Mendenhall Ice Caves????

[AnastasiaW]

Hi all! Has anyone cruised to Juneau and gone to the Mendenhall Ice Caves? If so, I would like to hear all about your experience. Did you go on a guided excursion or on your own, by canoe or kayak, etc? Any and/or all details would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your time and info!!

[awestover89]

Definitely recommend a guided tour. The hike and the kayak are both really great, but I'd personally recommend the kayak/canoe route across the lake.

 

I recommend using a guided tour for a few reasons:

 

1) The caves and trails are not clearly marked and it's easy to get lost

2) Safety. You really should have full safety gear (boots with crampons and a safety helmet) which tour companies can provide. Glaciers are moving and shifting, and weather can have a major impact on the caves.

3) Cell service is spotty to non-existent, especially at/in the caves. In case of an emergency having an experienced guide is crucial.

4) Time. Depending on trail and cave conditions it can take a full day to see the caves and get back. An experienced guide can take a look at how much time you have in port and determine if there's enough time and what the best route is to get to the caves.

 

We did it on our own a couple times while living in Alaska, but we also flew to Juneau and were staying a few nights there so we weren't on a time limit, and we shared our plans with the Forest Service just in case there was an accident and we didn't make it back.

[Seamingo]

We did this last summer. Absolutely loved it. Exhlilerating. Stunningly beautiful. Just great. The tour company provides all gear including boots, poles, crampons, rain coat and rain pants. We booked through the cruiseline and did the canoe paddle and glacier trek to ice caves. I researched and the price was the same booking directly with the tour company. They cannot guarantee visiting an ice cave as safety conditions can change. Absolutely do this. We once did the helo to a glacier which was fun. This was much more strenuous but so worth it. We went mid August. I was worried about age. There were some young girls 10-12ish who had trouble with the 45 minutes paddling each way. The oldest was mid-70’s. Max of 14 per canoe, I think, and 2 guides who were terrific.

You may find more information on the Alaska forum.