Mendenhall Glacier

[plattwear]

Hi Mapleleaves,

 

Thank you for your reply. Of course you don't know me or my interests. I sometimes have trouble articulating what I want to say and I think this must have been one of those times. Bottom line is since we're seeing glaciers in Glacier Bay for a 9 hour cruise around the bay, I wasn't sure if taking the time and trouble and expense to go to Mendenhall Glacier was worth it. In other words, if you have been on a cruise that took you around Glacier Bay and you also visited Mendenhall Glacier, would you recommend seeing both?

Thanks for your time.

 

Pattihaha,

 

I did both.. and enjoyed both :-D My mom and I do not hike either but I wish we would have went part way down the trail at Mendenhall just to see the scenery. A group from our bus saw a bear and a porcupine on the trail. We were able to touch a piece of ice that broke off the Glacier in the visitor center. A ranger at the visitor center found mountain goats up on the mountain through the telescope for us to see.

[mlkmnsgrl]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2043922

 

The OP went to a great deal of trouble to show everyone just how different each glacier is. IMOP this is fantastic and everyone who has questions regarding all of the glaciers should check it out.

 

Okie

 

 

I second Okie on this! It's a wonderful photo tour of the main glaciers in the area and the relative differences. Got me really excited for Tracy Arm! Glad the Sun is a fairly small ship, but I wish we could splurge for a small boat. The picture with the little tour boat next to the huge glacier face is amazing!!!

[lizzie_m]

This is our 1st and probably only visit to Alaska. If we take the bus to Mendelhall Glacier, is there much difficult walking involved? Will we be able to see much without being able to walk the trails? Or would we be better off spending the extra $$ and taking a floatplane tour?

[swoonx]

From the bus station you have to walk around 300 feet on the street. On the right is the visitor center and the beginning of the trails, on the left is a viewpoint/lookout. You can see the whole glacier from there.

 

So you don't have to walk the trails, only if you want to be a little bit closer to the glacier or close to the waterfall.

 

But the trail to the other glacier lookout is short and very easy to walk. Their website says it's 0.3 miles one direction.

Edited June 7, 2014 by swoonx

[Out to sea!]

I second Okie on this! It's a wonderful photo tour of the main glaciers in the area and the relative differences. Got me really excited for Tracy Arm! Glad the Sun is a fairly small ship, but I wish we could splurge for a small boat. The picture with the little tour boat next to the huge glacier face is amazing!!!

 

Will the Sun have the small boat to take you up to the edge of the glacier??

[mlkmnsgrl]

Will the Sun have the small boat to take you up to the edge of the glacier??

 

I'm not sure. Somebody said it would be in the excursions list, but I didn't see anything on our Juneau and Tracy Arm (Sawyer Glacier) day. We don't have the budget for it, so I didn't look that hard.

[tee_harbor]

How would a kid get you out to Mendenhall?? :confused:

 

The kid was the ticket vendor. Hawking tickets at the pier or herding all of you onto a bus is a summer job for a lot of local kids. Gives them a nice foundation for 'real' jobs. I've got a great office clerk right now who's infinitely grateful for her job indoors with leave and other benefits after a couple years of working for one of the helicopter companies. And she can guess your weight within a pound. :D

[Out to sea!]

The kid was the ticket vendor. Hawking tickets at the pier or herding all of you onto a bus is a summer job for a lot of local kids. Gives them a nice foundation for 'real' jobs. I've got a great office clerk right now who's infinitely grateful for her job indoors with leave and other benefits after a couple years of working for one of the helicopter companies. And she can guess your weight within a pound. :D

 

Oooooo, please don't have her look at me then!!! :eek:

[Out to sea!]

I'm not sure. Somebody said it would be in the excursions list, but I didn't see anything on our Juneau and Tracy Arm (Sawyer Glacier) day. We don't have the budget for it, so I didn't look that hard.

 

I read somewhere that the small boat trip has to be booked on board. I don't know but i hope I can snag a trip on that.....my DW would be absolutely thrilled! this is out first and probably last Alaska cruise so we would like to see as much as possible without breaking the bank but to get within spitting distance of a glacier would just be the cat's meow!!! :)