An Exclusive Experience

Groups of 5-7 or 10-12 & a Private Guide!

6 Hour Duration

From pick-up to drop-off

Physical Fitness Required

For full-day paddling and hiking

Food & Gear Provided

Hearty snack and equipment included

Tour Update: The Mendenhall Glacier is receding on a daily basis causing drastic changes to the surface of the glacier. Our site for trekking on the glacier with crampons has continued to get steeper and more challenging each summer. These changes, along with rising lake levels, have left us with very limited safe areas to explore on the ice. For this reason, it is not safe to walk on the glacier. This trip will spend time exploring the glacier up close and hiking around the edges of it safely from the bedrock. The edge of the glacier has some of the most stunning features you will find; this is where ice formations, tunnels, and tubes tend to form creating those beautiful blue colors. These features are never guaranteed but do form throughout the summer. Whether or not conditions present the opportunity to walk on the glacier in addition to paddling across the Mendenhall Lake past icebergs and waterfalls, this entire journey is top-notch from start to finish.

This premier tour is quite simply the cream of the crop among Juneau adventure excursions. With a tranquil paddle across a serene glacial meltwater lake followed by a foot excursion onto the massive glacier itself, the Private Mendenhall Lake Canoe Paddle & Trek combines the best elements of Alaska exploration in a perfectly concise tour package. The outing is similar to the Mendenhall Glacier Paddle & Trek but allows your group of either 5-7 or 10-12 people to travel unhindered with your own private guide. If you’re looking for an up-close experience of a legendary glacier, you’re interested in the possibility of exploring Mendenhall Glacier ice formations, and you love the idea of customizing your personal adventure, the Private Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle & Trek could be just the right fit!

Your exclusive excursion starts with pick-up from your cruise dock or hotel and transport to lovely Mendenhall Lake, a body of water-born from the glacier itself. Here, your personal guide will outfit you for the journey before your crew sets out onto the water in search of wildlife! Keep your eyes along the banks as you glide toward the glacier, as bald eagles, porcupines, mountain goats, river otters, and even black bears are not uncommon sights! Watch also for unparalleled vistas of cascading Nugget Falls and glaciated mountain peaks! Before long, you’ll find yourself surrounded by icebergs and face-to-face with the glacier itself. But not too close, because exciting and explosive ice-calving is possible on Mendenhall Glacier! Then it’s time for phase two of your adventure: Your expert guide will fit you with trekking gear for a roughly 2-hour venture onto the glacier itself, and then it’s off in search of Mendenhall Glacier ice formations, moulins, and more amazing glacier features! But remember, it’s your private tour, so your guide will be happy to help make sure your glacier experience fits your group’s particular goals. With so much adventure and scenery in one outing, it’s sure to be a highlight of your Alaska cruise! The Private Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle & Trek has extremely limited spots, so book early!

For a more extensive hiking experience without the lake paddle, you might consider the Private Mendenhall Glacier Trek. To learn more about glacier caves, check out this Mendenhall Glacier ice cave article, part of our Nature & History series.

Port	Juneau
Type	Glacier Interaction, Paddle Adventure, Private
Length	6 hours
Adult Rate	$419
Child Rate	There is no child rate for this tour. All participants will be charged at the adult rate.
Minimum Age	The minimum age for participants is 12 years old.
Group Size 5-7	Minimum of 5 and a maximum of 7 guests for the small canoe.
Group Size 10-12	Minimum of 10 and a maximum of 12 guests for the large canoe.
Accessibility	Participants must be in good enough physical shape to assist in paddling the canoe for up to 5-6 miles roundtrip, and hike on uneven terrain up to 2 miles roundtrip., This tour cannot accommodate pregnant women., Guests must be under 250lbs.
Cancellation Policy	Cancel up to 14-days before your tour for a refund, less any non-refundable fees., If for any reason the tour is canceled (due to unpermitting weather, for example), or if your cruise ship's schedule changes, you will receive a refund minus any non-refundable fees.

Are we guaranteed to see ice caves?

Answer: As of 2022, there are no longer accessible ice caves on Mendenhall Glacier.

What equipment is provided?

Answer: We provide a thick rain jacket & pants, rubber boots, waterproof backpack, paddling gear & ice trekking equipment. We recommend bringing warm layers to go underneath the rain gear, gloves and a hat.

What's the weather like on the glacier? Is it cold?

Answer: Juneau temperatures during the summer are typically between 50 and 65 degrees, with an average of 56 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius). The temperature on the glacier is about 5 degrees cooler, but can feel up to 15 degrees cooler due to katabatic winds (cold downslope winds coming down the glacier). Please bring layers of clothing including a warm hat and gloves.

Will the trip still operate if it is raining?

Answer: Because much of SE Alaska is a rainforest, these trips do operate rain or shine. Rain jackets and pants are provided on this trip. If weather conditions are unsafe, the trip will be canceled and we will provide a refund. This can happen on canoe trips from time to time and will be typically related to sea or lake conditions, not rain.

What about restroom facilities along the way?

Answer: You'll have a chance at the canoe base to use the restroom but after that we will be entering the great outdoors. We recommend all guests follow 'Leave No Trace Principles' and should the need arise, we request packing all trash from the trip including toilet paper. If this is of concern for you, we recommend bringing toilet paper and a ziploc bag for easy packing.

What if our ship is delayed or doesn't make it into port? Refund?

Answer: It's very rare that a ship is delayed into port, but in those cases we will try our best to work with you to reschedule the tour to a later time. If that is not a possibility or your ship doesn't make it into port, we will refund you.