Mendenhall ice caves alaska usa. The melting sound makes the effect more interesting. They can range in size from small barely squeeze through tunnels to huge crane your neck to see it all caverns. That said accessing them is no easy feat.
Naturally we couldnt visit juneau and miss the chance to experience the ice caves for ourselves. The famous ice cave is an approximately 12 mile long glacier in the drainage area of mendenhall river in the us state of alaska mendenhall valley. The mendenhall glacier recreation area is a federally protected unit of the tongass national forest.
Located a short 12 miles outside alaskas capital city of juneau the mendenhall ice caves are ever changing due to melting ice and glacier recession but an absolute wonder to explore. But theres magic in the mendenhall ice caves where water runs over rocks and under frozen bright blue ceilings inside a partially hollow glacier. The mendenhall glacier is a 12 mile long glacier.
The spell casting effect of under lying blue ceilings running water over the rocks and then soft. A glacier cave under mendenhall glacier mendenhall glacier also sitaantaagu is a glacier about 136 miles 219 km long located in mendenhall valley about 12 miles 19 km from downtown juneau in the southeast area of the us. One can be a spectator of all the stages of hydro cycle happening simultaneously.
Found in the mendenhall valley the caves are spacious cavities in the blue ice. To keep things simple when describing the mendenhall ice caves we mean a cave that is formed within a body of ice usually a glacier as water flows through the glacier and forms a passageway. The ice extends about 100 250 feet under the water.
Although the famous blue caverns from several years ago have disappeared word of a new cave spread. Nestled in mendenhall valley the mendenhall glacier is a 13 mile long stunning frozen formation located just 12 short miles from downtown juneau. Specifically about 12 miles from downtown juneau in southeast alaska.
Mendenhall ice caves juneau alaska usa. Simply said these ice caves are usas treasure trove that will surely excite you with its marvelous and natural glory. As most of juneau can tell you by now the mendenhall glacier ice caves are a sight to behold.