Mendenhall Glacier

 Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier (in Tlingit language, "St") is a glacier about 13.6 miles (21.9 km) long located in Mendenhall Valley, about 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Juneau, Alaska. [2] The glacier and surrounding environment are protected as part of the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, a federally recognised area of the Tongass National Forest covering 5,815 acres (2,353 hectares).

Since 1942, the Juneau Icefield Research Program has been monitoring the Juneau Icefield's outflow glaciers, including Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier has also receded 1.75 miles (2.82 kilometres) since 1929, when Mendenhall Lake was formed, and more than 2.5 miles (4.0 kilometres) since 1500. The glacier's terminus now has a negative glacial mass balance and will continue to recede. Given that average yearly temperatures are now rising and are expected to continue, it is feasible that the glacier will have a period of stability or small advance during its retreat. This is because increasing volumes of warm, moist air will be transported up to the icefield's head, where it will precipitate as snow due to decreasing ambient temperatures. The additional snowfall will feed the icefield, maybe enough to compensate for the glacier's constant melting near the terminal. However, if temperatures continue to rise, this fascinating occurrence will go away since the glacier's head will no longer have low enough ambient temperatures to induce snow to fall.

The Tlingit called it Sitaantaago ("the Glacier Behind the Town") or Aak'wtaaksit ("the Glacier Behind the Little Lake"), which was later Latinized as Aakwtaaksit. Naturalist John Muir called the glacier Auke (Auk) Glacier in 1879 for the Tlingit Auk Kwaan (or Aak'w Kwaan) band. It was renamed in honour of Thomas Corwin Mendenhall in 1891. It stretches from the Juneau Icefield to Mendenhall Lake.

As part of the Tongass National Forest, the US Forest Service administers the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, which provides interpretive programmes for children and adults throughout the year. Views of a lake-terminating, calving glacier may be had from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and adjacent region.

Linn A. Forrest designed the first US Forest Service visitor centre in the country, which was dedicated in 1962. In 1999, the structure was extended, restored, and rededicated.

The two modest parking lots provide access to the area's trails. The Photo Point Trail and the Steep Creek Trail are both short and simple hikes. Views of salmon and bears may be had from elevated boardwalks over Steep Creek. Visitors can trek to a viewpoint inside the East Glacier Loop. The East Glacier Loop trek takes visitors to a viewpoint within 1 mile (1,600 m) of the glacier. On this path, two routes negotiate a set of wooden stairs and a steady elevation increase of 500 feet (150 m). The Trail of Time, which links to the East Glacier Loop, has historical markers and is disability accessible. The 0.8 mile (1,300 m) Nugget Falls Trail takes tourists closer to the glacier's face to Nugget Falls.  The outdoor area and trails are free to use. The West Glacier route provides access to the glacier as well as views of ice caves underneath it. The Visitor Center is across the lake from this trail.

Aside from the busy summer season, the centre also presents the Fireside Lecture series on Friday evenings from January through March. Programs encompass environmental and cultural history, as well as happenings in Southeast Alaska.