Mendenhall Glacier fee and transportation update

[mapleleaves]

The new fee went into effect May 1, so I called the Visitor Center the other day to get an understanding of how and where the fee would be collected.

 

First of all, the new $5 fee only applies to the specific areas outlined on the Tongass NF web site " The Forest Service will begin charging fees next May for use of the bus shelters, Steep Creek Trail and platforms, viewing pavilion near the parking area, Photo Point Trail, and all restroom facilities " The Visitor Center already had a fee so it is part of that group.

 

Staff inside the Visitor Center will collect the fee and there will be self-serve kiosks in the parking lot. So this seems to be more of an honor system process. They don't have enough staff to check each and every person who steps out of a restroom or trail or bus shelter. And the man I spoke with said as much. Oh, and taxi drivers will have tickets to sell.

 

The way it stands now .... if you were to arrive by taxi, rental car or city bus and walked the Nugget Falls Trail but didn't use the restrooms or Visitor Center you don't have to pay the fee. But if you use the Photo Point Trail you do need to pay. The glitch is if you use a tour company, which is the way that most visitors arrive to Mendenhall. All tour companies must have a permit with the NP and have been told that THEY are responsible for collecting the fee from passengers. If you have a Sr Pass, America The Beautiful Pass, etc which exempts you from the $5 fee, YOU need to take it up with the tour operator. The NF doesn't want to be involved in that. In other words, any refund is between you and the tour company ....

 

How the tour companies will handle one-way fares? Will they charge the $5 fee if you were dropped off by a whale watch company and only need a return ticket to the docks? So a one-way TO Mendenhall would be $15 but the one-way return ticket would be $10 since the assumption is that you already paid the fee?

 

I'm not going to Mendenhall this summer so it doesn't affect me one way or another. I have a NP pass, I wouldn't mind paying the $5 fee . It's a small price to pay for a 2-3 hr excursion.

 

But if you plan on taking a tour bus to Mendenhall you might want to sort out the details: will they reduce the bus fare from $30 to $25 if you have a Pass? and how much is the one-way fare TO Mendenhall or TO the docks? Someone else can do that research.....

 

Blue bus is M&M http://www.mmtoursofjuneau.com/

White bus is Juneau Tours http://www.juneautours.com/

 

Information on Mendenhall and trail maps:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3835583.pdf

Edited May 7, 2016 by mapleleaves
typo

[Bo1953]

I Am sure someone will post a way around the new $5.00 fee. For most of us who may only visit 'once' the $5.00 fee may not be an issue as we have paid far more to get there and the Park Service can use the funds to be sure.

 

That is unless the OP is speaking about multiple entry to the same park?

 

bon voyage

[mapleleaves]

if you don't want to pay the fee ..... arrive by taxi or rental car, then avoid the 'fee' areas (Visitor Center, bus shelters, Steep Creek Trail and platforms, viewing pavilion near the parking area, Photo Point Trail, and all restroom facilities )

[Glaciers]

Although it won’t apply to most cruisers, there is also a season pass available for $15 that allows you to bring one guest as well.

http://www.alaskastar.com/2016-04-21/mendenhall-glacier-visitor-center-implement-new-fees#.Vy9JIun0K1s

[mapleleaves]

This is the full message from the Forest Service regarding the fee:

 

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/news-events/?cid=STELPRD3839697

[Alaskanb]

So if we have the senior national parks pass we do not pay the fee?

[mapleleaves]

So if we have the senior national parks pass we do not pay the fee?

 

 

true if you arrive by car, taxi or city bus.

 

If you arrive via a tour operator like the blue or white bus, you will need to duke it out with them ..... the vendor is required to collect the fee but how they handle passengers with a Park Pass is up to the vendor.

 

Hopefully people on this forum will follow up with the vendors so that the situation gets resolved.

[Eaglecw]

I E-mailed M & M tours a while back about this issue and the office manager wanted me to call her and discuss the seniors NP pass, I don’t they had ever heard of a seniors NP pass, I’ve called M & M tours several times and they aren’t there when I call, I’ll make it a point to call them again this next week and try to find out more information and post it here. We use our seniors NP pass a lot.

[Alaskanb]

I e-mailed Harv and Marv today and they are honoring the drop off at Mendenhall for those who booked while there was no fee being charged.

[rajkr74]

We will be in Juneau the 1st of July so I e-mailed each of the Mendenhall tour companies that take you to the glacier and here are the replies I received from each. There is some inconsistency between the two companies. At this time I guess we will be going with M&M Tours because they will give us credit for our Sr. Park Pass.

 

M&M Tours (blue bus):

We would need a copy of the Sr. parks card to provide to the park to verification of the card holder. The prices listed include the cost of the parks entrance fee. And in the case it would be minus the $5 entrance fee.

 

Thank you,

Bobby

M & M Tours of Juneau

mmtoursofjuneau@aol.com

907-789-5460

 

Here is the reply I got from Juneau Tours and Whale Watching, (white bus):

The shuttle is an all-inclusive package. Unfortunately at this time we cannot distinguish between those that have a pass or whether it's the right type of pass for the Mendenhall Glacier Park.

 

Best regards,

Sue

 

907.523.6095

Juneau Tours/ Juneau Whale Watch

http://www.facebook.com/juneautoursandwhalewatching

[Budget Queen]

Sorry Maple's claim of Nugget Falls trail not needing a fee is faulty. Nugget Falls trail is accessed by the Photo Point Trail. So in my opinion, with the fee charged for the Photo Point trail, then you pay it for Nugget Falls.

 

These are such minimal charges, that go toward keeping this open to the masses of people who enjoy it every day. There are a lot of costs to upkeep.

 

https://www.google.es/search?q=mendenhall+glacier+trail+map&espv=2&biw=1024&bih=499&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj2kM_urs3MAhWIbBoKHflzAV8Q7AkIQA#imgrc=mytb-t0p_TThzM%3A

[Tottsmom]

So if we have the senior national parks pass we do not pay the fee?

I just read on the NP website that they will still be honoring the NP Passes. So No, you won't have to pay the fee.

[mapleleaves]

These are such minimal charges, that go toward keeping this open to the masses of people who enjoy it every day. There are a lot of costs to upkeep.

 

The point of this info is NOT how to avoid the fee, but to understand the whole picture of the fee AND transportation options, especially now that the buses have raised their rate to $30pp. There are impacts, particularly for families. The park fee doesn't apply to kids under 16 but is the bus still $30 for someone under 16? If so it may be cheaper for a family to rent a car or take a cab. And if more people opt out of the shuttles, it may impact availability of taxis and rental cars. So people will need to plan and reserve. It might not be so easy to get a cab on 30 minutes notice when you call from mendenhall .....

 

As for 2 seniors who have already purchased a Park pass, why shouldn't they get a refund for the $10 ? I take my refund at Denali. And I'm happy to show my Sr Pass at any park for free admission .... that's why I bought it.

Edited May 9, 2016 by mapleleaves

[Budget Queen]

The point of this info is NOT how to avoid the fee, but to understand the whole picture of the fee AND transportation options, especially now that the buses have raised their rate to $30pp. There are impacts, particularly for families. The park fee doesn't apply to kids under 16 but is the bus still $30 for someone under 16? If so it may be cheaper for a family to rent a car or take a cab. And if more people opt out of the shuttles, it may impact availability of taxis and rental cars. So people will need to plan and reserve. It might not be so easy to get a cab on 30 minutes notice when you call from mendenhall .....

 

As for 2 seniors who have already purchased a Park pass, why shouldn't they get a refund for the $10 ? I take my refund at Denali. And I'm happy to show my Sr Pass at any park for free admission .... that's why I bought it.

 

My point, is you claimed, IF you only did the Nugget Falls trail- that didn't count for the fee. But you totally missed that the access is by the Photo Point trail that has a fee.

 

I made NO comment that the discounts and age benefits shouldn't be available. ONLY, about the basic application of the fee- which I would think applies to the Nugget Falls Trail.

[Glaciers]

Sorry Maple's claim of Nugget Falls trail not needing a fee is faulty. Nugget Falls trail is accessed by the Photo Point Trail. So in my opinion, with the fee charged for the Photo Point trail, then you pay it for Nugget Falls.

 

The Nugget Falls Trail remains free. The fee area begins at the junction of the Nugget Falls Trail and Photo Point trail for access to Photo Point. Not sure how they will monitor that.

[mapleleaves]

The Nugget Falls Trail remains free. The fee area begins at the junction of the Nugget Falls Trail and Photo Point trail for access to Photo Point. Not sure how they will monitor that.

 

yes, that's what I was told about the trail.

 

As for monitoring, they said they don't have enough staff for that .... it's basically going to be an honor system. I got the impression that the tour companies are going to be the primary source for fee collection, as well people who stop at the Visitor Center.

Edited May 10, 2016 by mapleleaves

[snoopy5386]

The point of this info is NOT how to avoid the fee, but to understand the whole picture of the fee AND transportation options, especially now that the buses have raised their rate to $30pp. There are impacts, particularly for families. The park fee doesn't apply to kids under 16 but is the bus still $30 for someone under 16? If so it may be cheaper for a family to rent a car or take a cab. And if more people opt out of the shuttles, it may impact availability of taxis and rental cars. So people will need to plan and reserve. It might not be so easy to get a cab on 30 minutes notice when you call from mendenhall .....

 

As for 2 seniors who have already purchased a Park pass, why shouldn't they get a refund for the $10 ? I take my refund at Denali. And I'm happy to show my Sr Pass at any park for free admission .... that's why I bought it.

 

This situation applies to us - we are a family of 4 and I have a 4th grader this year so we have a free national parks pass......I'd like to save that $20 in fees for sure. Frankly, $120 for a 60 min roundtrip drive for our family seems outrageous, so we will most likely not be taking the buses.

[mapleleaves]

I'd like to save that $20 in fees for sure. Frankly, $120 for a 60 min roundtrip drive for our family seems outrageous, so we will most likely not be taking the buses.

 

Another way to look at it ... $120 for a 2-3 hour excursion for 4 people isn't bad. $100 would be better though :)

 

Call both shuttle companies and ask them if they will refund $20 because you have kids under 16 and a Pass. If enough people call, the vendors will have to honor the Pass and kids free policy. At this point I think they're still scrambling to deal with the logistics and implications of this thing.

[cruisingwithcarrie]

How much is a taxi from the dock to Mendenhall? That's a good drive away.

 

This situation applies to us - we are a family of 4 and I have a 4th grader this year so we have a free national parks pass......I'd like to save that $20 in fees for sure. Frankly, $120 for a 60 min roundtrip drive for our family seems outrageous, so we will most likely not be taking the buses.

 

Well thank you for posting! I have a 4th grader and wasn't aware of the free national parks pass! We now have one!

Edited May 10, 2016 by cruisingwithcarrie

[mapleleaves]

How much is a taxi from the dock to Mendenhall? That's a good drive away.

 

 

20-30 minute drive, about $35 o/w for taxi fare.

(you can call a taxi vendor to verify).

[mapleleaves]

We will be in Juneau the 1st of July so I e-mailed each of the Mendenhall tour companies that take you to the glacier and here are the replies I received from each. There is some inconsistency between the two companies. At this time I guess we will be going with M&M Tours because they will give us credit for our Sr. Park Pass.

 

M&M Tours (blue bus):

We would need a copy of the Sr. parks card to provide to the park to verification of the card holder. The prices listed include the cost of the parks entrance fee. And in the case it would be minus the $5 entrance fee.

 

Thank you,

Bobby

M & M Tours of Juneau

mmtoursofjuneau@aol.com

907-789-5460

 

Here is the reply I got from Juneau Tours and Whale Watching, (white bus):

The shuttle is an all-inclusive package. Unfortunately at this time we cannot distinguish between those that have a pass or whether it's the right type of pass for the Mendenhall Glacier Park.

 

Best regards,

Sue

 

907.523.6095

Juneau Tours/ Juneau Whale Watch

http://www.facebook.com/juneautoursandwhalewatching

 

Thanks for following up with the tour companies and posting their response!