Originally Posted by
guitargrl
Would appreciate advice re: kayak tours (if needed) to do Mendenhall glacier for a trip we have which will get us in Juneau June 24th from 11AM till cruise departs at 8PM. My husband is desperate to walk on a glacier...if anyone knows anything other than helicopters, appreciate it. My understandingi is there is a pretty mile hike from the Glacier Visitor Center. But he wants to try to combine kayaking as well....I need someone who can advise us if doing all this is crazy or possible, and not be left by our cruise boat!
The helicopter tours are certainly the easiest way to walk up on the glacier. The only other way I know of to walk on the Mendenhall is via a few hour difficult hike, which I wouldn't recommend. I don't specifically remember any kayak tours that go right up to the glacier, but it would be something to ask about, as it is possible.
You can also do helicopters in Skagway, though I don't know if they're just flightseeing or if they land up on the icefield.
Originally Posted by
guitargrl
Does anyone recommend hiring a whale tour in either Juneau or Skagway (I recall Juneau has more than Skagay, but I profess to knowing nothing!).
Yes, there are tons of whale tours here. Whether you see a whale or not is purely luck, sometimes you'll only get a glimpse of a distant tail, sometimes you'll get them swimming alongside the boat. If you or your husband get seasick, I'd wait and see how the winds are before you decide to head out on a whale boat. Sometimes it can get fairly rough.