Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle and Trek

183 Ratings
  • Live Guide
  • Group Tour
  • Pickup Service
  • E-Ticket
  • 6 hr

Experience the famous Mendenhall Glacier up close and personal during this 6 hour adventure which includes paddling and glacier exploration. Paddle up to the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier, over Mendenhall Lake, and past Nugget Falls to explore along the edge of the Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier is receding at a fast pace and due to this we are seeing drastic changes to the surface of the glacier. For this reason, it is not safe to walk on the glacier. This trip will spend time exploring the glacier up close and hiking around the edges of it safely from the bedrock. The edge of the glacier has some of the most stunning features you will find; this is where ice formations, tunnels, and tubes tend to form creating those beautiful blue colors. These features are never guaranteed but do form throughout the summer.

Itinerary Details

Operated by: Above and Beyond Alaska

Your adventure begins on the shore of the Mendenhall Glacier Lake with paddle instruction from your canoe guide. We’ll load our gear into large canoes and paddle together across the cool waters. We’ll travel in 8-person, or 12-person canoes skippered by 1 to 2 guides. As you round the rock peninsula, the face of the glacier confronts you like a giant. Blocks of ice stand tall, waiting for the right moment to calve into the waters. On approach to the glacier, keep your eyes open for freshly calved icebergs and feel the cool breeze generated by the ice. Your guide will navigate to the beach and land the canoe.
After landing, follow your guide across the moon-like landscape of bedrock to the glacier’s edge. You will be up close to the glacier and exploring the unique moon-like landscape recently exposed by the receding glacier. Other views include crevasses filled with deep blue color and the icefall at the toe of the glacier. Because the glacier is in a state of constant change, not all features may be present or accessible. This tour does not include trekking on the glacier. Every day is different at the glacier!
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