is similar to grayscale but instead uses a brownish-red hue to mimic historic artwork and classic photographic techniques.. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to hike this loop (at least 2.5 hours) as it has some steep sections. Incredible guides that took us onto the glacier and into a couple caves that were simply amazing. Last updated: [wpautoterms last_updated_date]If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us. The Trail of Time, which connects to East Glacier Loop, includes historical signs and handicapped accessibility. The gl, I recently book the Mendenhall Glacier Paddle and Trek with Above and Beyond and it was amazing!! So glad you had such a great time! At the time of this writing, there are not ice caves at Mendenhall Glacier you can safely access. 4.7 (703) Please be advised that you must leave yourself at least 1 hour between your arrival to Juneau and tour start time if traveling by cruise ship and arriving after 10:30am. Maybe just check in with him about his bear issues. Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Facility Improvements - US Forest Service An hour is enough time if you are just going to go to the Visitor Center and out on the Photo point trail to a great view of the glacier. Features animals. Lingit Aani Kaa Kei Nas.ax Haa Yoo Xatangi, Skagway rail workers vote 'overwhelmingly' to authorize strike, Sitkas 13K-passenger day was far too many, mayor says, Amid busy tourist season, workers on Skagways White Pass railway are voting on a possible strike. There are several taxi companies and in my experience you usually have to wait a long time (45 minutes to an hour) after calling for a ride. Hiking boots with with good stability and traction, Comfortable hiking pants, warm sweater or fleece, hat, and gloves recommended. Mendenhall Glacier Trek By Above & Beyond Alaska 95 reviews Recommended by 98% of travelers Spend your time in Juneau on an Alaskan wilderness hiking adventure as you get up close to the Mendenhall Glacier! Nick Jans' book, A Wolf Called Romeo, brings Romeo's life to a broader audience. There is a visitor center with a theater showing a 15-minute film on Mendenhall Glacier, a bookstore operated by nonprofit organization Discovery Southeast, and exhibits on wildlife, history, and glacial and geological changes. It extends from the Juneau Icefield, its source, to Mendenhall Lake. (But don't let rain discourage your trip! You have up until 7 days prior to your tour date to cancel for any reason. This was the first U.S. Forest Service visitor center built in the nation;[17] it was designed by Linn A. Forrest and dedicated in 1962. We hope to adventure with you again soon! This exhilarating tour will show you a stunning piece of Alaskan nature as you hike through the Tongass Rainforest towards the glacier. Driving a rental vehicle from these areas to the glacier will take you about 22 minutes. Price: $257.00. The bus was easy to find and easy to ride. Mendenhall Glacier is one of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in the U.S., loved for its dazzling blue glacial ice that stretches for 13.6 miles. Please enter this information below: Its active face regularly calves big icebergs and brash into its lake. Expect this experience to last around 3-4 hours and cost around $300 per person. This crew was Amazing!! Start time: Check availability. Mendenhall Glacier - For Sale on 1stDibs While the movement is very, very slow, the glacier is always moving and flowing downhill like a river. There is a visitor center with a theater showing a 15-minute film on Mendenhall Glacier, a bookstore operated by nonprofit organization Discovery Southeast, and exhibits on wildlife, history, and glacial and geological changes. Amazing! If you have already received tickets, please call the local tour operator phone number listed on your tickets for tour-specific questions as they will be the best resource to answer unique questions. Objections, including attachments, must be filed with the appropriate reviewing officer within 45 calendar days following publication of a legal notice in the Ketchikan Daily News, the newspaper of record. You can always choose the shuttle instead of a tour if you want to be flexible about the time. Naturalist John Muir named the glacier Auke Glacier in 1888. 2023 Juneau Highlights and Mendenhall Glacier Tour - Reserve Now Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area is located 12 miles from downtown Juneau, in Mendenhall Valley. I have a full guide about what to pack for Alaska, which is good advice for the Mendenhall Glacier. Shop our mendenhall glacier selection from top sellers and makers around the world. An experienced guide rows your raft, allowing you to soak up the gorgeous mountain scenery as you float along for six miles around the foot of the glacier. It was originally named Sitaantaagu ("the Glacier Behind the Town") or Aak'wtaaksit ("the Glacier Behind the Little Lake") by the Tlingit Indians. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5043MEND, Juneau Shore Excursion: Mendenhall Glacier Trek, Juneau Shore Excursion: Private Mendenhall Glacier Trek, Juneau Shore Excursion: Mendenhall Glacier Canoe, Paddle, and Trek, The Blue Bus Glacier Express Is a fully narrated trip to the Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau Highlights and Mendenhall Glacier Tour, Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier, Best of Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier, Whale Watching and Salmon Bake, Segway Alaska - Alpine Wilderness Trail Ride, Juneau Helicopter Tour and Guided Icefield Walk, Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure in Juneau, Juneau Shore Excursions: Juneau Helicopter Tour & Dogsledding Experience. We loved actually being out in the Alaska wilderness. Trust me on this and save yourself a big headache! You can ride atop Mendenhall Lake by kayak, canoe, or raft or you can fly to the glacier via helicopter. Go for a tour or the shuttle instead. The entire experience was awesome. From $145. Do not try to get there another way unless youre staying in Juneau for a few days with a rental car. - More time on the water! They are very know, Two parts to this review so sorry for the long post. There was a webinar on January 26, 2023. It ispart of theJuneau Icefield, located within theTongass National Forest. Matt made the entire experience very cool! These trails are both wide, mostly flat and barrier free. Gear was provided and well explained (having never worn crampons before). Photo Point Trail and the Steep Creek Trail are easy and accessible trails. The two small parking lots have access to several trails in the area. But with the exception of the pandemic which shut down the industry for nearly two years the number of cruise-ship visitors has grown. It was amazing then, and fast forward to today, they were even better! So we ended up with extra time on the Glacier! The Juneau Icefield is the fifth largest icefield in North America. The best Mendenhall Glacier Cruises & boat tours are: Juneau: Whale Watching Cruise and Mendenhall Glacier Tour; Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip Paddle across Mendenhall Lake, navigating past icebergs, surrounded by one of the richest samplings of Alaskan wildlife you'll find anywhere. For this reason, it is not safe to walk on the glacier. Most reviewed company in Peru! Set out on a coach tour that includes highlights of Downtown Juneau, Douglas Island, and the Mendenhall Glacier. Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Travel: Explore the Mendenhall Glacier This article will tell you everything you need to know to visit the glacier from the perspective of a former resident and a frequent visitor as well as a tour guide. Thank you for a great experienceagain! Spotting Wildlife: Salmon and Black Bears, Those visiting the Mendenhall Glacier in late July through September can look for views of black bears fishing for salmon. If you are driving on your own, there is ample wheelchair accessible parking in the parking lot. JuneauWhaleWatch canceled our bus excursion last minute with no reason given. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) Alaska's top tourist attraction, the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, is reaching its capacity for commercial tours this year sooner than in previous years, due to the growing number of visitors. Our arrival in Juneau initially was NOT what we had planned. There were not any more ice caves that we could go in, but we traveled over a challenging ridge that Matt made safer by anchoring a rope for us to hold onto. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.