Mendenhall Glacier
Where's it been and where's it going?
The Mendenhall Glacier is an active glacier, always on the move. While the ice always flows down from the Juneau Icefield, the glacier may appear to be moving back. That's because the face of the glacier might be melting and breaking off (calving) faster than the ice behind it is building and flowing.
Presently the glacier is "in retreat," that is, it's melting faster than it's forming. It's been retreating for hundreds of years.
Click below to follow it back to 1700. Or "choose" a future for it by clicking to see it either retreat further or advance until 2300. (The movies are in .wmv format and require Windows Media Player or similar player to view them.)
To the past (689 kb file)
Tongass National Forest | Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
Activities | Visitor Information
