It has been a tradition for me to travel internationally for my birthday. Then 2020 happened! I stayed home and started Chasing Sunrises from South Florida’s Pier.

Then came 2021! The world re-opened. I thought about Turkey, then the Norwegian countries to celebrate my 50th Those trips just didn’t feel right. Alaska popped in my head!

Even though, I am interNATionalcaty, why not explore the U.S.A.? The United States has so many hidden gems and with planning, it can be economical AND adventurous.

Anywho, back to Alaska. Once my mind was made up, it was time to do some research. Where in Alaska and what did I want to do in Alaska? Well, the itinerary that I planned would take me to Juneau ➡️ Anchorage ➡️ Seward ➡️Denali ➡️ Anchorage.

Juneau

First, stop Juneau! I am so not a person that can wing it. I need to have a plan. What are some of the things I can do in Juneau? I ended up finding a tour that would have me canoeing and hiking Mendenhall Glacier. That was so up my alley.

Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier is a 13-mile-long river of flowing ice. It is 1,800 ft. deep and a half-mile wide and even though it is the most-visited glacier in Alaska, most people only see it from afar via the cruise ships.

Mendenhall Glacier Tour

Let me tell you about the tour through Liquid Alaska Tours. The tour is Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour and it is worth every single dime. The tour started at 10 am and because I am a Type A person, I was there at 9:45 am. After signing the waiver, it was time to start the 5-hour adventure.

The drive to Mendenhall Glacier was about 30 minutes outside of Juneau in Tongass National Forest, the largest National Forest in the United States.

Once there, we were provided our equipment and safety gear.
As well as instructions on how to paddle.

Then it was time to canoe ourselves to the Glacier.

The one-way ride is about 2.5 miles about 50 minutes. The beauty was just breathtaking.

Once we made it to the “beach”, we anchored the canoe and it was time to hike the glacier and explore the ice cave.

To safely hike on the Glacier, you must have crampons. A crampon is a traction device that is attached to footwear to improve mobility on snow and ice during ice climbing.

We had about an hour on the Glacier. Below are some of the pictures.

I could have spent the entire day on Mendenhall Glacier. It was not as cold as I thought. (Okay, I had layers on and came prepared). Anywho, it was time to head back to civilization. The ride was smooth and even more breathtaking.

Of course, we saw several icebergs. I almost had flashbacks of Titanic. 😛

If you ever get a chance to visit Juneau, make sure to do Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour with Liquid Alaska Tour. This tour company will get you up and personal with the Glacier. Our guides Ryan and Mario were the best. You will have the best adventure!

Thank you so much for reading this blog and joining me in my adventures! Make sure to check out my other blogs. Contact me when you are ready to travel domestically or internationally. I am here to curate a trip for you, your friends, and your family.

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