Happy Earth Day, April 22, 2011; though this image is from our Inside Passage Cruise in 2009, I have boosted it to the top of my stream. What better way to celebrate the connectedness and fragility of our planet than a glacier? They are the weather vanes of climate change and a dramatic reminder of how our choices affect the health of our planet.
Mendenhall Glacier is one of the most accessible of Alaska's glaciers, just 13 miles north of Juneau, and a prime destination for excursions from the many Inside Passage cruise ships that visit during the short season from May thru September.
A fine visitor center also provides a beautiful vista point and background information on the glacier.
The glacier has been receding since the 1700's and at one time the terminus extended 2.5 miles into the valley and covered this lake. You can see chunks of glacier floating in the lake near the mountain on the right.
www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/index.shtml
© 2009 Jill Clardy
