As you fly into Alaska's capital city of Juneau and descend into the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier, that rare and unique beauty that overcomes you is guaranteed to blow your mind straight into another universe. Tucked away underneath a fresh, fluffy blanket of snow is this alternate ice-cave world that is filled with larger than life beauty.
As you step inside and feel the crisp air and chilly temperature caused by the frozen landmass that surrounds you, you are sure to be overwhelmed with an explainable out of body experience. Although this wow-worthy place is enchanting from a distance, it is truly something that must be experienced in person to be fully appreciated.
Mendenhall Glacier is around 13.6 miles long with an estimated total area of 38 square miles.
The visitor center in Juneau offers educational information and walking trails; it is open all year long. Traveling to the ice caves can be a very rewarding experience yet also very dangerous. Also check in with local offices before going into the backcountry to be advised of weather conditions and any possible barriers that would prevent you from making the journey. Wildlife is also very common in the area which means that you need to take extra precautions when going into low-traveled areas.
As part of the 5,815-acre Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, this stunningly beautiful glacier is surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, North America's largest temperate rainforest.
The glacier is located roughly 12 miles from downtown Juneau and can be seen from the Visitor Center and day use area. To access the ice caves, however, you need to be prepared to kayak out and then hike in, or look into a flight-seeing excursion. A few great companies in the area include Alaska Shore Excursions, Juneau Shore Tours and Temsco Helicopter Tours.
Now for the main production, feast your eyes on this captivating footage produced by GoPro and shared on YouTube. You are about to get the biggest dose of eye-candy that you've seen all year.
https://youtu.be/0JWK-EDVOV0
If you're as obsessed as we are with the raw, rugged beauty that the last frontier has to offer, you'll be amazed by this natural phenomenon that happens just once a year in Alaska. It is spectacular! Also, be sure to read more about the Mendenhall Ice Caves by checking out this great article that we featured earlier this year.
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