Kayaking to the Mendenhall Glacier | Camping | Juneau, AK

A weekend spent camping in Juneau, AK at the Mendenhall Campground with one goal: to kayak to the Mendenhall Glacier and see it from up close. Awaiting good enough weather to paddle safely through the frigid waters, I patiently withstood a steady downpour for days, until a small window of opportunity opened up. Not wanting to waste the chance that Mother Nature gave me, I set forth on the three and a half mile journey across the lake, through icebergs and icy waters until at last, I came within a safe distance of this massive force of nature. Thirty minutes within her presence was what I was given, before a violent crack echoed across the valley and I knew it was my time to paddle away, not another soul in sight while in her midst. I'll never forget this trip and the time spent viewing one of the most beautiful vantages that I may ever witness. As she retreats, further and further out of view from most of us, may the mighty Mendenhall Glacier be forever remembered as one of the most accessible glaciers that the world has ever known.