mendenhall trek and climb

[kayak17]

I am considering the mendenhall trek and climb with above and beyond alaska. I was wondering if anyone has booked with them on this tour? I know that it is not a private tour, but if anyone has done it how many people did you end up hiking with and what were your thoughts about this excursion?

[sswbeanie]

my dad and broter and i hiked the eastern glacier trail last week. you dont need to book a guided tour if you dont want. near the visitors center they label some of the local plants so you know what is what. The visitors center has trail maps and can direct you to the best trails for you. all trails are well marked. if it isnt marked, it is a wildlife trail, not a human trail. the trail we took was listed as 3.5 miles and 400ft of elevation. it was a tough trail, and with the little side tracks to see a waterfall and some other stuff, we did well over 4 miles. the hike took us 3 hours with few stops, but we did do several offshoots. if you do this trail, you must take a shuttle to the glacier, it can not be done in the amount of time any ship excursions allow. this hike was the highlight of the trip to me. it is worth doing if you are physically up for it.

[bqkali]

Hiking solely the Eastern Glacier Trail mentioned above is a very different experience from the Above & Beyond Trek & Climb tour.

 

Try these threads for some insight:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=946986&highlight=above+beyond+mendenhall

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=586327

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=548903&highlight=above+beyond+mendenhall

[philandtessie]

do you take a taxi to the visitors center??

are they easy to get?

thanks

[bqkali]

do you take a taxi to the visitors center??

are they easy to get?

thanks

 

You can take a taxi (I have seen reports of $25++ each way) or there is a shuttle that runs from the port area to the visitor's center where you can look around the visitor's center or start a hike. $7pp each way.

[Budget Queen]

For clairfication, it is the East Glacier Loop trail, mentioned above. COMPLETELY different location than what this poster is asking, with glacier access, which is from the west side and not accessable from the visitor center.

[tetleytea]

Now I'm getting interested. What are our options for glacier access guided/unguided, assuming we have a car? Are there okay places to walk on, and is there a way to get ahold of crampons? Any idea how the Mendenhall hiking guides compare to Mica Guides (on Matanuska glacier)?

[Budget Queen]

Now I'm getting interested. What are our options for glacier access guided/unguided, assuming we have a car? Are there okay places to walk on, and is there a way to get ahold of crampons? Any idea how the Mendenhall hiking guides compare to Mica Guides (on Matanuska glacier)?

 

The access to Mendenhall is completely different than Matanuska. It has been reported you are best with a guide at Mendenhall, and yes, you drive the west side direct for access. I would speculate you had better be a serious and fit hiker with experience if you aren't going guided. Compared to Matanuska- that glacier is right there via a 15 minute walk. That needs a guide too, if not glacier experienced, to really get out on the ice to the lake. One point being a safety issue, it is loaded with unstable areas and creavses. Which is what glaciers are.

[nchheda1]

I have a question about the city bus (which is the cheapest option i have found) to Mendenhall Glacier...I know it drops you off about 1.5 mile or so from the visitor center but is the walk too bad to manage? I am 24 years old and everything else seems a bit expensive to me (I have to be really tight with money for the trip)....has anyone taken the city bus and then traveled the road? Thanks =)

[tetleytea]

The walk is flat and should be no problem, but bears are not uncommon there.

[tee_harbor]

I have a question about the city bus (which is the cheapest option i have found) to Mendenhall Glacier...I know it drops you off about 1.5 mile or so from the visitor center but is the walk too bad to manage? I am 24 years old and everything else seems a bit expensive to me (I have to be really tight with money for the trip)....has anyone taken the city bus and then traveled the road? Thanks =)

 

As stated, it's a paved, flat, separate from the non-busy road. The only problem would be if it were pouring rain. There is an entry fee at the Visitors Center, $5 I think? But there's a lot of informative panels outside, a ranger to ask questions, so it's not necessary to go inside.

 

And the bus can be a lot of fun if you have the time. See some of the local wildlife up close. :D Be sure to take the bus back continuing around the Back Loop, instead of back the way you came, to see lovely view of Auke Bay and Auke Lake. The bus route is a large circle, so it's possible to see something different on your way back. Unfortunately, there's no daily pass, because there's other worthwhile sights on the route. If you can take the express to the Valley, then transfer to the bus to the glacier, it will save time. But you will miss the prison stop!

 

Now I'm getting interested. What are our options for glacier access guided/unguided, assuming we have a car? Are there okay places to walk on, and is there a way to get ahold of crampons? Any idea how the Mendenhall hiking guides compare to Mica Guides (on Matanuska glacier)?

 

If you stick to the West Glacier trail and are fit, you should be fine. It's a great trail with a variety of views and terrain. This trail goes up alongside the glacier, with occasional views over it and the valley. However, it, like all hiking in AK should be taken seriously. A young man just died on this trail last week, a life-long, experienced resident.

 

Accessing the glacier is a different, even more serious thing, and I feel, should be done with professionals. If you think you're up to it on your own, there's a downtown outdoors shop that may rent crampons: http://www.foggymountainshop.com/

[figgy3]

My son and his fiancee booked a private glacier hike with Above and Beyond on May 28. This was undoubtedly the highlight of their trip. They are both hikers and mountain climbers but had never climbed a glacier before so opted to do a private trip so they could actually spend the time climbing . Their pictures are amazing.I wish I had them here so I could post them. Although it was expensive, for them it was well worth it and they both came back hooked on glacier climbing.

[JCB40]

The access to Mendenhall is completely different than Matanuska. It has been reported you are best with a guide at Mendenhall, and yes, you drive the west side direct for access. I would speculate you had better be a serious and fit hiker with experience if you aren't going guided. Compared to Matanuska- that glacier is right there via a 15 minute walk. That needs a guide too, if not glacier experienced, to really get out on the ice to the lake. One point being a safety issue, it is loaded with unstable areas and creavses. Which is what glaciers are.

 

2 questions actually:

1. Nervous about not being in shape enough to take the 3 hour hike on Matanuska...Should I be? Should I settle for the 1.5 hour trek - or is the 3 hour one 'do-able'?

2. Any preferences (what are the differences) between NOVA and MICA guides?

THANKS for any & all advice !

[tetleytea]

My advice: hop on a treadmill for about 5 or 6 minutes at max incline. Say, at setting 3.5 or so (that's a healthy walk). If your feet are in excruciating pain, you need to stretch your calf and achilles (shin splints are not unlikely on a hike like this). If your knee has issues now, you'll have issues then. And if you're out of breath, you've got a cardio issue and I'd be worried about a lot more than just a glacial hike. IMO, 3 hours is not that long and 1.5 hours is barely even worth the drive all the way out there. But I'd be worried about shin splints.

 

Can't tell you anything about Mica and Nova, other than neither was open in mid-May when I was there.