Mendenhall Glacier Trek
Love Hiking? This one is for you!
Duration
Day Trip
8-Hours
Activity
Hiking, Glacier Trekking
Highlight
Glacier trekking, rainforest hiking, big views
Price
$240.45 per person (includes sales tax)
Difficulty
Strenuous
Transportation
We pick you up.
Experience The Trip
This exclusive hiking tour to Mendenhall Glacier begins with 4 miles through towering Sitka Spruce and Hemlock in the largest temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass National Forest. The trail becomes less defined as you follow your guide through dense brush, beaver ponds, and up rock scrambles. The trail is considered strenuous with about 800 feet in vertical elevation gain, and requires you to be sure-footed while crossing slippery stones and rock screes. It is all worth it when you climb the final ridge, and the jagged face of the glacier bursts into view with its river of ice coursing behind it.
During this tour we set an average pace of 4 miles in about 2 – 2.5 hours. If you are interested in moving faster or slower than this pace, please consider booking the Privately Guided Mendenhall Glacier Trek. The private guide will adjust their pace to match yours and your groups. A great way to get to the ice faster or take your time and enjoy all the views!
The glacier is in constant change and its features disappear and reappear over the course of the season, this includes the ice caves. After strapping on your micro-spikes, your guide will take you on a tour of the glacier’s features which are accessible that day. Those may include exploring the other-worldliness of an ice cave, descending into crevasses carved by melt water, or peering into the deep blue well of a moulin. Everyday is different on the ice!
The Trip Itinerary
8 Hour Trip
Van Pickup @ “C” Sign
Transportation to the West Glacier trailhead
Outfitting and Gear Orientation
Get you and the crew suited up for the elements
Questions about the gear sizing?
Hike West Glacier Trail about 4 miles
Left, Left, Left, Right, Left…
A fun jaunt through temperate rainforest
Glacier Trekking & Exploration
Strap on the micro-spikes, grab your trekking poles and traverse the icy terrain.
Hike the Trail back to the Parking Lot
Hope you saved some energy…
Don’t worry, it’s mostly downhill
Return Van Transport
Practical Info
Client Pickup Information
The “C” Sign, located near the cruise ship docks directly between Mt. Roberts Tramway and the green Taku Smokeries building, is our centralized downtown meeting location for all clients in the downtown area, including the majority of cruise ship passengers.
Passengers Arriving At AJ Dock
Special Note:
Because the AJ Dock is about a 20 minute walk away from the “C” Sign, clients off cruise ships docking at the AJ Dock with 30 minutes or less between their ship’s arrival time and ABAK’s trip departure time will be picked up directly from the AJ Dock.
Hotel Guests
Clients staying at major hotels in the Mendenhall Valley may be picked up directly from their hotel. Clients with their own transportation may meet us directly at the West Glacier Trailhead.
Price
$229.00 + 5% sales tax = $240.45 per person
Group Size: Minimum of 2, Maximum of 12; 6 to 1 client to guide ratio
Minimum Age: 10
This is an all inclusive kind of trip. From dock, to glacier and back.
Included In The Price
- Professional guides
- Roundtrip van transport
- US Forest Service permits
- Rain gear (hooded jacket and pants)
- Hearty, healthy snack & bottled water.
- All glacier safety gear including helmet, micro-spikes, harness, and trekking poles if needed.
Not Included In Price
- Hot shower at the end of the day. But you can book your stay with us.
- Professional Photography
- A helicopter ride. But this trip does!
- Gratuity for your guide staff
Important Notes
- This trip operates in all weather conditions (barring unsafe conditions, to be determined by ABAK) – We can’t stress enough to dress appropriately.
- A specific amount of time on the ice cannot be guaranteed. The amount of time on the glacier is dependent on the group’s pace and weather conditions.
- Visiting specific features such as ice caves, moulins, etc. cannot be guaranteed due to the constantly changing nature of the Mendenhall Glacier. Your guide will assess the hazards on the day of the trip to determine if a particular area is safe to trek upon or enter.
- Participants must be in good enough shape and conditioned to hike for up to 6-6.5 hours, covering about 9 miles roundtrip.
- Participants need to wear sturdy hiking boots that provide good ankle support while hiking on uneven, rocky terrain & trekking on the glacier. Everyone will need to hike with a backpack weighing approximately 10lbs the entire way on this trip.
- If you’re interested in ice climbing with a top rope need to book the Glacier Blue Trek and Climb.
- WAIVER FORM: Every participant must sign a waiver form at the start of the trip. Alterations and/or deletions to the waiver are not permitted.
- Due to various fitness abilities and weather variables, we prefer clients not schedule other excursions directly before or after our trip. Please let us know if you have another excursion booked on the same day.
Please note: Clients must disclose information regarding pertinent medical conditions/history, allergies and any type of restriction or limitation that might introduce a higher degree of challenge on this trip. ABAK strives to accommodate various conditions, restrictions and/or limitations and can better do so with prior knowledge of such. Women who are pregnant are welcome to participate in this trip with a doctor’s note confirming the safety of their participation in the activities of the tour.
Departure Times:
Mondays: 1:30pm
Tuesdays: 8:30am
Wednesdays: 10:30am
Thursdays: 8:30am
Fridays: 7:30am
Saturdays: 9:30am
Sundays: 9:30am
Dates of Operation: April 30th – October 2nd, 2018
*Due to diminishing daylight hours in September, only morning departures will be offered after August 15th.
Group Size: Minimum of 2, Maximum of 12;
6 to 1 client to guide ratio
Minimum Age: 10 years old. Families with children under 10 need to book a privately guided trip, for which the minimum age is 8. The smallest shoe size we can accommodate is size 2. We do not permit clients to carry their infants/toddlers due to safety concerns.
Activity Level: Challenging & Strenuous – Participants need to be in good physical shape and able to climb over rocks, slippery surfaces, and have no major mobility issues. No hiking experience necessary.
Documentation Needed
- Name of each client
- Cell phone contact number of client
- Desired trip date and departure time
- Name of cruise ship or hotel
- Clients’ ages, especially anyone under the age of 18
- Rain gear & shoe sizes (please specify male or female)
- Any pertinent medical issues, allergies or dietary restrictions
- Primary language spoken, if other than English
