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Home > Trip Reports > Mendenhall Glacier
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glacier2
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glacier
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pond on trail
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glacier from trail
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scarred rock
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bear!
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the wife and I near the visitors center
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along the trail
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bay near glacier
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looks like a rainforest
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Mendenhall Glacier
September 2008
Juneau , AK
posted by abenson
On a recent trip to Alaska, we hoppped off the big boat in Juneau with our sights set on the big chunk of ice called Mendenhall Glacier.
This glacier has been retreating since the early 1900's and the visitors center sits where the glacier had once advanced. There is a small stream and a couple of small hiking trails right around the visitors center with viewing spots for the less adventurous, so we looked around and took off for a short hike that overlooked the glacier.
That part of Alaska is amazing because there are snow covered peaks with glaciers coming down the valleys, but a rainforest climate down lower near sea level. I think the photos speak for themselves, but I have to mention this first. When we got back to the visitors center, we were walking back to the bus stop and I turned a corner and BOOM, a bear was about 10 feet in front of me. The stream I mentioned above was recently overran with salmon, but since it was the end of the salmon run, the rangers told us there had been no recent bear activity. Well, I guess this bear came back for one last look and it really made the day for us. We slowly backed up while some idiots invaded its personal space and took photos. It acted as if it didn't even care about us, so I got out the camera and got a few shots from a distance. Enjoy the photos.
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