I was surprised by how warm it was considering that we were standing on a glacier. It was quiet, almost peaceful. The air smelled so clean. The mountains around us were massive, and I couldn’t believe my good fortune in standing there admiring the awe-inspiring beauty.

Alaska. It was a bucket list trip, and the excursion from the cruise ship to Mendenhall Glacier was on the top of the list of places we had to see. My husband booked a helicopter tour for us, and perhaps I didn’t pay as much attention as I should, but I was a bit caught off guard once we got to the hangar.

We were asked to put on ski pants, a ski jacket, ski boots, gloves, hard hat, a fanny pack containing water, and a harness. What were we doing? I inquired to which my husband answered, “a walk.” Hmmm…with a harness?

The view from the helicopter was stunning and pictures cannot begin to capture just how beautiful it really was. As we got closer to the landing spot on the glacier, I could see others had arrived before us. They were as small as ants. Once we touched down and I got out, the first thing I noticed was the crunch of the ground underneath me - ice pellets. It makes sense since a glacier is a moving river of ice.

Helicopter approaching landing site

See "ants" in middle left.

We were instructed to walk - carefully - to a “station” where we were outfitted with crampons (spiked shoes) and given a pick axe. The “walk” was a trek up and down the ice fields, and the crampons were necessary. The spikes grabbed the surface to prevent sliding. And the pick axe came in handy when climbing an ice wall, which we did several times.

It was an excursion meant to educate the public, and the guides were passionate and knowledgable. Mendenhall Glacier is located in the Tongass National Forest, extending from the Juneau Icefield to Mendenhall Lake, and is receding as most glaciers are. It is said that Mendenhall's face retreated the length of eight football fields between 2007 and 2021, according to estimates from University of Alaska Southeast researchers.

I was expecting the glacier to be as white as snow, like on the mountain trails I ski, but it was actually quite dirty. According to a Forest Service article, the base of Mendenhall Glacier works like a giant piece of sandpaper. As the ice flows, the glacier picks up rocks that become embedded in the ice from the valley floor. As the glacier continues its path towards Mendenhall Lake, it carries debris like a conveyor belt and deposits it in the lake. As it moves, the glacier also grinds up rock to a fine powder called rock flour silt. That silt was evident everywhere we trekked on the glacier, except for the deep blue water in the crevasse. We were careful to follow our guide’s lead in steering clear of the crevasses, which can be as deep as 100 feet.

The hours we spent on the glacier passed too quickly. I could have stayed there all day marveling at how massive this icefield actually was and to know that while I was standing there, it was moving; albeit slowly. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I felt like I was on another planet. It’s been over a year since we were there, and I’m still basking in the joy of it. That’s how it is with once-in-a-lifetime experiences - they bring joy while in it and for years afterward.

If you are ever thinking about a visit to Alaska, consider a glacier trek. You won’t be disappointed.