Mendenhall glacier - how far has it retreated?

[Coral]

I first cruised to Alaska in 2002. I went to Mendenhall like everyone else. Periodically I have gone out there when whale watching companies could drop people off there. I have been to Alaska a ton - I have been fortunate.

 

Admittedly - I have not been to Mendenhall in 10 plus years. I have to say it was "ok" in 2002, it became even less desirable in the years after as it is just not impressive in my mind. I have a friend who thinks similarly. We think "oh, hmmm....." when people ask about it and neither of us recommend going to it. Though landing on the glacier is another thing all together and if you are fortunate enough to do that - do that! After exchanging some emails I did some research and came across this article:

 

How far has the Mendenhall Glacier retreated in the last 12 months?

 

Two excerpts I find interesting:

 

Alaska Science Center geophysicist Christopher McNeil used publicly available satellite imagery to find an answer: between Aug. 30, 2021 and Aug. 18, 2022, the Mendenhall Glacier’s terminus retreated more than 800 feet. 

 

For the last two decades, the glacier has “pretty consistently” seen over 160 feet of retreat per year, Hekkers said. From 1999 to 2022, the glacier’s terminus retreated a total of nearly 4,600 feet. 

 

[Octavias]

We are going to Alaska next year and are skipping seeing Mendenhall.  Instead we are planning to see Taku glacier from an airboat and helicopter.  Even as massive as it is, it too, is retreating now.  Only a few years ago it was still advancing.  It breaks my heart to hear/see how much all glaciers are retreating now. 😕

[donaldsc]

We have taken every one of our grandkids on a trip to AK when they turn 10 w/o their parents.  One of the reasons for this is so that they can see the parts of AK that will disappear because of global warming.

 

DON

[Coral]

8 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

We have taken every one of our grandkids on a trip to AK when they turn 10 w/o their parents.  One of the reasons for this is so that they can see the parts of AK that will disappear because of global warming.

 

DON

I know you have done this from your posts. I think it is pretty cool! I have no doubt your grand kids will always remember and treasure their trip to Alaska with their grandparents!

Edited August 6, 2023 by Coral

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I know you have done this from your posts. I think it is pretty cool! I have no doubt your grand kids will always remember and treasure their trip to Alaska with their grandparents!

 

It is also great fun for the grandparents.  If anyone decides to emulate our policy just make sure that the parents know that they are not invited.  They would ruin the trip experience. 

 

DON 

[AKJonesy]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

We have taken every one of our grandkids on a trip to AK when they turn 10 w/o their parents.  One of the reasons for this is so that they can see the parts of AK that will disappear because of global warming.

 

DON

We do have a few advancing glaciers which can be seen from various excursions although the majority of our glaciers are retreating.  

Edited August 7, 2023 by AKJonesy

[hawk1972]

If you take the Trail of Time at Mendenhall you can see where the glacier was over a hundred years ago and various years since. It puts the retreat into perspective. 

[Gardyloo]

Here's the view from the Portage Glacier visitor center taken a couple of years ago in the late summer/early fall.  https://goo.gl/maps/A6pNg1NUwwyuT1PM8

 

Here's a picture I took from basically the same spot around October 1980.

 

[kaycee17]

I visited in July 2014 and August 2022 and created this comparison photo