walking on Mendenhall Glacier

[cheltx]

Understand you can take a bus to the glacier. Does that mean you can just look at the glacier or can you actually walk on it? Or do you have to take a helicopter/plane in order to walk on it?

[ellbon]

Understand you can take a bus to the glacier. Does that mean you can just look at the glacier or can you actually walk on it? Or do you have to take a helicopter/plane in order to walk on it?

 

 

as far as i know you fly in. dig sledded there. wonderful.. you can really see the color of the ice..

[negc]

Understand you can take a bus to the glacier. Does that mean you can just look at the glacier or can you actually walk on it? Or do you have to take a helicopter/plane in order to walk on it?

 

I don't think you can do any more than view the glacier if you go to the Visitors Center. When I walked on Mendenhall Glacier it required that I take a helicopter excursion in order to get to and walk on the glacier. It was a fantastic experience and well worth the expense. Earlier in the day we took an excursion that included a stop at the Visitors Center but while you could walk down to the lake across from the glacier, that was as close as you could get.

[InternetAgeTraveler]

A wealth of information at the link below, the visitor center is for viewing the glacier and is not on the glacier itself. There are a number of trails that provide different views and sites to see.

 

http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/

[paylady]

You must take a helicopter to walk on Mendenhall glacier. I believe only certain companies land on Mendenhall, while other companies land on other glaciers within the ice field.

[Foxhill]

How apt are you to see bears if you take any of the shorter trails around the Mendenhall Visitor Center?

[frugaltravel]

You must take a helicopter to walk on Mendenhall glacier. I believe only certain companies land on Mendenhall, while other companies land on other glaciers within the ice field.

 

This is not true. At least one tour company does a hike to the Glacier using the West Glacier Trail.

 

How apt are you to see bears if you take any of the shorter trails around the Mendenhall Visitor Center?

 

Hit or miss. Consider yourself very lucky if you see them.

[negc]

This is not true. At least one tour company does a hike to the Glacier using the West Glacier Trail.

 

Thanks for the clarification but the OP should now at least understand that one can't walk on the glacier simply by going to the Visitors Center.

[PennyAgain]

Yes, you can walk on Mendenhall Glacier without paying a king's ransom to do so, but it is not advised to do it unless you have a great deal of such experience and/or have a professional guide. There are places where the trail is covered with glacial material which some people call 'scramble' for good reason. An excellent area for turning an ankle, breaking a leg or bashing your head on a rock.

 

I consider myself lucky if I do NOT see bears.

[vivian02]

I'll attach a picture taken last May at Mendenhall Glacier. I have always enjoyed this tour. You can do it on your own and see what a wonderful site Mendenhall really is. It is an easy walk to the waterfall with pictures that will amaze anyone. Tim

[Budget Queen]

To access the glacier, it requires several hours, fitness and getting to the west side- which the shuttles do not service. Guided is definately the way to go, in my opinion. Besides the Photo Point trail, all the others have extremely little view of Mendenhall. Supposed to be a new trail along the lake to the waterfalls, which would have superb views, but as far as I can tell it is not finished?? I have walked to the waterfalls a few times, and it is a popular trek. But, be prepared for wet feet, climbing over "stuff"- rocks etc.

[chachi]

http://www.beyondak.com/index.html

 

I used this company to hike to Mendenhall then we did a glacier trek. Great tour!

[paylady]

This is not true. At least one tour company does a hike to the Glacier using the West Glacier Trail.

 

Oops! My bad, as the kids would say.

[klingoncruiser]

Bears in the area around the visitor center are a bit hard to find until late July and on into August, when they have to shut down part of the trail along the river due to how many there are. Great place to see bears up close at that point. Ya never know about bears anywhere in Alaska.