The Mendenhall Glacier is a 20km long glacier in the Mendenhall Valley. Inside the glacier are the stunning blue ice caves, and then climb over the glacier.
Because of the glacier’s melting and movement, the size and color of the caves changes rapidly– caverns have shrunk and changed color from deep turquoise to a lighter, dirtier blue.
Over the past year, researchers have noticed strange ancient trees standing upright in the ice caves. Turns out that as it recedes, the glacier is unearthing forests which have been frozen for the last 1,000 years or so.
Ice cave tours usually run from July to September. The glacier is federally protected as part of the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, a unit of the Tongass National Forest.
Featured Image: The Mendenhall Ice Caves in Juneau, Alaska USA / Image: 500px.com/tkmphoto
Websites: travelalaska.com
