Juneau Icefield -- Mendenhall And Taku: Glaciers Within Reach

JUNEAU - Our movements were slow, exaggerated, like those of astronauts. We were bound to the earth, but felt as if we'd landed on Pluto.

High in the mountains above Alaska's capital, above the rain forest and alpine meadows, we were exploring a frozen other-world - an imposing landscape of thousand-foot ice falls, yawning crevasses and jagged rock spires nearly buried in the snow.

Ice crunched beneath our boots, oversized shoes designed to keep our feet warm at 40-below. Sunlight put friendly sparkles on the vast expanse of ice stretching before us, but we'd been warned that sudden storms and severe drops in temperature are always possible here.

Three other tourists and I had flown by helicopter to the head of the Mendenhall Glacier, which spills from the Juneau Icefield. It was an exhilarating flight up the 12 mile length of the glacier, and we laughed outloud as the helicopter swooped around snowy peaks.

On the ground we were quiet, speaking in hushed voices. Despite its strong, foreboding appearance, this icy world seemed fragile. Ready to break apart. Muted creaks and groans suggested an incredible strain on the ice.

But the Juneau Icefield has endured for thousands of years and is one of the most studied places on the planet.

It measures 1,500 square-miles and contains more than half the glaciers in the Coast Range Mountains which straddle the Alaska-British Columbia border.

Scientists believe the ice field contains critical information about our future. Research suggests another ice age looms. But there's also evidence that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may be causing global warming, increasing the rate at which the polar ice caps are melting.

Maynard Miller has been studying the Juneau ice field since the 1940s. And for the past 50 years, the glaciologist has brought teams of high school and college students here to study glaciology, geology, geography, geophysics, hydrology, geology, meteorology and surveying.

To lessen the impact on wildlife, heli-tours are limited. We had about 30 minutes on the ice before the helicopter returned with more tourists and to take us back to to Juneau.

A glaciologist is at the site to answer questions, as are heli-tour staffers who repeatedly remind people "never, ever walk backwards on a glacier." Back-up to take a photo, and you might just fall into a crevass.

Because it was a brilliant clear morning, our pilot took the long way home, flying low over ridges in search of mountain goats and bears.

The heli-tour took little more than an hour, leaving time to explore the Mendenhall by foot.

ccessible glacier

Of the 38 glaciers flowing from the Juneau Icefield, the Mendenhall is the most accessible. It spills into the Juneau suburbs, 13 miles from city center. You can drive, or take a tour bus to the glacier. Ride a city bus, but you'll have to walk the final mile to the visitor center. The center, run by the U.S. Forest Service, perches on a knob of granite that was covered by ice as recently as 1940.

On clear days, the glacier is impressive. But it is even lovelier on those drizzly afternoons when it's mile-and-a-half-wide face turns blue as lapis. A dynamic glacier, the Mendenhall is constantly advancing and retreating; it's retreating about 75 feet each year.

The 5,800-acre Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area has numerous hiking trails, including Photo Point Trail which is wheelchair-accessible. Most trails offer great views of the glaciers, including the East Glacier route - a three mile loop - plus the longer, steeper West Glacier trail which rewards you with unforgettable views of the glacier, crevasses and Mendenhall Valley.

The trails also offer a chance to encounter some of Alaska's wildlife such as bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer, loons and swans, and, from a distance, mountain goats, bears and wolverines. During summer months, nearby Steep Creek is great for salmon watching; sockeye return mid-July through August and coho salmon appear mid-September through December.

aku Lodge

Another way to see the ice field is to spring for a meal at the Taku Glacier Lodge, about 30 air miles from Juneau in the Taku River valley. Spectacular scenery and a sumptuous salmon meal are combined in this three-hour trip.

The historic lodge is nestled against the mountains and looks out on the Taku and Hole in the Wall glaciers - both of which are fed by the Juneau Icefield. The lodge, open mid-May through September, can be reached only by floatplane or boat.

The Taku tour-and-lunch package is $152 (it may be higher for cruise ship passengers). A ticket buys a seat on a floatplane, an hour of flight-seeing, fine home cooking, and a chance to see bears.

Scarface, a burly black bear, and several of his relatives hang out at the lodge. It's not unusual to see them scraping the outdoor salmon grill for scraps of fish skin. Although used to people, the bears are wild and not house pets, owners Ken and Michelle Ward remind visitors.

Flights are provided by Wings of Alaska, a locally owned company. The trip begins in downtown Juneau, near the cruise-ship docks. The plane takes off down Gastineau Channel for the 30-minute flight to the lodge. The pilot will point out at least five glaciers fed by the Juneau Icefield.

But the real show is the massive Taku Glacier. The glacier is 30 miles long, the largest in the Juneau Icefield. It is also one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world. For more than 50 years, it advanced at an average rate of 347 feet per year - nearly a foot a day. Currently, the Taku is resting. But scientists predict it will begin advancing again soon - blocking the Taku River and perhaps destroying one of Southeast Alaska's premier salmon runs.

The Taku River is the major producer of king salmon in the area, with 26,000 kings spawning there annually. The river is a leading source for sockeye and coho salmon. About 2 million pink salmon also spawn there.

With two hours on the ground, there's time to contemplate the glacier's remarkable advance. There's also time to take an easy hike to see eagles' nests, listen to Ken Ward tell tales (some tall) of early going-ons at the lodge, or simply relax in a porch swing and watch the river go by. ----------------------------------------------------------------- IF YOU GO

Visiting the Juneau Icefield

Mendenhall Glacier information:

-- Juneau Ranger District, USDA Forest Service, 8465 Old Dairy Road, Juneau, AK 99801; phone( 907) 586-8800.

-- Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, (907) 789-0097, daily mid-May through October, weekends October through March.

Glacier Heli-tours:

Two companies offer helicopter trips to the glacier, both recommend making reservations at least two weeks in advance.

-- TEMSCO Helicopters, 1650 Maplesden Way, Juneau, AK 99801; (907) 789-9501. It offers two trips from Juneau - the Mendenhall Glacier Tour, a 55-minute flight over Juneau icefield including 25-minute glacier landing, $142; and Pilot's Choice Tour, 90-minute trip including two glacier landings, $205.

-- ERA Helicopters, 6160 South Airpark Drive, Anchorage, AK 99502; (800) 843-1947 (from outside Alaska). Or P.O. Box 21468, Juneau, AK 99802; (907) 586-2030. It offers the Glacier Panorama Tour, a one-hour flight over back-country gold mines and the Juneau Icefield, including a 15-20 minute glacier landing, $157.

Juneau Icefield study programs:

There are no tours of the camp. Individuals interested in applying to the summer program, or wishing more information about the research effort may contact:

-- Dr. Maynard Miller, director, The Glaciological and Arctic Sciences Institute, College of Mines and Earth Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843. Or . . .

-- The Foundation for Glacier Environmental Research, Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109.

Taku Glacier Lodge information:

-- Ken & Michelle Ward, Taku Glacier Lodge, P.O. Box 33597, Juneau, AK 99803; (907) 586-8258.

For Reservations: Wings of Alaska, 1890 Renshaw Way, Juneau, AK 99801; phone (907) 789-0790 or fax (907) 789-2021.