Large windows with expansive views of the glacier were spectacular. It began its life as Sitangiospren, or the glacier behind the town, or Aak’wtaaksitkahan, the glacier behind the little lake. Expect to spend approximately 1-2 hours exploring the glacier before returning to the canoe. 2. To be honest, after all the hiking to get to the Mendenhall Glacier and then walking on the trails around the site, we didn’t feel much like hiking 1.2 miles back to the bus stop and another half mile from the central transit station back to the cruise ship. "We have unretouched photographic evidence of glaciers melting all around the globe," study co-author Gregory Baker, a geologist at the University of Kansas, said in a statement. Today, the Mendenhall Glacier is continuing to recede slowly. These photos show that in places the original road to the Mendenhall River followed a different path than Glacier Highway follows today. Europe. On Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, the Argentière Glacier has receded 1,150 m (3,770 ft) since 1870. Qori Kalis Glacier, an outlet glacier of the Quelccaya ice cap, in Peru is shown here in 1978. The trimline on the mountainsides where the glacier used to be is evident, as is a large ridge which had been covered by the glacier. Here, Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier, as seen in 2015, revealing the glacier had retreated a distance of around 1,800 feet (550 meters) since 2007. This Is Climate Change counteracts misinformation disseminated by industry sponsored lobbyists and other special interests who deny not only the changes but the basic science. by Gary Braasch Many of the 50,000 passengers passing through Reagan National airport in Washington DC daily will now see a different kind of advertisement in the concourse:  a new public education initiative has installed a photographic billboard of ongoing climate change today. "We have unretouched photographic evidence of glaciers melting all around the globe," study co-author Gregory Baker, a geologist at the University of Kansas, said in a statement. Enjoy the Mendenhall Glacier up close! Featuring vivid blue ice and awe-inspiring views of the magnificent Coast Mountains, the Mendenhall Glacier … The glacier is shown here in 2015. Between 2006 and 2015, Trift Glacier retreated more than a mile (1.7 kilometers), researchers have found. All rights reserved. Switzerland's Stein Glacier retreated by about 1,800 feet (550 meters) between 2006 and 2015. Take turns directing the dogs with your musher and relaxing in the sled. You may visit any of the following glaciers: Mendenhall, Taku, Norris, Herbert, Gilkey, Battle, or Thiel. Another Swiss treat, the Trift Glacier is shown here in 2006. Visiting Mendenhall Glacier. © This image of Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, was snapped in 2007. The Mendenhall Glacier, formerly known as Sitaantaagu ("the Glacier Behind the Town"), is a 12 mile long glacier about 12 miles outside Alaska’s capital Juneau. Over the years, we’ve hosted families of diverse ages and backgrounds, photographers and writers, the BBC, Good Morning America, Gayle King with CBS This Morning, and the O Magazine. This pair of photographs shows how the famous Mendenhall Glacier has retreated since around the turn of the 20th C. The ice has thinned and melted back more than 2800 meters (more than 9000 feet) since it was measured in 1911. The Mendenhall Ice Caves offer an adventure like no other, the opportunity to see what it looks like inside a glacier. I've been trying to research the best & most affordable way for 2 adults to do this and have been getting conflicting answers. Stein Glacier in Switzerland is also feeling the heat. Over the past decade I have climbed and explored near glaciers in North America, The Alps and Andes to find the spots where old photographs were taken and carefully rephotograph the scene. The glacier and surrounding landscape is protected as part of the 5,815 acres (2,353 ha) Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, a federally designated unit of the Tongass National Forest. A team of scientists has put together photographic "proof" of climate change, revealing time-lapse photo couplets, or before/after images, of retreating glaciers. A 2010 Pew Research Center poll found that only 59% of adults in the U.S. believe “there is solid evidence the earth is warming.”  A continuing poll by Yale/George Washington University showed that even though approximately 97% of publishing climate scientists agree that climate change is occurring and that it is caused primarily by human activities, most of the public does not realize this high level of scientific agreement. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, A set of before-and-after photos published in the Geological Society of America’s GSA Today journal documents some of the changes. Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, has retreated by 550 m (1,800 ft) between 2007 (left) and 2015 (right) James Balog and the Extreme Ice Survey View gallery - 6 images Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 14,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content. The floods cause inundation and erosion in the Mendenhall Valley, impacting homes and other infrastructure. After about 2 miles, the Loop road makes a sharp left turn while Glacier Spur Road continues straight toward the mountains. Scientific observations and readings worldwide show that climate change is real, it is happening now, it is unusually rapid, and that the primary cause is the accumulation of man-made greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. At that time, it was two and one-half miles down the valley from its present position. The views expressed in this guest blog post are those of the International League of Conservation Photographers and not necessarily those of the National Geographic Society. In 1891, it was named after Thomas Corwin Mendenhall who was an American Physicist and Meteorologist. "That i… The forward edge of the Mendenhall glacier outside of Juneau has receded about 1,800 feet (550 meters) between 2007 and 2015. Plateau Glacier retreated out of the field of view and has all but melted away, after leaving a small remnant, Plateau Remnant, on the flanks of the Bruce Hills. To learn more, visit, International League of Conservation Photographers, International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP). Mendenhall Glacier (also Sitaantaagu) is a glacier about 13.6 miles (21.9 km) long located in Mendenhall Valley, about 12 miles (19 km) from downtown Juneau in the southeast area of the U.S. state of Alaska. Share another experience before you go. Here, we utilize in-situ and remote sensing data to assess the recent evolution and current state of Suicide Basin. Plateu Glacier (2003) The 2003 repeat photograph documents the dramatic changes that occurred over 42 years. Loss of mountain glaciers, which threatens summer water supplies to communities and ecosystems worldwide, is a major effect of the atmospheric warming from man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Columbia Glacier in Alaska shown here in 2009. In collaborating with the Trust, World View of Global Warming extends its work to inform Americans and people worldwide of the ongoing science of climate change and the effects of greenhouse gases which are being spewed into the air at record rates. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036, National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. You will receive a verification email shortly. © 1996 - 2019 National Geographic Society. Their research and photos are published online March 30, 2017 in the journal GSA Today. We recommend booking Mendenhall Glacier tours ahead of time to secure your spot. After meeting our guide, we began the day hiking the West Glacier Loop to Mendenhall Glacier. So it's just straightforward proof of large-scale ice loss around the globe.". This is a must-do activity for travelers who appreciate the grandeur of nature. The Glacier Canoe Paddle and Trek is our most popular adventure trip to the world renowned Mendenhall Glacier. As with the Mendenhall Glacier Trek, if open and accessible, your guide will let you experience the enchantment of the Mendenhall ice caves before continuing up to the top of the glacier. The native Tlingit Indians named the glacier Sitaantaagu: The Glacier behind the Town or Aak’wtaaksit: The Glacier behind the Little Lake.In 1888, the glacier was named Auke Glacier by naturalist John Muir.Finally, in 1891, it was named Mendenhall Glacier in honor of the noted American scientist Thomas Corwin Mendenhall.It extends from its source Juneau Icefield to Mendenhall Lake and river. 1. It consists of photographs taken at various survey stations with before, during and after photos by year taken. If you're in the Juneau area, a visit to the Mendenhall Glacier is a must-do activity. A quick drive from downtown Juneau to the ‘trailhead’ parking lot finds you overlooking the nearly half a mile wide face of the glacier. There was a problem. Slightly warmer temperatures increased the rate of melt and the glacier began to recede. "That includes the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica — they're reduced in size. These aren't fancy computer models or satellite images where you'd have to make all kinds of corrections for the atmosphere. This is Climate Change was developed by the Del Mar Global Trust, a private charitable foundation with a focus on the environment, to publicize the real effects of climate change which have impacts on the environment and human lives around the world. Despite the physical evidence that the earth’s climate is changing, many Americans remain skeptical of the reality of climate change, its severity, and even the science supporting it. Gary Braasch is a world caliber environmental photojournalist who creates remarkable images and documentation about nature, environment, biodiversity and global warming. Clean bathrooms and interactive displays made the time pass quickly. Since installing a camera at Mendenhall in 2007, Extreme Ice Survey says the glacier has retreated more than 1,830 feet -- about one-third of a mile. After visiting Glacier Gardens on a shore excursion from the Holland America Westerdam, our tour group piled back onto the busses and headed out to Mendenhall Glacier. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. The archival photo from the National Snow and Ice Data Center/ NOAA archives was made in 1894 by William Ogilvie during a geologic survey. Its abnormally fast retreat and deflation shows the effects of climate change in action, according to Extreme Ice Survey. ... Read all 4 reviews. He is a Founding Fellow of the International Leauge of Conservation Photographers (iLCP). Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. Trekking next to the glacier you come across the caves. A team of scientists has put together photographic "proof" of climate change, revealing time-lapse photo couplets, or before/after images, of retreating glaciers. See what the glacier looks like now. The Suicide Basin which sits around one mile up the Mendenhall Glacier fills with around 10,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of water. These are simply photos, some taken up to 100 years ago, and my co-authors went back and reacquired photos at many of these locations. As part of my long-term climate documentation project World View of Global Warming, I rephotographed a 1894 image in 2008 to show the visible effect of global warming on the glacier near Juneau. This Is Climate Change, an educational project of the Del Mar Global Trust, put up the first of a series of large backlighted photographs on August 30, featuring my time series view of the shrinking Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska. Find mendenhall glacier stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. Many of the 50,000 passengers passing through Reagan National airport in Washington DC daily will now see a different kind of advertisement in the concourse:  a new public education initiative has installed a photographic billboard of ongoing climate change today. Before 1750, Mendenhall Glacier was an advancing glacier; that is, more snow nourished the glacier than melted. There were several park rangers at the location who were knowledgable and … See all 7 Mendenhall Glacier tours on Tripadvisor Mendenhall Visitor Center is only 13 miles from downtown Juneau. Before and After Photos Show Dramatic Retreat of Glaciers By. The glacier dam release is known as a jökulhlaup. Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau Alaska, seen in August 2008 with Mendenhall Lake. After touring the glacier we visited the book/gift store. Starting with a canoe ride across the lake, you paddle your way straight to the face of the glacier before landing on the beach. As Juneau s Mendenhall Glacier retreats, it is becoming ever more popular as a Southeast Alaska visitor destination, and that has officials reviewing the area's visitor accommodation plans. I really wanted to see Mendenhall since I had not made it out to the glacier on either of my previous visits to Juneau on the Sun or the Safari Quest. The  images together illustrate the data from current scientific observations of more than 100,000 glaciers around the world, measuring an ongoing trend of “global and rapid, if not accelerating, glacier shrinkage” which may lead to the deglaciation of large parts of many mountain ranges in the coming decades. Take Egan Drive out of town past the turnoff to the Juneau International Airport and turn right on Mendenhall Loop Road. Naturalist John Muir later called it … Mendenhall Glacier, blue ice sheet, 12 miles (19 km) long, southeastern Alaska, U.S. The glacier has retreated 2800 meters since 1910 and continues to retreat. SWITZERLAND The Stein glacier … Be amazed by the 13-mile (21-kilometer) Mendenhall Glacier, and take to the water on a whale-watching cruise. We'd like to go to Mendenhall Glacier, check out the visitor center and do a bit of hiking for a few hours before going into town for shopping, dinner, etc. The glacier is located on the southern edge of the Myrdalsjokull ice cap. After carefully unloading, you will meet your guide who will outfit you with crampons to make it easier to walk on the icy terrain and a trekking pole for enhanced stability. Been told to take City bus for like $2 a person. Suicide Basin is a partly glacierized marginal basin of Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, that has released glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs) annually since 2011. New York, Readers are welcome to exchange ideas or comments, but National Geographic reserves the right to edit or delete abusive or objectionable content. After touring the glacier we visited the book/gift store. Please refresh the page and try again. Other Mont Blanc glaciers have also been in retreat, including the Mer de Glace, which is the largest glacier in France at 12 km (7.5 mi) in length but retreated 500 m (1,600 ft) between 1994 and 2008. The Mendenhall glacier has been known by many names over the years. NY 10036. Mendenhall Glacier is a massive and mighty river of ice that extends 13 miles. The glacier is shown here in 2015. Large windows with expansive views of the glacier were spectacular. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. ... (A–B) Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, retreat of ~550 m from 2007 to … Privacy Notice |  Sustainability Policy |  Terms of Service |  Code of Ethics, The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Check out what happened in just eight years. Visit our corporate site. Between 1978 and 2016, Peru's Qori Kalis Glacier retreated nearly three-quarters of a mile (1.14 kilometers). My father wanted to preserve this bit of history. It was originally named Sitaantaagu (“the Glacier Behind the Town”) or Aak’wtaaksit (“the Glacier Behind the Little Lake”) by the Tlingit Indians. Solheimajokull Glacier in Iceland can be seen in this 2007 image. Here, you can see the glacier as it appeared in 2006. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. Their research and photos are published online March 30, 2017 in the journal GSA Today. As well as humpback whales, there's a good chance of spotting bald eagles, blue heron, and other animal and bird life. ... Be amazed by the 13-mile (21-kilometer) Mendenhall Glacier, and take to the water on a whale-watching cruise. What Will I See at the Mendenhall Glacier? Experience the unique thrill as these athletes pull you through the snow that blankets the Mendenhall Glacier. Between 2007 and 2015, the Solheimajokull Glacier (shown here in 2015) retreated about 2,050 feet (625 meters), according to the GSA Today journal article. The trail itself was relatively easy in the first section and not at all what I expected from Alaska, despite knowing the area is officially classified as rainforest. In Alaska, the melting Mendenhall Glacier … Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. (Image credit: Geological Society of America/James Balog and the Extreme Ice Survey), (Image credit: James Balog and the Extreme Ice Survey), Newly discovered fungi turn flies into zombies and devour them from the inside out, Angel, devil and blood-red heart appear at Martian south pole, Unsafe levels of radiation found in Chernobyl crops, Scientists think they've detected radio emissions from an alien world, 1,200-year-old pagan temple to Thor and Odin unearthed in Norway. In France all six of the major glaciers are in retreat. 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