Juneau Glacier Paddle and Trek Excursion

Description

• Air-conditioned and licensed round-trip transportation from your Juneau cruise pier!
  
• English-speaking certified guides!
  
• Van transfer to Mendenhall Lake!
  
• Participation in an 8-person canoe!
  
• Two-hour guided trek to and on the Mendenhall Glacier!
  
• All equipment and gear required!
  
• Lake paddle near the face of Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls!
  
• Complimentary bottled water and healthy snacks!
  
• Escape the cruise ship shore excursion crowds and enjoy the unique sights of Juneau and the surrounding area!
  

Experience the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier and Lake from a series of unparalleled vantage points, both on land and water, during this small group, exclusive multi-sport glacial adventure! Please note that the departure time is set according to when your ship arrives. The operator will assign a time that fits best.

A 30-minute transfer by van from your downtown Juneau cruise pier brings you to the Mendenhall Valley and the start of your memorable experience. On the shores of Mendenhall Lake, you will meet your guide to starting the first portion of your adventure - a guided lake canoe. Your guide will help you gear up, give you a safety briefing, and then introduce you to your 8-person (or 12-person) canoe. Each canoe will have 1 to 2 guides per canoe. After some paddling instruction and tips, you are ready for phase one of this multi-sport glacial experience.

Pushing off into the silt-rich lake, you will point your bow in the direction of the mighty Mendenhall Glacier. Your informative guide will give you more information on the awe-inspiring sea of ice that lies ahead of you.

You will paddle past glowing blue icebergs of all shapes and sizes that have broken off the glacier. The silt of the glacier can turn the lake into a mirror and you can often see the reflections of the grand peaks of the Coastal Mountain Range on the surface. Overhead, gulls and arctic terns fly in and out of their nests along the cliffs, and along the shorelines mountain goats, black bears, porcupines, river otters, or sometimes beavers may be spotted. While paddling along the face of the glacier at a safe distance, you will also see the Nugget waterfall cascading down through the forest into the lake.

Near the glacier's edge, you will reach your beach landing point. Once your guide helps you out of your canoe, the adventure continues, as you trade in your paddles for backpacks, micro-spikes, and trekking poles. Following your guide, you will venture to the glacier's edge and onto the ice. Your expert guide will explain the natural history of the area as told by the changing glacial landscape.

Depending on the glacier's condition on the day of your excursion, your guide will choose the safest and most interesting areas to visit. They may include glacial runoff pools and streams and maybe even an ice cave (all dependent on weather conditions, the pace of the group, glacier conditions, etc). The total time including the hike to the glacier is approximately two hours.

After your trek, you will return to your boats and paddle on the lake once more, taking time to experience this out-of-the-ordinary adventure. After paddling back to your put-in location on the shoreline, you will walk to your transportation, which will transfer you back to the Juneau cruise pier. There is a minimum of 4 needed.

What is included?

• Air-conditioned and licensed round-trip transportation from your Juneau cruise pier area
  
• English-speaking, local, and trained Juneau shore excursion guides
  
• Van transfer to Mendenhall Lake
  
• Participation in 8-person canoe
  
• Two-hour guided trek to and on the Mendenhall Glacier
  
• All equipment and gear required
  
• Lake paddle near the face of Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls
  
• Water and healthy snacks
  
• All fees and taxes included
  

Excursion Notes

• Excursion prices shown include all taxes and fees.
  
• Guests must be able to climb in/out of the canoe.
  
• Basic restrooms are available.
  
• This is moderate activity. Please do not book it if you are not in good health. 
• If a guest cannot keep up with the pace of the group, another employee will be dispatched to assist you back down to the trailhead. Additional cost for this is approximately $250.00 P/P and will need to be paid by guest(s) upon return to the trailhead.
  
• We suggest bringing a zip-tight bag for cameras and other items that might get splashed during the paddling.
  
• We recommend wearing layers with the top layer being waterproof. 
• It is important to have sturdy hiking boots that provide good ankle support while hiking on rocky terrain.
  
• Due to the constantly changing nature of the glacier, the specific features or areas you visit cannot be guaranteed. The choice will be based on your safety and the guide's decision will be final.
  
• We suggest you have cash on hand for refreshments, excursion staff gratuities, shopping, etc.
  
• Please pay attention to the restrictions and requirements for this excursion, no refund will be granted if shore excursion requirements are not met.
  
• Please bring/wear a T-shirt, long sleeve shirt, an insulating layer (i.e. fleece jacket), gloves (fleece liner type), warm hat, sunglasses, long underwear (weather dependent), pair of socks (for wearing in rubber boots), sun hat (weather dependent), sunscreen, bug repellent, camera, extra snacks, and binoculars.
  
• There is a minimum of 4 participants needed to run the excursion.

Where we meet

For this Juneau Glacier Paddle and Trek Excursion, you will meet your local excursion guide by your Juneau cruise pier. All necessary details will be printed on your Electronic Shore Excursion Ticket.

Excursion Restrictions

• This excursion is not wheelchair accessible.
• Guests must be in good enough shape to hike for up to 2 hours over rugged terrain and paddle approximately 5-6 miles.
• The maximum weight per person is 250lbs (113kg).
• The smallest shoe size available is the youth 2 size. The largest shoe size is men's size 14.
• All guests must hike with a backpack for the entire trekking portion of the trip. We provide a backpack it weighs approximately 10-15 pounds and holds mountaineering gear, snacks/water, and any extra clothing that you bring.
• All guests must sign a waiver
• Pregnant women and guests with any neck, back, or leg ailments should not participate in this excursion.
• Prior experience hiking on rocky terrain, although not required, is strongly recommended.
• This Juneau Glacier Paddle and Trek Excursion may involve risks. We suggest you check with your elected person of choice to see if these possible risks might affect you.

Excursion FAQ

Cancellation

• Your ship arrives into port late and you cannot make it in time to the meeting location (we will verify with the tour operator).
• Your ship skips/misses the port.
• Weather conditions or equipment failure prevents the operator from running the excursion.
• A medical problem prevents you from safely participating in the excursion (we will verify with the excursion operator and the guest may send doctor's note). This applies to individuals only and not the remainder of the group.
  
• Cancellations/deposit refund requests that do not comply with the above may not be subject to refund.
• Refunds may be subject to a service charge fee as determined by the payment processor, please refer to Terms and Conditions for more information.