Mendenhall Glacier

[amandawi]

How much time do you recommend spending at the Mendenhall Glacier? We would like to do some of the shorter hiking trails & possibly see Nugget Falls. We don't care about spending time in the visitor center.

 

The only whale watching tour available through Harv & Marv is at 4:20. So, we'll have to go to the glacier before. We're trying to figure out what time to head to the glacier since we'll be traveling from there to meet Harv & Marv in Auke Bay without having to go back to the docks.

[rayliang]

60-90 minutes should do it

[Budget Queen]

You need an hour for the Nugget Falls walk. There also is a nice Trail of Time, that may be of interest? Print out and take along the guide sheet. The Moraine trail is also a possibility of interest? You need to figure out what you may want to do, add up all the time, plus a half hour for the transit. That will give you your timeframe.

 

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/about-forest/offices/?cid=stelprdb5401520

[Giantfan13]

I would also agree on the 90 minute time frame, depending on if you just want to see and leave, or stay and admire the setting you are in.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[sept10dsm]

I agree on the time. There is hiking as well as a museum to visit. Very beautiful.

[blueshine]

Our tour starts with the whale watch and ends at the glacier, however, our time there will be short. Are there any transportation options should you choose to stay longer? Would it be difficult to make it back to the ship on time?

[amandawi]

Thanks for the responses!

 

Budget Queen that link is very helpful! Thank you!

 

Blueshine, our tour gets back at 9pm and the ship leaves at 10pm. That doesn't give us much time and we don't want to risk missing the ship :) If your tour is earlier, I think the shuttle from the glacier back to the dock ends at 6pm, otherwise you could take a taxi.

 

When the ship is scheduled to leave at 10pm, we should probably be back onboard by 9:30pm, correct??

[queenteacher]

We are taking the Marv and Harv tour at the same time. How do you get to them w/o going back to the ship dock. That sounds like a good time saver.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the responses!

 

Budget Queen that link is very helpful! Thank you!

 

Blueshine, our tour gets back at 9pm and the ship leaves at 10pm. That doesn't give us much time and we don't want to risk missing the ship :) If your tour is earlier, I think the shuttle from the glacier back to the dock ends at 6pm, otherwise you could take a taxi.

 

When the ship is scheduled to leave at 10pm, we should probably be back onboard by 9:30pm, correct??

 

A tour that ends at 9pm with a ship sailing at 10p gives NO time at Mendenhall. You do have to be back on board at 9:30p with it being a 20 minute ride from Mendenhall.

[Budget Queen]

Our tour starts with the whale watch and ends at the glacier, however, our time there will be short. Are there any transportation options should you choose to stay longer? Would it be difficult to make it back to the ship on time?

 

There are the shuttle buses that run to around 6pm, or take along taxi numbers and call one about half an hour prior to needing it, telling them what time you want to be picked up.

[margaritagirl424]

There are the shuttle buses that run to around 6pm, or take along taxi numbers and call one about half an hour prior to needing it, telling them what time you want to be picked up.

 

I have been looking at taxis in Juneau-is there one you might recommend?

Maybe someone has used one before and was happy with the service?

We are on a tour with Orca Enterprises that will take us to Mendenhall Glacier for an hour-but we don't want to be rushed. We want to go out to Nugget Falls.

We will be there after 6pm so the bus is not an option.

thank you

[Budget Queen]

I have been looking at taxis in Juneau-is there one you might recommend?

Maybe someone has used one before and was happy with the service?

We are on a tour with Orca Enterprises that will take us to Mendenhall Glacier for an hour-but we don't want to be rushed. We want to go out to Nugget Falls.

We will be there after 6pm so the bus is not an option.

thank you

 

I used both Capital and Evergreen last year. Both long standing well run companies, either one will do. As I mentioned, I would call them a half hour prior to needing them, (but farther ahead if close to port end time) telling them what time you want to be picked up. I would expect the fare to be in the $30+++ range.

[amandawi]

We are taking the Marv and Harv tour at the same time. How do you get to them w/o going back to the ship dock. That sounds like a good time saver.

 

Callie from Harv & Marv gave me names of some taxi companies she suggested. Glacier taxi & evergreen taxi; she said you can call and book through evergreen ahead of time. She also told us where to meet them. If you decide to do this you have to tell her, so they don't wait for you at the dock.

[Budget Queen]

We are taking the Marv and Harv tour at the same time. How do you get to them w/o going back to the ship dock. That sounds like a good time saver.

 

Are you talking about Mendenhall? Something I ALWAYS recommend, going direct between the two. Saving at least an hour in backtracking transit. All you do is take a cab between the two. BUT, you have to know the EXACT dock your whale watch vendor uses. There are several, and they aren't right next to each other.

[blueshine]

Thank you for the information. Our early tour ends at 1:30pm so hopefully that will give us plenty of time to grab a shuttle or taxi. Also, can you get the shuttle for just one way? They all seem to advertise for round trip. Thanks again.

[varoo]

Our early tour ends at 1:30pm so hopefully that will give us plenty of time to grab a shuttle or taxi. Also, can you get the shuttle for just one way? They all seem to advertise for round trip.

Yes, you just pay the bus driver if you are catching the bus from the glacier back to town.

The last time we did it the price was $8 pp one way.

I don't know if it is still the same price.

 

When going out from town to the glacier, they try to sell you a round-trip but only buy a one way ticket because if you buy the round trip, it locks you in to using only that company for the return.

 

We made that mistake once going out to Mendenhall when we bought a round trip for the blue bus.

Their bus had trouble and did not show up for the return trip.

 

None of the other buses that came along would accept our ticket, so we had to wait and wait until a blue bus arrived, by which time there was a very long line and lots of people ended up needing to stand for the ride back, packed in like sardines..

 

Ever since then, we knew to buy only a one-way ticket going out to the glacier.

That way, whenever you get ready to leave you can hop on whichever bus comes along first heading back to town and just pay the driver for the return trip, no matter which company it is.

 

[BRMAN]

Yes, you just pay the bus driver if you are catching the bus from the glacier back to town.

The last time we did it the price was $8 pp one way.

I don't know if it is still the same price.

 

When going out from town to the glacier, they try to sell you a round-trip but only buy a one way ticket because if you buy the round trip, it locks you in to using only that company for the return.

 

We made that mistake once going out to Mendenhall when we bought a round trip for the blue bus.

Their bus had trouble and did not show up for the return trip.

 

None of the other buses that came along would accept our ticket, so we had to wait and wait until a blue bus arrived, by which time there was a very long line and lots of people ended up needing to stand for the ride back, packed in like sardines..

 

Ever since then, we knew to buy only a one-way ticket going out to the glacier.

That way, whenever you get ready to leave you can hop on whichever bus comes along first heading back to town and just pay the driver for the return trip, no matter which company it is.

 

Great advice, thank you. I have read numerous complaints about the blue bus.