above and beyond alaska mendenhall glacier trek

Our goal is to provide a complete Alaskan wilderness experience by sharing with clients our passion for the outdoors, technical know-how, and natural history knowledge. While total elevation gain is only 800 feet, the terrain is steep, uneven, slippery, and rocky. I would recommend that everybody take the time to visit this incredible spot and if you are lucky enough to get Beau and/or Ben as your guides, consider yourself blessed. What would the price of that be per person? This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Thank you for your feedback! It was a bit more grueling than the first hike to the glacier but then again we were perhaps all a bit more weary by then. He called that area the Magic Gardens. Pick up some ABAK Souvenirs and use our Indoor Restrooms. Choosing Above and Beyond Alaska as our glacier guides The gear was great quality and the snacks were perfect! She was in on the whole thing and took the pictures of the proposal. Locally owned small business since 2002, we have found the best of glaciers, bears, and whales in the Juneau Alaska area to share with you! Get up close to the Mendenhall Glacier and explore all the features along the edge! We were able to move at our own pace, enjoy the sights at our leisure, and experience ice-climbing, repelling, and general exploration deep into the glacier which I believe is more restricted with the larger-group tours. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. Has anyone tried the Mendenhall Glacier Trek through Above & Beyond Alaska? This was a fantastic experience for my wife, myself, and our 14 year old twins. What an amazing kayak trip! Minimum Age: 10 years old. Private Glacier Trek is perfect for family groups (8 years and up), slower groups, faster groups, and photographers. Fly-In Glacier Hike & Packraft (NEW 2023). PO Box 211202 Our guide was Beau and he was great, personable and kind to our children 10 and 12. Check it out here. Scenic 4.5-mile hike through the Tongass National Rainforest - Enjoy the guided hike to the Mendenhall Glacier through the largest temperate rainforest in the world, dominated by towering Sitka Spruce and Hemlock Trees. Our guides, Brad and Miles were awesome! Do you have to climb and pull yourself up? After a short hike to the canoes, guideswho are all wilderness first-aid certified and go through advanced training each yearwalk everyone through safety requirements and paddle techniquesno experience required! Great tour for natural history, flora, fauna, and the best panoramic views. Thanks Blake and Max! Both were doable. The trek was not difficult. Roberts Tramway, the C-Sign is ABAKs primary downtown meeting location for cruise passengers and clients staying in the downtown area. We have been exploring the region from ocean to ice for over 25 years and guiding others since 2002. This was by far the best excursion I participated in while in Alaska!! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. By Above & Beyond Alaska 93 reviews Recommended by 98% of travelers Spend your time in Juneau on an Alaskan wilderness hiking adventure as you get up close to the Mendenhall Glacier! . Clients staying at private residences, Air BnBs, VRBOs, or have own transportation p. lease contact our office for meeting location information at 907-364-2333 or info@beyondak.com. I am overweight but active. Auke Bay, Alaska Above & Beyond Alaska: Mendenhall Glacier Trek - See 1,119 traveler reviews, 1,119 candid photos, and great deals for Juneau, AK, at Tripadvisor. Thank you for your feedback! I had expectations for this tour but this far exceeded every single one of them! We greatly appreciate it!! Getting inside an ice cave was a lucky and amazing opportunity. I would 150% recommend Above and Beyond Alaska again. The prize for all your efforts is the Glacier itself. Alaska Discover the Mendenhall Glacier. Canoe the long tradition of the historic mighty canoe lives on in Southeast Alaska. . Above & Beyond Alaska: Shore exursion review of Mendenhall Glacier Trek - See 1,116 traveler reviews, 1,119 candid photos, and great deals for Juneau, AK, at Tripadvisor. Sooo its pretty awesome. The day was beautiful and views were spectacular. After an adventure on the glacier, well hike back via the West Glacier Trail and provide transportation back to your pick-up location. Thanks! Above & Beyond Alaska, LLC is a local, employee-owned guiding company based in Juneau Alaska. We were on an Alaskan cruise and signed up for the Glacier Paddle & Trek. Guests seeking a private experience are encouraged to book the Private Glacier Canoe Paddle and Trek or the Private Mendenhall Glacier Trek. 2. would comfortable jeans or warm leggings be suitable? The outfitter provides everything you need: high quality rainwear, bog boots, microspikes, and a harness. Coming from Kauai, I would say the trail was pretty easy. Not once did they ever hesitate to take pics for us. It has sheer rock surfaces which when wet are very slippery and hard to not slip on. Above & Beyond Alaska: Mendenhall Glacier Trek and Climb - See 1,119 traveler reviews, 1,119 candid photos, and great deals for Juneau, AK, at Tripadvisor. There was a second option with a 1 hour glacier trek with the same helicopter ride but was even pricier. Clients can be picked up from any major hotel in the Mendenhall Valley. Well cover 4 miles, each way, in approximately 2-2.5 hours if you require a faster or slower place, please consider booking the Privately Guided Mendenhall Glacier Trek. Some details and possible activities: Here are some pictures of the Glacier Blue Trek & Climb tour: You can paddle! Our Rock Scramble wasnt nearly as death defying as some of the Google images and before you know it the Mendenhall Glacier was right in front of us. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. We are so happy you had a great trip overall and we would love to welcome you back anytime! The meeting point was just a minute away from where the ships docked. - Caitlin McElhinny Birmingham; Florence and Muscle Shoals; Gulf Shores and Orange Beach; . Well cover 4 miles, each way, in approximately 2-2.5 hours. He was a very personable and shared his knowledge of Juneau as well as other parts of Alaska that he had lived in. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. Our professional guides will naturalize about the recession of the glacier while you explore the unique landscape that the glaciers have unearthed. We are the top rated wilderness guide service in the area and welcome large groups, photographers, and production companies. We were debating between the full hike versus the paddle and hike, we decided on the latter with the hopes of getting the best out of both experiences. The largest temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass is dominated by towering Sitka Spruce and Hemlock Trees. The first leg of our journey consisted of 1 hour of canoeing towards the glacier with our awesome & patient tour guides Blake and Max. It is truly special if you can have that experience in addition to the trekking and exploring the surface of the glacier. First full day in AK & we did an all day hike on the western side to get to Mendenhall glacier! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Rainforest hiking, glacier edge exploration, Transportation PO Box 211202 At the rim of a 30 foot hole that disappeared into the glacier they placed ice screws for what we thought was a rappelling demo into the heart of the glacier. Thank you Roxanne for your feedback! Amazing trip. Our family of seven (ages 14-55) found this to be the absolute best excursion on our cruise vacation. You have the time! We had a satchel of food, bars, nuts, bagel etc. 2-5 day small ship explorations. Hello! They had so much knowledge about everything and anything Alaska. I'd been on the same cruise before and seen the Mendenhall Glacier from the Visitor's Center and the short hike up to Nugget Falls, so going back I knew I had to get to the glacier! You are absolutely right, this tour is best for those who like and look forward to physical activity and is not for young kids, but people 12 years and older. The excursion starts by going to the warehouse and getting the right gear (rain pants and rain jacket, hard hat, backpack, boots and portable spikes for walking on the glacier, safety straps, and life jackets). Please note: we are the only professional guiding company that can trek onto the glacier surface by foot or by kayak. We will provide rubber boots for the Glacier Canoe Paddle & Trek tour and you will be able to store your shoes at our office. As you emerge from the forest and approach the final ridge, the jagged face of the glacier bursts into view, its river of ice coursing behind it. ABAK is unable to provide pick-up in residential neighborhoods. PO Box 211202 Absolutely right, this tour is not for young children and our age minimum is 12 years and older for that reason. All the equipment was in excellent condition. Their excursions marry their love of the Tongass National Forest and Inside Passage areas with their excitement for sharing this special place with visitors. Ever seen an ice fall before? Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. Operations Manager at Above & Beyond Alaska. Then our guide Leah added the glacier cave & WOW- just amazing! Overwhelmed by choices? . The scenery out to the glacier is beautiful ahs as you get closer to the ice you can feel the temp get cooler. After soaking in the beauty of the glacier, youll head back to the canoes for a return paddle across Mendenhall Lake. We are headed out onto the ice this May so if you like to join us please check out our website for availability and thanks so much for asking! Descending (dont look down! Check out the Glacier Canoe Paddle & Trek. As you follow your guide through the dense vegetation, around beaver ponds, and up rock scrambles, the wilderness trail becomes less defined. Thank you SO MUCH for such detailed and wonderful feedback!! That is so fun you got to see the homemade sail. Thank you for the great feedback! ; Emerge from the forest as the jagged face of the glacier bursts into view - You will embark on a guided trek to explore an array of glacial features found along the edge. Above & Beyond Alaska, LLC is a local, employee-owned guiding company based in Juneau Alaska. No hiking experience necessary. This was our exit. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. Clients must be able and conditioned to paddle for up to 5-6 miles round trip and hike on uneven terrain for up to 2 miles round trip. It can be stored at the office. Their web site describes a 7 + hour hike and a glacier trek with crampons. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Above & Beyond Alaska 1,119 Reviews #13 of 60 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Juneau Boat Tours & Water Sports, Tours, Outdoor Activities, More 2767 Sherwood Ln # C, Juneau, AK 99801-8546 Open today: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Save Juneau Shore Excursion: Mendenhall Glacier Trek 62 Book in advance from $214.31 per adult They went out of their way to show us the best excursion ever!! Clients staying at major hotels in the Downtown area will meet at our Downtown meeting location. Our guides, Beau and Auri, did a fabulous time showing us around. As you emerge from the forest and approach the final ridge, the jagged face of the glacier bursts into view, its river of ice coursing behind it. Auke Bay, Alaska Rent kayak and SUP boards from Alaska Boat & Kayak Rental Shopto get geared up for your own personal trips. Keep an eye out for arctic terns, mountain goats, and icebergs floating in the lake. Meet at "C" Sign by the Mount Roberts Tramway. It was incredible to walking through Alaska in its most natural state. That was something not possible to do on the more expensive helicopter flight. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. We walked to the base and Connor very thoroughly walked us through the process of putting on and walking around with our Crampons. Car, train, or group tour. View all states. An unnecessarily complicated mess that took 10 minutes to get sorted out while we stood there in the freezing rain. 1. The hike was beautiful, 3 miles there and then back. 8 hours long get to be outside and adventuring longer! I had been playing with and throwing ideas around and came up with the idea to propose in an ice cave during our cruise to alaska. Before you knew it we trudging up and into the glacier. 6. Hi @hsukim83 - Thank you for your questions! We are always excited to help plan the ultimate wilderness experience! It was a spectacular sunny day with calm waters. This tour does not get onto the glacier, it brings you to the edge of the glacier withfront-row views of it. We each got a back pack with a helmet, crampons and a climbing belt. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Adventure Bound Alaska Tracy Arm Glacier Cruise. Will you be providing crampons or hiking shoes for trekking? I really really want to see inside of the glacier - it looks amazing. We are interested in the Paddle and Trek, family of 4 (2 adults, 51 years and 2 15 year olds, all good shape). While looking for excursions in Juneau that were not "typical" or involved flying I came upon A&B A. Clients staying at major hotels in the Downtown area will meet at our Downtown meeting location. In fact, it was for all of us! Is this the tour for you? Super worried about hiking that long, but most of it was pretty flat. The excursion I was referring to was Medenenhall Glacier paddle and trek (Approx 6.5 HRS), We will be in Juneau June 27th, 7 a-9:30p, on Celebrity Millennium. A little higher up and we found a beautiful clear blue pond of glacier water hidden by three sides. I appreciate that the tour size was limited to 6 people. My husband and I were lucky to be with a small group hiking to the Mendenhall Glacier. There was a cave opening with the water having carved out a rather large opening beneath the ice. 4. Roberts Tramway, the C-Sign is ABAKs primary downtown meeting location for cruise passengers and clients staying in the downtown area. If you would like to book a larger group, please inquire to make a special departure. No additional footwear is needed. So we had second thoughts about going on a helicopter & climbing. Mendenhall is one of eight Alaska glaciers which can be accessed for glacier walks. So glad to hear you had a great time! PO Box 211202 This is followed by a short drive to the lake. We will provide Micro Spikes for the ice trekking portion that will fit over your provided rubber boots. Just ask your guide and see their eyes light up in excitement. We decided to canoe versus hike to the glacier and were glad we did. Above & Beyond Alaska: Above & Beyond Alaska Mendenhall Glacier Trek - See 731 traveler reviews, 1,119 candid photos, and great deals for Juneau, AK, at Tripadvisor. Review. Didn't want to get my hopes up for a glacier cave bc I didn't want to be disappointed. The Glacier Canoe Paddle and Trek is our most popular adventure trip to the world renowned Mendenhall Glacier. Closed now 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Write a review See all photos About We specialize in high-quality, small group, active adventures throughout the Juneau area featuring glaciers, bears, and whales. Clients who dock at the AJ Dock within 30 minutes of the ABAK pick-up time will be picked up directly from AJ DOCK. We cater to all abilities! Coming in from the side arched by blue sculpted ice was a stream that had tunneled in from the glacier edge. In the end we were flushed with accomplishment and more than a little astonished at what we had done. But I would suggest that if you want to see a glacier up close this is the trip to take. Clients staying at private residences, Air BnBs, VRBOs, or have own transportation please contact our office for meeting location information at 907-364-2333 or info@beyondak.com. They provided all of the gear needed (helmet, rubber boots, rain pants and jacket, mini spikes for the boots, trekking poles, harnesses, dry bags and backpacks, water bottles, and an awesome selection of snacks in each of our bags! Privately guided glacier trek tours are limited to 12 people. I recently book the Mendenhall Glacier Paddle and Trek with Above and Beyond and it was amazing!! Walking on it and even under it gives you the opportunity so very few people will ever be able to experience in their lifetimes. The largest temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass is dominated by towering Sitka Spruce and Hemlock Trees. Discover the optimal month due to daylight, temperature, and rain. Mendenhall Glacier is located about 12 miles from downtown Juneau and is one of 38 large glaciers part of the Juneau Icefield and is just over 13 miles long. We were on a cruise ship but researched and booked this trip directly with Above & Beyond Alaska. Above & Beyond Alaska: Mendenhall Glacier Trek - You Just Have to Do It - See 1,126 traveler reviews, 1,119 candid photos, and great deals for Juneau, AK, at Tripadvisor. This boat has stood the test of time for a reason. Departure Times: Please click on the Book Your Trip tab for updated departure times, Dates of Operation: May 1st September 30th, 2023. So glad your family had a great time and please come visit again soon! Since 2002, owners Becky and Seanpassionate environmentalists and longtime guides themselveshave run Above & Beyond Alaska. Exploration of the glacier surface that no other visitors get to see go farther and let the guide show you the secret spots only they know about. From our high training standards to top-of-the-line gear, youll be set for your once-in-a-lifetime adventure. This may have been the coolest thing that we did on this excursion. It isnt really pretty here as this is the glacier Moraine, or in other words all that dirt the glacier had been digging up on its way down mixed in with the ice. It is considered a more strenuous trail for several reasons: ALL OF THAT BEING SAID It is beautiful, challenging, thrilling, and awe-inspiring. A fun jaunt through the temperate rainforest via the West Glacier Trail with your own private guide! ), and when the vans arrived, the girl mixed everyone up & sent people into the wrong vans. While hiking along the rocky moraine, you will getclose up views of the glacier and learn about how quickly this glacier is receding. The Mendenhall Lake has been formed as the glacier as receded over the past 100 years. They provide rubber boots as well as Helly Hanson rubber pants and jackets. Glacier Wilderness Trips include van transportation, roundtrip plane transportation for Norris trips, professional guides, healthy snacks, a souvenir water bottle, expert instruction, and top of the line gear. The entire experience with Above and Beyond Alaska was . 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At Above & Beyond Alaska (ABAK) Wilderness Adventures, we specialize in high quality, small group active adventure tours for those wanting to experience the true spirit of Alaska. Seeing how large the glacier is was spectacular! We were fortunate to get to walk through an ice cave which is like being on anther planet. Well load our gear into our large canoes and paddle together across the cool waters Mendenhall Glacier, always in sight, is our destination! Departure times available daily depending on your schedule. Come join us for guided glacier hiking, wildlife viewing, and sea kayaking. Dive into nature from the safety of a kayak. Review of Above & Beyond Alaska Reviewed June 28, 2016 Put 18 city-dwellers (ages: 12 to 55) in 3 kayaks, make them paddle to and from the glacier, ask them to trek to the ice caves and what do you end up with? ABAK is unable to provide pick-up in residential neighborhoods. Our two guides (Sheppy and Hailey) were awesome. We greatly appreciate you choosing us for your adventure and have a great rest of your vacation! We carefully made our way inside and were treated to one of the most magical sights I have ever viewed. If anything, I was learning cool geological stuff from Miles while Brad was speaking about his adventures mountaineering. BAM! After the ice cave, we continued on for another 2 hours with our crampons through crevasses and moulons (which our guides had to explain to everyone on our tour). Trips Alerts Sign in Alerts Sign in The website states that the 6-hour trip starts with a 2-hour hike in the rainforest and then 2.5 hours on the Glacier. Emma is fantastic and we are grateful to have her on the team. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. So the next day I called back to the office and was ready to book the more expensive helicopter trip but explaining my concerns to the woman taking my order, she assured me that it wasnt quite as difficult as my Rock Scrambling pictures perhaps suggested. Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. Our Most Popular Tour to Visit Mendenhall Glacier, Highlight That is amazing you were able to see an ice cave. I didn't need to pack anything extra! We were treated to perfect weather on the day of our hike with hardly a cloud in the sky and temperatures in the 60s. It will be once in a lifetime memories. Everyday is a little bit different than previous days. We have been to many places around the world, but I do not believe that any excursion has lived up to the one we did with Above & Beyond Alaska. You would have to call the tour operator. 7 hours of hiking is a long day. My wife and I are in our 50s and that seemed a bit too extreme for me. Located at the base of the Mt. Thank you for your review! Getting There. See the various stages of glacial recession from old growth to the newest exposed surfaces. In fact they make me re-evaluate my rating system in my tripadvisor reviews--I've been too generous to others. Even though the hike is very very tough and strenuous for non hikers. We stumbled upon Above and Beyond Alaska during some late preparations for a Cruise Excursion from Juneau to the Mendenhall Glacier.
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