Mendenhall Glacier is located 12 miles or nineteen kilometers from Juneau, the capital city of Alaska. The hike to the ice caves can easily take 2 to 3 ½ hours each way, depending on your physical condition and pace of your movement. The weather will be far more pleasant and the surrounding landscape is then in full bloom. Nice article and great photos. However, it can be muddy and quite slippery, in some areas. From the Juneau Airport, the Visitor Center is a mere 5 miles. Many people from all around the world come to Alaska to see this natural phenom​enon. The Mendenhall Cave: An ice cave inside a glacier The Surreality of the Underbelly: The Mendenhall Cave, Inside a Glacier was originally written in January 2016 Sunday, Grant and I returned from our last minute trip to Juneau, Alaska. Wow what a breath taking experience, Alaska has never been on my list to visit but it sure does capture my interest after reading your blog. Further on, the path gets rather steep, with one having to traverse bridges, stairs and switchbacks. Click here to get our free Day Trading Kit. 10 Tips for Visiting the Mendenhall Ice Caves Allow an entire day to visit the ice caves. 09 AM. Visitors can watch the ice melt and turn to meltwater, before refreezing and turning back into the glaciers. If one wishes to stop in at the Visitor Center, there is a nominal fee of $5.00 USD (United States Dollar). Here you can find tons of crystal clear ice, artistic shapes made by nature through millions of years, and soft sunbeams that barely pierce frozen walls… Looking at this miracle, only one thing may come to mind: it truly is a palace for a Snow Queen. Joining the ice worms under the surreal, icy blue world of a glacier. The retreat of the glacier created the lake in 1929. Are you ready for your trip? When caves are accessible, safe entrance will be determined by tour guides on an individual tour basis. Time of year and daily weather are not contributing factors to ice cave formation and safe access. Arrival time is 9 am and departing at 9 pm. The glacier has been regularly monitored since 1942, by the Juneau Icefield Research Program. Ice near the face of the glacier is weaker due to the same reason and result in people falling through the ice. West Glacier Trail Yes, the caves are melting and much faster than you could imagine. Answer 1 of 25: Hi everyone! After only a few minutes beneath, Derek and I exchange a look, and know that it’s time to get out of there. Lake ice is unpredictable, so traveling across it … The Mendenhall area is as good as it gets. Before the 20th century, the Mendenhall Glacier had retreated only about 0.5 miles, since around 1500. When to go there? It is the first and oldest Forest Visitor Center in the United States. The best time to visit the Mendenhall G lacier and the ice caves is between mid May and mid September. Fellas! The melting of the glacier is what has in part, The best time to visit the glacier and the ice caves is between mid May and mid September. Do you want to know the entry ticket price for Mendenhall Glacier Ice Cave? The best time to go would be June-Sept. Learn how to start trading in just 1/2 hours a day. ". We went last year and used your blog post to guide us there, it was even more surreal in person. Mendenhall Ice Caves is a manifestation of spectacular nature’s work. Located a short 12 miles outside Alaska’s capital city of Juneau, the Mendenhall Ice Caves are ever changing due to melting ice and glacier recession but an absolute wonder to explore. Many people from all around the world come to Alaska to see this natural phenom​enon. If the weather is inclement, it would be wise to either postpone or eliminate this part of your trip. There is an abundance of wildlife in the forest that includes bears, beavers, mountain goats and when in season, salmon. Explore Alaska's Mendenhall Ice Caves Before They Melt. You will need to curve off at the, One may also take a helicopter ride to the glacier site. See more ideas about mendenhall ice caves, alaska travel, alaska cruise. Nearly 500,000 arrive at the Visitor Center every year. As you venture inward, it’ll be impossible not to notice the supreme beauty that surrounds you. A visitor can alternatively decide to take the Cairn route. Travel on Lake Superior can be dangerous any time of the year. Most popular time to visit Mendenhall Glacier Ice Cave. I am so glad to see this article, I am planning to go for a trip to Alaska next year with my loved ones and it will be our first destination. To be comfortable on your trip it is best to dress in layers, so you can remove or add clothing as needed. A visitor can alternatively decide to take the Cairn route. exotic destination details, and my free guide to everything you need to know to day trade and travel around the world. Most will come by cruise ship. exotic destination details, and my free guide to everything you need to know to day trade and travel around the world. Here again, taxis can be used to traverse the distance. Visiting the caves in winter requires at least a 2 mile hike (round trip) on the ice of Lake Superior. Melting ice on Mendenhall Lake near the start of the Mendenhall River with Nugget Falls in the background. As aforementioned, most tourists arrive during the 4 month period, from the middle of May to the middle of September. It is our 14th stop in the series Off The Beaten Path. Many tourists begin or end the experience at the Mendenhall Glacier, by making a stop at the historic Forest Service Visitor Center. The 3.5-mile East Glacier Trail loop has 500 feet of elevation gain, offering a elevated views of the ice and surrounding terrain. Click the red button below! So, if you are really into visiting this natural wonder, plan it soon. The West Glacier Trail starts out in a forest and is fairly level. Click and drag to look around. In one portion of the trail, there is even a large boulder, with a knotted rope, to better help you to climb over it. Found in the Mendenhall Valley, the caves are spacious cavities in the blue ice. Dan-yr-Ogof, the National Showcaves Centre for Wales, Frasassi Caves (Grotte di Frasassi), Genga. Later the trail will have uplifted rocks, roots and other obstacles. The glacier itself, was originally known as Sitaantaago meaning, Mendenhall Glacier extends from the Juneau Ice Field, its source, to Mendenhall Lake. The network of cerulean ice caves is what makes Mendenhall Glacier so unique and special. The beauty in the sculptures is one that i believe a person should witness individually. The ongoing retreat of the Mendenhall Glacier, is constantly creating new vistas, inside these impressive caves. It is hard to believe that such places exist on Earth. It is important to mention if you hire a guide, that you wish to visit the ice caves. The famous glacier and the ice caves are located in Mendenhall Valley. Once inside the ice caves, one is treated to a frozen panorama of brilliant blue. Arrival time is 9 am and departing at 9 pm. A 360° video taken from inside a Mendenhall Glacier ice cave. Get Started. Glaciers are ever-changing, especially at their terminus. Ice melts; it’s in its nature, and from the moment we begin exploring the ice caves, I have a bad feeling. The Juneau city bus, stops a close 1 ¼ miles from the Visitor Center. There’s simply nothing else like it. From October to April, the facility is only open Friday through Sunday. The glacier is about 13.6 miles (21.9 kilometers) long and is federally protected, along with the surrounding landscape, as part of the Tongass National Forest. One should, Water resistant gloves can make the trip more comfortable, as you scurry between the rocks, during the, If one wishes to stop in at the Visitor Center, there is a nominal fee of $5.00 USD (. Apr 5, 2018 - Explore Marti Clark's board "Mendenhall Ice caves" on Pinterest.