The Spectacular Mendenhall Glacier of  Pleistocene Epoch, USA

Mendenhall Glacier is about 24.6 km long Glacier is located in Mendenhall Valley, about 19 km from downtown Juneau in the southeast area of the U.S. state of Alaska. The glacier and surrounding landscape are protected as part of the 2,353 ha Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area and it is part of Tongass National Forest. The glacier is one of Juneau’s most popular tourist stops. Mendenhall Glacier has retreated 2.82 km since 1929 when Mendenhall Lake was created.

Mendenhall is a temperate maritime glacier that flows from the southwest side of the Juneau Icefield. As of 2019, the glacier is 24.6 km long, covers 98 km², and spans an elevation range from 20 to 2,000 MSL.

Geology

Mendenhall Valley was formed by glaciation during the Pleistocene Epoch. In the vicinity of the valley, the Pleistocene ice sheet was 4,000 to 5,000 feet thick about 18,000 years ago. The ice sheet began to melt about 17,000 years ago and by 11,000 to 7,500 years ago the valley was free of glacial ice as the present front of the glacier.

The rock types in the Mendenhall Valley have been divided generally into bedrock or metamorphic rocks of Mesozoic age and unconsolidated sediments of the Quaternary age. The unconsolidated sediments have been subdivided into (a) older marine, estuarine, and alluvial deposits, generally between 6,000 and 18,000 years old, and (b) younger, generally nonmarine deposits. Most of these younger sediments were laid down during the recent advance and retreat of the Mendenhall.

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Mendenhall glacier trip

Mendenhall is one of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in North America. It’s a must-see destination in Mendenhall, Alaska vacation. Mendenhall Glacier tours welcome more than 0.4 million tourists each year, due to its stunning arctic beauty.

Geo-tourists can get information about icebergs and glaciers at Mendenhall visitors center. a map detailing the various hiking paths around the Mountains glacier is also available.

Mendenhall glacier hike

There are many ways to get up close to the majestic Glacier. Geo-touristic can Enjoy hiking trails that run along surrounding terrain, including a moderately easy and well-marked trail to Nugget Falls. At Mendenhall Lake, the closest area to the glacier, people will find a stunning 115m.high waterfall cascading into an iceberg lake with a magnificent glacier in the background.

From July through September, along the platform boardwalks that run along Steep Creek Trail visitors can enjoy Mendenhall and whale watching tour of Auke Bay.

In the Mendenhall , the East Glacier Loop is a difficult trek, that leads through ancient forests for views of a waterfall near the glacier’s face. This trail is a little steep but makes a good adventure. Experienced hikers should try the West Glacier Trail, which follows the edge of the lake and glacier, providing access to the iceberg.

Mendenhall glacier ice cave hike

The Mendenhall route of the trek will take you across the glacier’s surface and into the breathtaking ice caves, ice spires, deep blue crevasses, and meltwater pools. Due to the melting of the ice from the glacier, the ice caves have formed. The flow of water around the side of the glacier runs under and through the glacier regularly carving out new caves. As the glacier recession continues, the caves collapse and disappear. The exterior of the glacier caves is white while from the inside of the caves, all glaciers are looking bright blue.

When to Visit

The Mendenhall Glacier is great in all weather and is accessible all year, the best time to visit is May through October. On a sunny day, it’s beautiful, with blue skies and snow-capped mountains in the background.

Helicopter tours provide incredible views of the glacier and the Mendenhall. There is a cruises service also, which combines whale-watching and a visit to the glacier. The cruise will drop you at the glacier and you can explore Glacier and its surrounding terrain on foot.