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Juneau Shore Excursion: Mendenhall Glacier Guided Hike
4.9
68 Ratings
Juneau
Embark on a thrilling 6-7 mile hike through Tongass National Forest to the breathtaking Mendenhall Glacier. Capture stunning views and unforgettable memories.
Embark on a thrilling 6-7 mile hike through Tongass National Forest to the breathtaking Mendenhall Glacier. Capture stunning views and unforgettable memories.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Goldbelt Tram - Meet at the “C” Sign at the base of the Mount Roberts Tramway for van transport to the main office for gear orientation and outfitting. After outfitting, guests will be taken to the West Glacier Trailhead.
- West Glacier Trailhead - The hike to the glacier starts with a 3.5-mile trek through the towering Sitka spruce and hemlock…
- Goldbelt Tram - Meet at the “C” Sign at the base of the Mount Roberts Tramway for van transport to the main office for gear orientation and outfitting. After outfitting, guests will be taken to the West Glacier Trailhead.
- West Glacier Trailhead - The hike to the glacier starts with a 3.5-mile trek through the towering Sitka spruce and hemlock trees in the world’s largest temperate rainforest.
- Mendenhall Glacier - Viewpoint, photography, and snacks: take in the sweeping views of the Mendenhall Glacier!
- West Glacier Trailhead - Hike 3.5 miles back through the Tongass National Forest.
- Goldbelt Tram - Drop off back downtown. Thanks for joining!
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Forest Service Permits
- Backpack, rain jacket and pants – please advise supplier of sizing
- Hearty snack
- Bottled water
- Professional guide
- Forest Service Permits
- Backpack, rain jacket and pants – please advise supplier of sizing
- Hearty snack
- Bottled water
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Experience the Mendenhall Glacier Guide Hike, a thrilling 6-7 mile adventure! Your journey begins with a 3-mile trek through the Tongass National Forest, the world’s largest temperate rainforest. Your experienced guide will lead you through this wilderness, winding past beaver ponds and scrambling up exposed glacial terrain, where the trail fades into…
Experience the Mendenhall Glacier Guide Hike, a thrilling 6-7 mile adventure! Your journey begins with a 3-mile trek through the Tongass National Forest, the world’s largest temperate rainforest. Your experienced guide will lead you through this wilderness, winding past beaver ponds and scrambling up exposed glacial terrain, where the trail fades into the wild.
Upon emerging from the forest and reaching the final ridge, you’ll be greeted by the breathtaking view of the Mendenhall Glacier’s jagged facade and its ice river. Here, we savor panoramic views of the glacier, indulge in hearty snacks, and capture awe-inspiring photos. Gaze upon the glacier’s deep blue crevasses, cascading icefall, surrounding mountains and Nugget Falls.
This hiking tour is not for the faint of heart; it demands exceptional balance and sure-footedness. The trail includes 800 feet of elevation gain, through rocky, uneven, and slippery terrain. It’s a memorable journey that promises unforgettable views.
- Minimum age is 10 years. For families with children between 8-9, we can customize a private trip.
- Please note, this tour requires a minimum of 4 to operate. If minimum requirement is not met, reservation is subject to change or cancellation.
- All clients must be in good enough shape, conditioned and capable of hiking up to 4 hours, covering about 7 miles roundtrip
- Clients need to wear sturdy hiking boots that provide good ankle support while hiking on uneven, rocky terrain . All clients will need to hike with a backpack the entire way on this trip.
- Due to the inherent risks involved, we do not permit pregnant guests to participant.
- This tour does not include trekking on the glacier or exploring around the glacier’s edge, but will get groups to the glacier view vista.
- A specific amount of time spent at the glacier viewing area cannot be guaranteed. The amount time is dependent on the group’s pace and weather conditions.
- With group departures we try to maximize our trip capacity and subsequently may need to alter the time to accommodate additional customers. If your trip’s departure time changes we will notify you as soon as possible.
- Clients must disclose information regarding pertinent medical conditions/history, allergies and any type of restriction or limitation that might introduce a higher degree of challenge on this trip.
- RELEASE OF LIABILITY/ASSUMPTION OF RISK FORM: Every participant on the trip must sign a Release of Liability/Assumption of Risk form at the start of the trip. Alterations and/or deletions to the waiver are not permitted.
Location
490 S Franklin St
South Franklin Street
The “C” Sign, located near the cruise ship docks directly between Mt. 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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(68 Ratings)
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Davidp2012
Aug 30, 2024
Great way to spend a day around Juneau - This was a great hike, incredibly scenic and beautiful and we were blessed with excellent weather. Due to the small size of our group, we were able to push on beyond a normal turnaround spot and getting a bit closer to the glacier than might otherwise happen.
Our guide Bella was fantastic and the support that I received from Jess at the office in advance was excellent. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour40612454519
Jul 21, 2024
fun, exciting - Taylor was awesome. We had a lot of fun. You hike up to see the glacier, but you dont get to go on the glacier. But it was a cool hike overall and I enjoyed it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
93lindseyn
Jun 23, 2024
Awesome, thrilling, fun, scenic and tough! - We had an awesome hike with Josh and Taylor. The pace is fast and there are some really challenging inclines and rock scrambles (I wore hiking pants, but I should have gone a step further and worn pants with more stretch). My family of 5 (hubby and I, two teens and a 12 year old) joined 8 other adults. We relished the gorgeous sights, learned a lot about the glacier and had fun chatting with each other and the guides. The glacier is receding rapidly, I'm glad we got to see it while we still could.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stevenfs4401po
Jul 27, 2023
A view not to be missed - This was a great hike led by our guide Jeffrey. Jeff was very friendly and informative. The walk is quite strenuous, but Jeff made sure everyone was capable and wearing the right clothing. A waterproof and decent walking shoes/boots are a must.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Donna
Jul 2, 2023
Best day of the Alaska cruise! - This is why I came to Alaska! I would add more stars if I could. Best day of the whole cruise! Leeann and Kiana were our guides and were terrific young ladies with hiking experience and knowledge of the local flora to share. 7 wonderful hours out in stunning nature.
I would comment that if you are not physically fit, and ALSO have good balance and climbing ability- DO NOT BOOK this! It was a 968 ft elevation gain hike. Read the information on their website and do not blindly book this on trip advisor. You will climb up and down large rocks, walk thru streams or water and mud, scramble up some short rock faces with your hands and slide down on your bum. This impacts the whole group of up to 12 hikers (max tour size) as one guide has to always remain with the hikers regardless if they are capable of continuing. This is not a flat walk in the woods for someone just pulling new hiking boots out of the box that morning.
That said, the other thing to note is that the glacier is receding and no two trips will be the same. You aren't walking on the glacier and the ice caves of 2022 and before are now gone. It was fascinating to see the changes made over time by the glacier. I would totally do this trip again given the chance.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sergio_f
May 15, 2023
Bear of a time. - Pretty intense hike at time. And im a backpacker... Still very fun. Got to see wildlife up and close. Including a bear that at times were as close as 25-30yards. Unfortunately, the glacier had receded to a point you cant get very close.
Review provided by Viator
W5716bocindyw
Sep 19, 2022
Go, an experience you’ll never forget - OMG. The team that went with us were wonderful and diverse personalities. We paddled with Abbey and Grant. The glaciers have softened ( over a yr ago) and tour grp from the cruise ship did not provide the updated information that the glaciers are no longer safe to walk upon. But we were close. The air so fresh and clean. The picture posted no longer accurate a chunk of ice left just the night before. We were even blessed with sighting of a harbor seal. Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steve_h
Sep 3, 2022
Wonderful hike to a disappearing natural wonder - We met our guide HaIlie at the cruise port and she shuttled us to the warehouse where we were outfitted with backpacks, rain gear, hiking poles and snacks. We were joined by another couple so the group was 4 hikers plus Hailie. The trail started out easy but became increasingly difficult. We bushwhacked through the rainforest crossing several streams. We scaled rock ledges. Hailie is very patient, helpful and knowledgeable about the landscape and plant life. We stopped for lunch with a panoramic view of the glacier. The final .7 mile hike to the tip of the glacier was an easy track. We were shocked about the rate that the glacier was melting. The glacier started at the trailhead in 1910, so 4 miles melted over the past 112 years but the rate has increased drastically. The total distance (out and back is 7.5 miles). The track is challenging. This hike was a great experience - an opportunity to see an ancient glacier up close. Be prepared for a vigorous workout.
Review provided by Viator
Acut
Jun 5, 2022
Totally awesome way to see a glacier - This is a fantastic tour! Our 2 guides, Abbey and Hailey took great care of us, offered tons of information about the area and assisted everyone safely over the rough spots, always with patience and a smile!
This hike isn’t a stroll up the road. We covered many miles with packs they provided which has everything you’d need. There are definitely challenging spots climbing rocky ledges, navigating steep trails, and climbing on the glacier which was fabulous! Every safety measure was taken as we climbed across the glacier using crampons, helmets and harnesses for the just in case. They also were very cognizant of not leaving a trace and protecting the delicate nature of the rain forest. We were all worn out out at the end but totally satisfied with this excellent adventure!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patj213
Jun 18, 2022
Exersion Level for this Trek NOT clearly stated in tripadvisor info. - My wife and I signed up for this tour through trip advisor, were picked up at 10am and taken to the facility to get outfitted for the trek. We learned at that time that we would not be allowed to participate because by wife had a medical condition that temporarily limits her exertion level. Level of exertion for the trek was NOT mentioned in the trip advisor info about the trek. HAVING THIS INFORMATION CLEARLY STATED BY TRIP ADVISOR IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OUTFITTER! Since we were inconvenienced, we were told they would be happy to drop us off anywhere, including at the Mendenhall Visitor Center so we could trek on our own. But once we got into their van the story changed and we were told all they could do is take us back to our hotel as their vehicle was commercial and not allowed to be driven to the Mendenhall Visitor Center. So, we went back to our hotel and were unable to find a way to the Visitor Center until 1:30 pm. So we did not make it to the Visitor Center to start hiking until after 2pm. This very much limited our time there. Signing up for this trek was a big waste of our time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
