Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle and Hike Juneau
Description
The Glacier Canoe Paddle and Hike is our most sought-after adventure. Your journey begins at the Mendenhall Lake, where a canoe guide will provide paddle instruction. Equipped with gear, board your spacious canoe and set course for the Mendenhall Glacier. Witness Arctic tern nesting grounds and the cascading Nugget Falls as you glide past, with stunning views of the glacier in the distance. As the glacier draws near, keep your eyes peeled for freshly calved icebergs. Exit the canoes and hike the rocky terrain, gaining intimate views of the glacier and learn about its rapid recession. Explore this ancient ice age wilderness and marvel at its ice features, including crevasses, ice fall at the toe of the glacier, and other deep blue mysteries. Constantly changing, the glacier offers a unique experience each day. This tour does not venture onto the glacier, but delivers front-row views. After immersing yourself at the glacier, board the canoes and paddle back across Mendenhall Lake.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The “C” Sign, located near the cruise ship docks directly between Mt. Roberts Tramway and the green Taku Smokeries building, is our centralized downtown meeting location for all clients in the downtown area, including the majority of cruise ship passengers. Clients staying at major hotels in the Mendenhall Valley may be picked up directly from their hotel. Clients with their own transportation need to contact our office to arrange a meeting location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
- Age minimum of 12 years and older only
- Please note, this tour requires a minimum of 4 to operate. If minimum requirement is not met, reservation is subject to change or cancellation.
- Maximum weight 250 pounds
- You must include the following in the comments section when booking: raingear & shoe sizes for each passenger, (for adult men and women, S-XXL and youth, S-L) and any pertinent medical information. Smallest shoe size that can be accommodated is Youth 2 and largest is Adult 14.
- All clients will be outfitted in 8 person or 12 person canoes, with 1 to 2 guides depending on the group size.
- All clients must be in physically fit condition and capable of paddling 5-6 miles and hiking about 2 miles roundtrip. All clients must know how to swim.
- Due to the inherent risks involved, we do not permit pregnant guests to participant.
- With group departures we try to maximize our trip capacity and subsequently may need to alter the time to accommodate additional customers. If your trip's departure time changes we will notify you as soon as possible.
- Glacier Access and feature exploration: The Mendenhall Glacier is receding daily. Because the glacier is in a state of constant change, not all features may be present or accessible. We will explore the edges of the glacier safely from the bedrock. This tour does not include trekking on the glacier.
- A specific amount of time exploring the edge of the glacier cannot be guaranteed. The amount of time at the glacier is dependent on the group's pace and weather conditions
- Clients must disclose information regarding pertinent medical conditions/history, allergies and any type of restriction or limitation that might introduce a higher degree of challenge on this trip.
- RELEASE OF LIABILITY/ASSUMPTION OF RISK FORM: Every participant on the trip must sign a Release of Liability/Assumption of Risk form at the start of the trip. Alterations and/or deletions to the waiver are not permitted.
- Maximum weight is 250 lbs per person
Reviews(206)
We had a spectacular time paddling Mendenhall Lake with Skye and Forrest! Not only were they excellent competent guides—appropriately focused on our safety—they were also a ton of fun and kept us laughing with interesting stories about the area and the wildlife. ABAK was a professional organization from start to finish! They met our group of 10 promptly and took us back to their office where they had all weather and safety gear set out for us. After we were outfitted, we went to Mendenhall Lake and launched our canoe. We paddled 45 minutes to a secluded beach, very close to the glacier, and were able to enjoy almost an hour there without any other people around. It was a fantastic trip! I could not recommend this excursion more highly!
Jasper, Twain, Heather, and Reina were the kindest and most knowledgeable about the area. We were with a group and they were 18 of us all 57 years of age to 86 years of age. They reviewed safety and gave us a tutorial on group canoeing and hiking. As we were hiking, they explained the plants and rocks and detail. Once we got to our stopping point at the base of the glacier, they fed us lunch. We canoe back with nine of us in each canoe, plus the guides. They were extremely hospitable. I did post a picture of the four of them from ABAK.
We had a great experience on the Canoe & Hike to Mendenhall Glacier! We were all outfitted with our rain gear, life jackets, water bottle and snack sack - and off we went on a short drive to the lake. Our guides were a lot of fun and shared interesting information along the way. Definitely a fun adventure to see the glacier up close!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad you enjoyed our adventure and that our guides helped make the experience both fun and informative. It's great to hear our gear and snacks helped keep you comfortable along the way. We appreciate you choosing to explore with us and hope to welcome you back for another Alaska adventure in the future!
I had a fine time on my recent trip with Above and Beyond Alaska. The weather was fantastic and the company worked with me on rescheduling to ensure that bad weather did not cancel my trip. I very much enjoyed the paddling while talking with the two excellent guides, one each way. They were informative, interested in their clients, and enthusiastic. The only down side for me was that the glacier is so-clearly diminished from when I had seen it some 20 years back. I knew this was the case, but seeing it up close again really brought that reality home. It was a grim but important reminder of what we humans are doing to our world.
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful review! We’re so glad we could work with you to find a better weather window and that you enjoyed the paddling experience and insights from our team. The changes to the Mendenhall Glacier are significant, and we appreciate you recognizing the importance of experiencing and appreciating this incredible landscape. We hope to welcome you back to Alaska for another adventure someday.
We had an excellent outing, a canoe paddle and hike out to the Mendenhall Glacier. Our guides were Carla and Reina - they both did a fantastic job of getting us geared up and giving instruction on handling the canoe. They also gave expert commentary about the glacier that included history and changes in nature that affect the glacier, local waterways and the area community. Altogether a great experience.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great experience paddling and hiking out to the Mendenhall Glacier. It’s fantastic to know that our team helped you feel prepared, safe, and engaged while sharing the incredible history, geology, and changes of this special area. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to welcome you back to Alaska for another adventure!
Absolutely five stars for Alaska Above & Beyond. Our guides were the best — enthusiastic, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the glacier. Their energy made the entire experience unforgettable. The tour was worth every penny. Beautiful sights, stunning glacier views, and a well‑organized flow from start to finish. It’s such an incredible way to see Alaska up close and personal, and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting. If you’re considering this excursion, don’t hesitate. It truly goes above and beyond.
Thank you so much for your incredible review! We’re thrilled to hear that your experience was unforgettable and that our team helped make your adventure so special. Thank you for the recommendation - we hope to welcome you back for another incredible Alaska adventure someday!
Skye and Grant were great guides. They made sure we had all the right gears and guided us on our paddle and trek. They were both extremely knowledgeable of the geology and culture of the area, which made this the most educational tour we had on this trip! 🤩 And it was BEAUTIFUL! 😍 It was definitely more paddle, barely any walking. I am not sure if I would call it strenuous. We actually had everyone paddling, maybe that’s why it felt very easy.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a beautiful and educational experience. It's wonderful to know that our team helped make the adventure memorable by sharing their knowledge of the area's geology and culture while ensuring you felt prepared and comfortable throughout the journey. We hope to welcome you back to Alaska for another adventure someday!
Seeing the immensity of a glacier before it disappears due to global warming is one of the most wonderful experiences you can have. Paddling for 9 km. (6 miles), is well worth it to reach the other side of the lake and do a brief hike to see the ice wall that, although it is receding more and more, remains totally impressive.
Gracias por compartir estas palabras con nosotros! Nos alegra muchísimo saber que la experiencia de remar por el lago y contemplar el glaciar de cerca fue tan especial e inolvidable para ustedes. Esperamos dar la bienvenida nuevamente en Alaska para otra gran aventura!
Jasper and Heather are amazing guides and I totally recommend this tour. They had excellent equipment and even gave us water and yummy snacks in case we got hungry. We got really close to the glacier, saw some goats in the mountains, and the guides shared interesting information and answered a bunch of our questions.
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with your guides and enjoyed all aspects of this tour. We'll be sure to pass along your compliments to them. Thanks again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back to Alaska someday!
An unforgettable experience getting so close to a glacier, albeit physical exertion required!! Hallie & Mike, along with the other guides brought the trip alive providing information & knowledge about what we were seeing & the local area. Despite it being a wet day, we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The wet weather gear provided was invaluable & the snacks & souvenir water bottle a lovely addition.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear the trip was unforgettable and that our guide team helped bring the glacier and local area to life—even on a wet day. We’re glad the wet weather gear made a difference and that you enjoyed the extra touches like the snacks and souvenir water bottle. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again in the future!
