There is lichen on the trees, which means the air is very clean there. Your helicopter heads for the Mendenhall Glacier, where your pilot guide will gently touch down on the glacier itself. On a sunny day the glacier is beautiful, with blue skies and snow-capped mountains in the background. To access this trail, take Mendenhall Loop Road to Montana Creek Road and follow the signs to Mendenhall Campground. Please contact us for further details. When I was planning our two-week adventure, a trek to an Alaska glacier with a glacier walk was high on the list. This Juneau Mendenhall Glacier helicopter tour is one you will always remember. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. The East Glacier Trail is 2.8 miles long. Feel the crunch of ice under your crampons as you join guide Emma Lyddan on a trek across this iconic glacier. Whale viewing is guaranteed. Mendenhall Glacier is a massive and mighty river of ice that extends 13 miles. The Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget falls are a great way to start your visit to Juneau. Mendenhall Glacier West Hike - Ice Caves Juneau, Alaska We were in Alaska on a cruise and we decided to do our own shore excursion. The Mendenhall Glacier trails are open daily from 6:00 a. m. to midnight, even when the Visitor Center is closed. Multiple trails varying in length and degrees of difficulty. The smallest shoe size we can accommodate is size 2. About the Mendenhall Glacier. One of 38 glaciers that emerges from the 1500 square mile Juneau Ice Field, runs 13 miles long into the Mendenhall Valley eventually ending in the Mendenhall Lake where it is primarily viewed today. This glacier is Alaska in all its beauty. Hike in Mendenhall Glacier National Recreation Area Your small group (limited to 12 people per guide) will be led by a certified interpretive guide, as you enjoy a challenging trek through the beautiful Tonass National Forest with views of the Mendenall Glacier. Clients with their own transportation may meet us directly at the West Glacier Trailhead. Clients must be able to hike for at least 6 hours/9 miles round-trip on steep, rocky, slippery, uneven terrain carrying a 10 lb backpack, and provide their own hiking boots with adequate ankle support. The East Glacier Loop Trail is a beautiful 3.5-mile round-trip hike leading through the forest to a view of a waterfall above the glacier about half a mile from its face. The Mendenhall Glacier Trek is not your everyday adventure, and neither is the challenging trek to get there, but what an experience when you reach the majestic Mendenhall Glacier and explore this eerie blue world of ice, from deep crevasses and moulins (steep shafts) to crystal-clear meltwater streams and emerald-green pools. Etc. 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. 3. This is the trail you want to take if you're looking to see a real Alaskan glacier. Trace the path of glacial succession and the natural history of the Mendenhall Glacier as you trek across it on this Juneau day trip. McGunnis. Gastineau Guiding: Mendenhall Glacier: Guide's Choice Trail Hike - See 4,443 traveler reviews, 3,340 candid photos, and great deals for Juneau, AK, at Tripadvisor. adventures and follow local regulations. Duration: Summer, 5-8 hours. West Glacier is lovely but I too get tired of the helicopter noise. We’ll cover 4 miles, each way, in approximately 2-2.5 hours – if you require a faster or slower place, please consider booking the Privately Guided Mendenhall Glacier Trek. This hiking tour is strenuous and requires excellent balance and sure-footedness. The icefield's snowfall perpetually creates new glacial ice for Mendenhall Glacier and this ice takes 200-250 years to travel from the Juneau Icefield to Mendenhall Lake. 3 mile out and back hike/cross country ski/snowshoe across the frozen Mendenhall Lake, culminating at extensive ice caves for some mild spelunking; Duration: Winter, 3-4 hours. Excellent guides! We have been exploring the region from ocean to ice for over 25 years and guiding others since 2002. The snowfall at the head of the Icefield is heavily relied on. You can continue the hike up into Nugget Basin, which feels much more remote and quiet, though big sweeping views are a bit far between. Minimum Age: 10 years old. The past two years the caves have mainly been found along the far west side of the glacier, where it meets the base of Mt. This trail loops out and back from the Trail of Time near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The lower portion of the trail is below the glacier trim-line and vegetation consists of very dense pioneering vegetation such as willow, alder and cottonwood. Look for Nugget Falls, a salmon-viewing platform overlooking Steep Creek, and for six hiking trails of varying difficulty. *Due to diminishing daylight hours in September, only morning departures will be offered after August 15th. The Mendenhall Glacier Tour begins with a 4-mile hike through the Tongass National Forest – the largest temperate rainforest in the world, dominated by towering Sitka Spruce and Hemlock Trees. You can also visit the nature center to learn mor... 3 mile out and back hike/cross country ski/snowshoe across the frozen Mendenhall Lake, culminating at extensive ice caves for some mild spelunking, 8 miles and 2000 vertical feet cumulative elevation change offers a challenging yet rewarding approach to the glacier. The Mendenhall area is as good as it gets. East Glacier might be your best bet if you really want to avoid the noise and are here on a busy day. The rainforest was a breathtaking landscape of green moss and lichen. 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. Dates of Operation: April 28th – September 30th, 2020. I took a trail just to see the glacier. After departing the pier, you will be driven for approximately 30 minutes to the Mendenhall Valley and the trailhead. SHredWorld 226 views. You can reach the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center by taxi, car, or bus. Highlight Or, to find out more about glacier caves , see this brand-new piece on Mendenhall Glacier ice caves , which comes from our emerging Nature and History series. The 13-mile-long (19 km) glacier ends at Mendenhall Lake and is easily viewed from the historic Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Experience the magnitude of the forces that shaped many of our mountains and valleys. © 2020 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. Trek To Mendenhall Glacier Ice Caves. Feel the crunch of ice under your crampons as you join Alaska hiking guide Emma Lyddan on a trek across iconic Mendenhall Glacier. Bring food and water if you are taking a long hike. Mendenhall Peak : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. While the Mendenhall Glacier is accessible all year, the best time to visit is May through October. Mendenhall Glacier was my first experience with a glacier in my life. Mendenhall Glacier - East Glacier Loop Trail Hike - Duration: 4:59. As well as humpback whales, there's a good chance of spotting bald eagles, blue heron, and other animal and bird life. Start at the visitor center, with an indoor viewing area and a 15-minute film about the glacier’s dynamics. 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