Mendenhall white bus myth or just luck?

[lasnev]

Just back from our Alaskan cruise and grateful for all the invaluable tips I picked up on this board prior to departure. Didn't have to play the guessing game, and found ourselves prepared for any occurrence.

So you can imagine how stubborn I was when we got to Juneau to find a blue bus ticket booth and get our party of four to the glacier. They were all lined up right there, some of them selling multiple excursions, and casually asked one of the guys if they sold blue bus tickets. He said they only sold white, and they where the same. I replied that I HAD done my research and they most definitely where not the same, they were slower and that I was moving on! He proceeded to tell me that they both do the same route and whatever traffic is in port on a specific day affects both lines equally, they were going every 20 minutes versus the blue bus's 30 minutes and there was a white bus ready to go in 3 minutes. I turned, saw the bus, looked at my party, they all wanted to go right now. So with no sign of the blue bus in sight, I reluctantly said fine, got the tickets (even gave us a discount since he knew how torn I was) and was at the glacier in 20 minutes. Unfortunately for us the waterfall trail was still closed as of last Tuesday, but still got amazing views of glacier/falls, and great pictures! When ready to leave waited about 10 minutes at the white bus stop and were back in town in no time.

The driver was very knowledgeable and the short drive really felt like a tour!

Really just wanted to set the record straight.

[CobbClan]

Nugget falls trail is closed? How did I miss this?

[slider728]

Nugget falls trail is closed? How did I miss this?

 

They had some pretty major flooding about 10 days ago. Suicide basin let go and dump a bunch of water in the valley. When I was at the glacier last, there was no trail to the falls period. It was under water :)

 

On a related note, the ice cave that Above and Beyond went to collapsed as well.

[lasnev]

From a previous thread, some parts might have been reopened, but when we were there last week it was flooded and you could actually see the water all the way to the falls. No sight of the beach area where all those pretty pictures were taken!

[esmo]

We also looked for the Blue Bus and ended up on the white bus - it was fine. Though Mendenhall was really croweded and the visitor's center was a zoo! I was disappointed that the Nugget Falls trail was closed due to flooding. If it had been open some of the congestion at the glaicer may have been alleviated.

[lasnev]

We also looked for the Blue Bus and ended up on the white bus - it was fine. Though Mendenhall was really croweded and the visitor's center was a zoo! I was disappointed that the Nugget Falls trail was closed due to flooding. If it had been open some of the congestion at the glaicer may have been alleviated.

 

How about that weather though!!! 60 to 90 percent chance of rain turned into almost no rain at all. We just had some early morning upon arrival in Ketchikan, gone by the time we were off the ship!

[Aquahound]

Wow, On July 7, I made it to the glacier and Nugget Falls just in time!

 

Last I heard though, the main trail is open again. You just can't presently walk down to the beach area at the base of the falls.

[MojitoMadness09]

I know there is no way to tell for sure, but was there any news of when the trail would possibly reopen? As in, if they had an idea about the water drying up or anything. We are on the Aug 29th cruise.

[marysb]

we were there a week and a half ago on We'd July 9 th and the trail was open. It had rained heavily the day before, so guess,we got lucky.

[mapleleaves]

News and alerts such as trails closing/opening or Ice Caves collapsing will be listed on the Tongass NF web site:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/tongass/

[mapleleaves]

Here are the web site for both. They both leave every 30 minutes, charge $20 for a 20 minute ride. Blue Bus seems to have an extra hour of service at the beginning and end.

 

http://www.juneautours.com/shuttle-mendenhall-glacier/

 

http://mightygreattrips.com/tours/

 

It's a simple 20 minute bus ride ... what does it matter as long as the schedule works for you.

Edited July 21, 2014 by mapleleaves

[lasnev]

Here are the web site for both. They both leave every 30 minutes, charge $20 for a 20 minute ride. Blue Bus seems to have an extra hour of service at the beginning and end.

 

http://www.juneautours.com/shuttle-mendenhall-glacier/

 

http://mightygreattrips.com/tours/

 

It's a simple 20 minute bus ride ... what does it matter as long as the schedule works for you.

 

No it doesn't matter which one, but before I left I was under the impression that the white bus was sub-par.

Just wanted to rectify.

On the day we were there the white bus was running every 20 minutes, they must adjust their schedule depending upon the traffic in port.

[varoo]

People have posted on here a number of times previously saying to take whichever bus comes along first, regardless of what color it is, even if blue is your favorite color. ;)

 

We learned the truth of that a long time ago when we naively bought blue bus round trip tickets.

The trip out to Mendenhall Glacier was fine.

 

But when we were ready to return, the blue bus did not show up and no other bus driver would take our blue bus tickets.

 

By the time another blue bus finally arrived much, much later, a number of other buses had passed us by and there was a very long line for the blue bus.

It was standing room only by the time we were finally able to board, while other buses were going out half empty..

 

Since that time, we know to take the first bus that is going back to the Juneau port whenever we are ready to leave and just pay the driver the one-way fare.

 

It may even be a bus from one of the private tour companies, if there is space and the driver is willing to take you.

I would not care if it was a green bus with purple polka dots.

After all, it is only for a short ride back to the pier, not as though you are committing to take a cross-country bus tour. :D

 

Nothing at all against the blue bus company -- any bus, from any company, may encounter problems and not show up on time.

.

Edited July 22, 2014 by varoo

[tee_harbor]

No it doesn't matter which one, but before I left I was under the impression that the white bus was sub-par.

Just wanted to rectify.

On the day we were there the white bus was running every 20 minutes, they must adjust their schedule depending upon the traffic in port.

 

I've been reading this board for years, and I've never seen one color being recommended over the other. *shrug* Funny how these things get started. I follow them down the expressway nearly every day all summer. They're both just old school or city buses, one white, one blue.