mendenhall glacier hike

What’s so special about Mendenhall Glacier? The 13-mile long floe … Mendenhall Glacier hike. Difficulty. Featuring vivid blue ice and awe-inspiring views of the magnificent Coast Mountains, the Mendenhall Glacier is a natural wonder. Unfortunately, because of climate change, glaciers in the world are receding and Mendenhall is a clear sign of this. Review of Above & Beyond Alaska. 1. The ice is at least 150 years old at the glacier tongue, up to 67 meters high and more than 2 kilometers wide and flows into a glacial lake, Mendenhall Lake. Visiting Mendenhall Glacier: Things You Need To Know. They exist only because a glacier is melting-- and as you can guess, glaciers don't keep on melting forever. Hiking Trails. Bring food and water if you are taking a long hike. This was an enjoyable hike and it was fascinating to see the glacier. West Glacier Trail – (or Mendenhall Glacier hike) Our host was kind enough to let us borrow his car. Get the thrill of a lifetime and brush up on natural history as you hike the glassy surface of this colossal chunk of ice. Sep 2016 - Siu Ling L. Strap on your crampons and be one the few to walk on the Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier is one of many major glaciers that connect to the vast Juneau Ice Field, a 1,500 square mile remnant of the last ice age, cradled high in the coast mountain’s lofty peaks. Some fly by in a floatplane or land on it in a helicopter; others hike in or take a tour bus. Our professional guides are on the ice every day and thrive on showing off what glacier features the Mendenhall Glacier has to offer. This is much closer than anyone at the visitors center but not as close as people doing ice trekking tours. Located just 12 miles outside of downtown Juneau, Alaska sits the Mendenhall Glacier. It is part of the Juneau Icefield, located within the Tongass National Forest. On the way back we stopped at the shores of Lake Mendenhall for a few minutes. Hundreds of thousands of visitors gaze upon its beauty each year, but very few people actually see it from its most beautiful angle: the inside. This is definitely a destination, not the journey, hike as most of the trail is under canopy. Juneau is the place for switch-backing through the canopy of Alaska's Tongass National Forest to views of the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier slowly scours the bedrock and grinds down its 13-mile journey to Mendenhall … This rugged, high-adventure outing on the west side of the lake leads 3.5 miles (one way) to a rocky outcrop with a stunning overlook of the Mendenhall Glacier.Ambitious hikers prepared for self-sufficient backcountry travel and route-finding through difficult terrain can also climb the slopes of 4,228-foot Mt. The glacier and surrounding landscape is protected as part of the 5,815 acres (2,353 ha) Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, a federally designated unit of the Tongass National Forest. The first 2.5 miles follows the West Glacier Trail on a moderate hike through some beautiful forest. East Glacier might be your best bet if you really want to avoid the noise and are here on a busy day. Stretch your legs on vast, rugged terrain on this day-hike shore excursion into Mendenhall Glacier. Photos. If you can spend at least a half-day, there are many ways to get up close to this majestic glacier. The trailhead starts at a parking lot for Mendenhall Lake (the lake that the glacier feeds into) which is located at the end of Skater’s Cabin Road. If you plan to walk or hike during your visit, dress appropriately and wear hiking boots or other shoes with soles designed for wet and slippery surfaces. Recently, the park has improved sections of the trail adding steps and wire handrails throughout the loop. The Mendenhall Glacier trails are open daily from 6:00 a. m. to midnight, even when the Visitor Center is closed. The glacier river has a length of almost 20 kilometers. Excellent guides! Ditch Your Responsibilities And Go Hike The Mendenhall Ice Caves Before They Melt. Your professional guides will select the trail best suited for your group’s ability and the day’s hiking conditions. ... simple check out the East Glacier Trail on the other side of Mendenhall Lake. Mendenhall Glacier (also Sitaantaagu) is a glacier about 13.6 miles (21.9 km) long located in Mendenhall Valley, about 12 miles (19 km) from downtown Juneau in the southeast area of the U.S. state of Alaska. Visiting Mendenhall Glacier Mendenhall Glacier Visitors to Southeastern Alaska have only one option when it comes to up-close ice-gazing: Mendenhall Glacier. You’ll wear a backpack weighing up to 15 pounds (7 kg) that is equipped with mountaineering gear, snacks, water, and any extra clothing you bring. Expect to get a couple hundred yards away. Nobody leaves Juneau without seeing the Mendenhall Glacier—the only question is from what angle. The largest temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass is … At only 3 hours it is a pretty similar trail except the ice field is not as visible. As with the Mendenhall Glacier Trek, if open and accessible, your guide will let you experience the enchantment of the Mendenhall ice caves before continuing up to the top of the glacier. We just returned from our 7 day Alaskan Cruise on the crown princess and we had a great time on our Mendenhall Glacier hike. This hike will provide excellent views of waterfalls, old mining equipment, in addition to Mendenhall Glacier and Lake. The perfect balance between between having safety from a guide and also feeling free to explore. Over the past year, researchers have noticed strange ancient trees standing upright in the ice caves. Is a 2 mile there and back hike to Mendenhall Glacier’s stunning sister attraction. Of the three trails at the Mendenhall, I think the most scenic is the Nugget Falls Trail --it's all views, all the time, but can be very busy. Comments on hiking West Mendenhall Glacier Trail Rating. Explore Mendenhall Glacier from a much closer perspective on the Mendenhall Glacier Trek Tour. If you are looking for a well-rounded experience for visiting the ice caves, we recommend a combination tour option that involves paddling across the lake in a canoe, hiking up the west side of the glacier, a visit to the Mendenhall Ice Caves followed by a hike up onto the glacier. From the viewing point we made our way back along the same trail for the 2.5 miles to the mini van. It depends. Lake Mendenhall Lake Mendenhall. I booked a private hike for 9 people with Above and Beyond Alaska and it was amazing. Getting up close to Nugget Falls while watching the water cascade down 377 ft and being around 100 ft wide as it crashes into Mendenhall Lake as you watch Ice bergs float by is as awesome as it sounds and another great photo opportunity. Granted, the total disappearance of the Mendenhall glacier would probably take centuries. Mendenhall Glacier is a massive and mighty river of ice that extends 13 miles. The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is accessible from the parking lots by stairs, elevators, and an easy ramp. 3. The Stews returned to Juneau. Hike the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Caves before it’s too late! For a unique adventure, paddle across Mendenhall Lake in a canoe and enjoy the humbling view of the immense glacier from the water. The Mendenhall Glacier. This full-day adventure is not for everyone, but geared towards those looking for a challenge and ready to hike to get there. Trek To Mendenhall Glacier Ice Caves. Reviewed 10 September 2015 . This is one the most popular trails in the Juneau area and is a worthwhile hike to see a glacier … The Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget falls are a great way to start your visit to Juneau. How close will I get to the glacier? The Mendenhall Glacier trek and climb is suitable for most ages and abilities, however, you should be in good enough shape to hike for up to 6 to 6.5 hours, covering about 8 miles (12.8 km) round-trip. But even in a state with such impressive amounts of ice, no glacier is as easily accessible from an urban area by road than the Mendenhall; and no trail gets more personal with the blue ice than the West Glacier Trail. Take a Hike (With World-Class Guides!) As glacial ice continues to build, gravity pulls the ice down slope. The destination for this hike is a series of ice caves and tunnels which were created as the Mendenhall Glacier melted. We liked it so … The Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter & Guided Hike is among the most popular of the helicopter tours in Juneau and features a full-hour of unforgettable flightseeing and walking on the glacier. From the hike on the mendenhall glacier to the ice caves EVERY second was breathtaking. Do you go to the Mendenhall Ice Caves? Four Heart-Stirring Ways to Reach to the Mendenhall Glacier: 1. Mendenhall Glacier is one of the many large glaciers that flow from the 1500 square mile expanse of rock, snow and ice known as the Juneau Icefield. Expect to spend approximately 1-2 hours exploring the glacier before returning to the canoe. Your helicopter heads for the Mendenhall Glacier, where your pilot guide will gently touch down on the glacier itself. No. The snowfall at the head of the Icefield is heavily relied on. The Mendenhall Glacier trek and climb is suitable for most ages and abilities, but you need to be in shape: the trek lasts up to 6.5 hours, and covers about 8 miles (12.8 km) total. The Private Mendenhall Glacier Trek begins with a 4-mile hike through the Tongass National Forest. McGinnis or explore a route to the edge of the Mendenhall Glacier itself. Step into Alaska on this fully guided nature hike! From the end of Skater’s Cabin Road parking lot, start on the West Glacier Trail and follow the trail 4.5 miles to the glacier.This is a long trek and the trail is difficult, can be dangerous in areas, and is mostly unmarked, though there usually is some surveyors tape every so often marking the way. Mendenhall Glacier, formerly known as Auke Glacier, is one of the foothills of the Juneau Icefield. The out and back hike is a easy to moderate hike, which travels through the dense rainforest, rocky faces surrounding the lake and down the glacier itself. Once arriving on the rocky shore next to the glacier, follow your guides on a short hike on glacier moraine to the glacier ice. The Mendenhall Glacier is receding and melting quicker than it can accumulate snow and ice. Not only is it an amazing city, but the Mendenhall Ice Caves were the true draw for us. But with increasing global temperatures, it’s not looking very hopeful for glaciers. The trail is a VERY easy walk that takes you right up to the falls. Hiking to Mendenhall Glacier via the West Glacier Trail April 24, 2015. West Glacier is lovely but I too get tired of the helicopter noise. The trail involves about 650 feet of elevation gain and can be steep in sections.

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