Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter Reviews Worth It?

Highlights: Walking on elevation of a glacier is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When y'all take a Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour, you will experience scenic views and learn all about the history, formation, and future of this famous glacier. From start to end, this bout is offset charge per unit and will leave you lot wanting to feel more than of the Alaskan wilderness.

What'due south Missing: The excursion is a chip brusque, in its entirety less than three hours. You simply get about 30 minutes of defended time on the glacier. With the weather nosotros had, we could accept spent all evening on the glacier but that would have cost a small fortune. The time goes past very quickly as yous walk effectually the glacier grabbing photos of the environs.

Primary Takeaway: A Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour is a must practise if yous are traveling to Juneau. Depending on the time of year, you lot tin can practice this excursion with a dog sled ride as well. Unfortunately, we were traveling later in the cruise flavor, and so the dog army camp was airtight. The circuit is a bit pricey, simply the photos and the memories yous volition have of the unabridged trip are surely worth the hefty cost tag.

Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour and Guided Walk

A Few Pre-Cruise Hiccups

Five months prior to our cruise, we had booked a helicopter ride and dog sled excursion through the prowl line. So, we were surprised that three weeks prior to the trip, we received an email indicating that our tour had been cancelled.

Afterward multiple phone calls to the cruise line and some local tour operators, nosotros discovered that due to recent weather and the time of year, the dog camps were closing early for the season. We were now left with express options as nigh similar tours were sold out. Nevertheless, we were somewhen able to get on a Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour through the cruise line after a few phone calls, even though the website indicated the tour was no longer available. Thus, we ended upwardly doing the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter and Guided Walk bout.

No Headaches Tendering to Juneau

Booking the tour with the cruise line definitely had a do good in Juneau due to tendering at the port. We had read on the boards that tendering on this transport in this particular port was a nightmare, with long wait times and many disgruntled cruisers. The last thing we wanted to practise was miss a individual shore excursion.

On Celebrity Solstice, there were defended tenders for passengers who booked excursions through the send. Hallelujah. Our tickets indicated we should arrive at the primary theater for a prepare time. After waiting about ten minutes, we took a short walk to the tender station, and we were off. From the time our number was called to when we were walking on solid ground was probably 15 minutes. Being on land, we were that much closer to our Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour.

Weighing In Before You Board

Getting off the tender, there were quite a few tour operators.  Afterwards finding our assigned guide for the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter and Guided Walk, nosotros began the check in process. We were asked to complete cards with some data, including our weight. This is done for rubber reasons as they have to distribute the weight on the helicopters in a sure way, but nosotros can come across how some people might be uneasy well-nigh providing this information.

Later on disclosing these intimate details, we waited another 10 minutes or then for the remaining passengers. I took this opportunity to snap a few photos of the ship in the harbor. Once our bus driver called u.s.a., we were boarded and on our way to the Juneau International Airport.

Safety Cheque and a Second Weigh In

Nosotros arrived at the Aerodrome in probably twenty minutes time. On the drive over, you lot can start to see the Mendenhall Glacier as it is literally right on the edge of the city. You can also grab a glimpse of the Mendenhall Lake and the Mendenhall National Park which offers a variety of excursions from hiking to kayaking sure to be a skilful time also.

Once at the airport, a relatively curt rubber video detailing the safety procedures and equipment was shown. Then, we were instructed to stow all our belongings in the storage bins. No bags are allowed. NO Bags.  Basically, if it couldn't fit in your pocket, you couldn't bring it on the helicopter. This is why I am so glad our brand new Sony RX-100 is a loftier tech POCKET camera.

Once all our items were stored abroad, information technology was time to ready with our special glacier walking boots. These boots are provided by the company and strap on over your shoes. Your shoes could still get wet, so information technology is even so recommended to wear some sort of waterproof shoe or kicking.

During this time, we were informed that our bus driver forgot to hand in those cards with our weight. Great, now some teenage coach commuter in Alaska tin black postal service united states of america. Again, nosotros were asked to tape our weight so they could distribute the states accordingly into the helicopters during our Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour.

3, 2, 1, Ignition and Take off

After some kind of mathematical calculation, we were organized into small groups, of no more than than vi, and given an exact seat location when inbound the chopper. We were instructed to sit in the back, behind the airplane pilot. We were led outside to the helipad to look the render of our vehicles. Here, we were able to see the returning helicopters coming over the horizon. It is pic time! I wanted to make certain I captured every bit much footage of our Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Bout every bit possible!

Later the fellow travelers from the tour earlier the states departed, we were called over to board the craft.  Neither i of us had ever been in a helicopter, so we were also a bit nervous. The Princess is the thrill seeker, not me! Once onboard, it was a quick intro from our pilot, some short condom reminders, seat belts and headphones, and Take-OFF.

The take-off was aught like nosotros expected. It was very polish, and the change in altitude was not noticeable, at least on the way up. Information technology really just felt like nosotros were floating, but notwithstanding a great opportunity to get some astonishing aerial photos of Juneau.

As we made our way over the snow capped mountains, we could see our offset glimpse of the Mendenhall Glacier from the air. Passing the camera back and forth between the Princess and I, we were now in full strength picture and video taking fashion for the remainder of the Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour.

Glacier Guided Walk

Shortly, we made our decent to the glacier. Nosotros were set up to get off the helicopter and explore. Those offset few steps on the ice were definitely more glace than expected. While you have glacier boots donned, it is still difficult to walk as the surface is pretty uneven, not to mention ICE. We were waved over to our "base camp" where we met our tour guides.

Our group was led past college-anile girl. She took us on a guided walk around a pocket-size surface area of the glacier giving us a bit of history, some facts, and pointing out unique features. The Mendenhall Glacier is twelve miles long and over 2,200 feet deep. The glacier is retreating, melting off the equivalent of an Olympic-sized swimming pool every infinitesimal. Even though the glacier is shifting downwardly toward the city, it is actually retreating due to the melting procedure. This is how the Mendenhall Lake has formed in the by 50 years or and then.

Nosotros moved similar a herd to the various locations on the glacier, taking numerous pictures along the way. The guide did advise everyone to STOP when attempting to take a picture, every bit walking on ice while looking through a photographic camera lens could exist hard and dangerous. Later on all, at that place are large cracks that become some 165 feet down, so she did not desire any of us falling in.

Our guide pointed out the n and south sides of the glacier, as well as the petty rivers of running h2o that accept formed within the glacier. This runoff, once information technology makes its way through the 2000+ feet of water ice, will eventually brand its style into the lake. Saving the best for last, nosotros came upon a huge crevasse, where y'all tin can truly admire the beauty and rich colors of the ice. Apparently, the ice in the glacier is so dense that it reflects lite of all wavelengths except blue. Who knew?

Afterwards the short xv-20 minute walk, basically in a small-scale circle, we were given a few minutes to explore, take pictures, etc. We were sure to grab i of the guides to take some pictures of u.s.a. with the beautiful landscapes in the background.

Quick, Become to the Chopper

We finished up taking pictures and were chosen to line up near the base camp every bit the helicopters, with more cruisers, approached the glacier. Once the new ready of glacier walkers were lead off the helicopters, we were escorted back to our old seats. At present, since we were heading southward, I attempted to get some photos of the lake and surrounding areas. Though information technology turned out that the sun glare did non allow for great photo opportunities on the render trip.

The ride to the airport felt like it went by very chop-chop. Our long awaited Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour was all over! It was withal amazing, but as we landed and saw the next bunch of people ready to head to the glacier, information technology fabricated us want to stay onboard and do it all once again.

Back in the "hanger", nosotros returned our ice shoes and grabbed our bags. The weather seemed much warmer at present that we were off the glacier, then we stuffed our coats into our bag.  Our passenger vehicle arrived 10 minutes later, giving us time for bathroom breaks and some browsing of the gift store. The charabanc ride back to the port was total of anybody discussing how much fun the Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour had been.

Approaching Juneau, the passengers were joking around about who would buy rounds at the Red Dog Saloon. We never fabricated information technology inside, so not sure if anyone on our excursion got stuck with a large bar tab. Dropped off at the pier almost three hours after the tour started, we decided to walk effectually the port expanse for a bit. Merely, walking around these tourist traps was no friction match for the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter and Guided Walk we just completed.

Looking for other options for shore excursions in Juneau? Check out our all-time things to exercise in Juneau, Alaska on a cruise.

Comments

Have you visited Juneau, Alaska on a cruise? Have you lot taken the Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour? Drop us an anchor below to let united states of america know what you beloved to do when visiting Juneau.

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Source: https://eatsleepcruise.com/mendenhall-glacier-helicopter-tour-and-guided-walk-review/

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