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Exclusive Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Tour

• Experience breathtaking Mendenhall Glacier and Juneau's unique culture
• Shop and dine in Juneau's historical downtown district
• Explore the Valley Area, passing boat harbors, boathouses, and Mendenhall Wetland Refuge
• Get an elevated view at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
• Visit Douglas Island for panoramic views and photo opportunities

Alaska's Juneau City & Mendenhall Glacier Tour

Start your Mendenhall Glacier Adventure right in the center of Juneau's downtown. Before or after your trip, have a stroll around the stores and restaurants. Our little, modest village spans just six square blocks. Your Dock Rep will promptly transport you and your tour guide on your way in a compact, big windowed bus that can fit no more than thirty people.

After departing on your narrated trip along the picturesque Gastineau Channel, which passes by several boat harbors and marshes, you will be at your destination in 20 to 30 minutes. Juneau is unique in that it is a dead end at both ends, boasting only 45 miles of road. During your tour, you will explore 13 miles of this road and arrive at the famous Mendenhall Glacier. It is the only glacier in Southeast Alaska accessible by road and ranks as Alaska’s #3 top attraction.

You will have one and a half hours to explore the Visitor Center, take a stroll along the Photo Point Trail and Nugget Falls, or just relax on one of the numerous boardwalks through the woods. From mid-July to mid-September, it's not uncommon to see local bears feasting on spawning salmon. Natural history and information on the resident bears is available from Forest Service interpreters on site. A wealth of information on the Juneau Icefield, the Glacier, bird migrations, and informative signage about the numerous songbirds will be obtained at the Visitor Center.

The Arctic Tern nesting colony is another attraction. An easily accessible location to witness the champion migrant up close in all of America. This location is full of unending grandeur. At the appointed time, meet your local representative for the trip back to Downtown Juneau, to complete your narrated tour.

Please Note: At the Visitor Center, Mendenhall Glacier is visible across Mendenhall Lake. This tour doesn't include walking on Mendenhall Glacier. Children ages 0–2 are not given a seat; children ages 2–12 are counted and given a seat.

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NorthStar Helicopters

Helicopter flightseeing & glacier tours in juneau, alaska, choose your adventure, glacier treks.

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GLACIER DOG SLEDDING

Glacier airboats.

Experience the ultimate Alaska heli-skiing terrain in the heart of the Chugach Range with NorthStar Helicopters. Our experienced pilots will provide safe and efficient transport to exclusive terrain where fresh, untracked powder is abundant. Find endless opportunities to achieve your wildest heli-ski dreams under the guidance of our expert team.

• Most Popular

Helicopter Glacier Trek

Embark on a rugged hike through the ever-changing glacial icescape of Juneau, Alaska! This unique adventure provides two hours to explore and master glacier trekking techniques.

• Info Moderate
• User 12+ years old
• Hour Glass 4.25 hours

Featured Adventures

• User 8+ years old
• Hour Glass 3.25 hours

Helicopter Glacier Walkabout

The Walkabout offers a personalized experience and the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the Mendenhall Glacier’s most stunning features.

• Info Easy/moderate
• User 7+ years old

Taku Glacier Helicopter & Airboat Adventure

Venture into the heart of Alaska’s wilderness by air, water, and ice! This is a rare opportunity to experience Juneau’s largest glacier from all possible perspectives.

• User 2+ years old

Helicopter Glacier Dogsled Adventure

Join us on this truly Alaskan adventure and experience the magnificence of Juneau’s Norris Glacier through the eyes of an Iditarod musher!

Embark on a rugged hike through the ever-changing glacial icescape of Juneau, Alaska! This unique adventure provides two hours to explore and master glacier trekking techniques.

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True Exploration

Alaska is beautiful, yet largely inaccessible. to truly appreciate and experience this incredible land, one must take to the skies, soar among the peaks and ultimately land in a remote setting..

During our many years of exploring this special place, both by helicopter and on foot, the glaciers of Southeast Alaska have remained one of the most unique and captivating features we have encountered.

Since day one, we have been dedicated to sharing this environment with others through our top-rated helicopter glacier treks and tours. NorthStar Trekking was started with safety as the top priority and a commitment to provide an outdoor adventure tailored to the interests and abilities of each guest. Let our experienced team of pilots, guides and support staff guide you on an unforgettable Alaska experience. We look forward to seeing you on the glacier.

Hear from our many satisfied guests!

We booked the Helicopter Glacier Walkabout tour and it surpassed our wildest dreams! The staff was friendly and helpful, the equipment was in good condition, and the pilot and guides were knowledgeable. The thing that made it most worthwhile was the extraordinary views.

Some local friends pointed us to this company. Our pilot took us by some breathtaking spots on the way up, then our knowledgeable and friendly guide took us around the glacier. We and our kids had a great experience among this alien looking landscape.

My dream was to be a helicopter pilot. The pilots that we had were great (sorry I forgot your names but you both were great). Landed us on the ice light as a feather. Our excursion was to trek on the glacier and climb a 28ft ice ridge.

We took their Taku water,air and ice tour up the Taku river and to the Taku glacier. Mike our pilot was great and we had such an amazing day. It was so beautiful and almost seemed like a dream. If you can take this tour, DO IT!!!

The best day ever. Beautiful landscape (incredible and amazing landscapes) . We Learned a Lot about the dog camp thanks to Joy our guide. We want to do it again!! It's a must.

Explore Our Juneau Tours

Enjoy the best of alaska with our mendenhall glacier tours, we provide visitors with unparalleled alaskan vacation experiences. explore our mendenhall glacier tours and book online today.

• Juneau's #1 Rated Tour!
• Check Bubble May 5th – September 29th, 2024

MENDENHALL GLACIER ICE ADVENTURE TOUR

Join us for the ultimate Alaskan Wilderness Exploration tour in Juneau!

• A Favorite for Families and Nature Lovers

MENDENHALL LAKE CANOE TOUR

With a guaranteed small group, absorb intimate views of the Mendenhall Glacier while paddling across the glacier-fed lake in a custom made canoe.

The Top 18 Glacier Tours in Juneau

One of the jewels in Juneau’s crown has to be its glaciers. These iconic ice formations are one of Alaska’s most impressive natural wonders. If they’re top of your must-see list when choosing your cruise excursion, then check out our varied selection of Juneau glacier tours - you’re sure to find one that appeals. These include  flightseeing adventures , dog sledding , glacial lake kayaking , casual walks to extensive hikes, and more! If you know you want an excursion that allows you the unique experience of standing on top of the ancient ice, view our glacier walk tours !

One of the most popular glacier tours is our Icefield Helicopter Excursion , which provides two different - but equally spectacular - views of the glacier from the air and on the ground. The Juneau region is blessed with the largest number of glaciers in Alaska, and on this tour, you’ll land on one of the finest - Herbert Glacier. Traverse the icy-blue glacier, learning how it formed as you admire its crevasses, ice flows, and glacial pools. 

If you’re looking for something a little more sedate, then the Glacier Shuttle Tour could be the excursion for you. Enjoy your expert guide’s captivating and informative overview of the city of Juneau, hearing tales from its past and present while taking in the cityscape bordered by the Alaskan wilderness. Then, visit the Mendenhall Glacier National Park and enjoy a gentle stroll to beautiful Nugget Falls, watching and listening as the water cascades into Mendenhall Lake, with the glacier providing the perfect backdrop. 

If getting out on the water is a priority, you could join the Mendenhall Glacier Paddle and Hike excursion. This experience is second to none if you’re an outdoor enthusiast keen to get to the glacier under your own steam. First, master the art of team canoeing as you paddle through the tranquil waters of the lake toward the glacier. Then finish your pursuit on foot with a one to two hour hike to the foot of the epic Mendenhall Glacier. 

Which Juneau glacier tour will you choose?

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Viewing Glaciers in Juneau

Juneau’s hottest attractions are some of the coolest spots around, sít’ - glacier, got ice we do.

Juneau's most popular attraction (and the most easily accessible Alaska glacier) is the mighty, magnificent Mendenhall Glacier , located just 13 miles from downtown Juneau and only a few minutes from the airport.

Please see this important Mendenhall Glacier Update.  The Mendenhall is just one of the 38 major glaciers that flow from the Juneau Icefield , an expanse of interconnected glaciers that sits just behind the mountains next to Juneau. The Icefield covers more than 1,500 square miles and runs from the Taku River inlet east of town to Skagway, 90 miles northwest. Now that's one big ice cube.

You have lots of options if you want to explore our glaciers . You can actually drive to the Mendenhall Glacier, but ground tour companies offer trips as well. Once you're there, the Forest Service operates an excellent walk-up visitor center . The center provides regular updates about the glacier and surrounding area -- check it out.

Beyond the Mendenhall

Recognized as the thickest glacier in the world measuring in just short of a mile thick (4,845 feet or 1,477 m), the Taku Glacier sits just to the southeast of downtown Juneau. An amazing fact about the Taku is that it’s one of only a handful of glaciers in the world that’s advancing. According to the Juneau Icefield Research Program , the Taku has been measured advancing at a rate of 56 ft. per year since 1988! This epic display of raw wilderness serves as a reminder to everyone that whether it’s our glaciers, our mountains, the local bears, or migratory whales, the beauty of Southeast Alaska is everywhere! 

Flightseeing companies offer aerial tours of the Icefield, and helicopter companies can land you right on the ice for a short walk or two-hour hike. Day boat tour companies offer tours of the twin Sawyer Glaciers in Tracy Arm Fjord southeast of Juneau. Glacier Bay National Park, with its incredible collection of tidewater glaciers and 3 million acres of wilderness, is just a short trip to the west.

Glacier Fun Facts

• Juneau glacier viewing is often best on overcast days, so don't let a little rain dampen your plans.
• Glaciers put off a mystical blue color caused by a unique crystalline structure that absorbs and reflects light, giving the ice its unique hue. The most intense blue occurs in crevasses and when ice breaks off, or calves, from a glacier's face. The blue color fades as the ice is exposed to air and the crystalline structure breaks down.
• And while glaciers appear to be sitting perfectly still, they are in fact constantly moving, flowing downhill out of the mountains like rivers. This constant movement gives glaciers the power to shape the landscape as they go.

Mendenhall Glacier & Juneau Whale Watching Combo Tour

• 2.5 hours on-the-water whale watching for Humpback whales, sea lions, bald eagles, and other wildlife.
• Meet the stars of Auke Bay in their summer feeding grounds – the whales Sacha, Flame  and many others.
• Customized boats for panoramic views and optimal whale viewing.
• 1.5 hours at the glacier park. Pay attention to your pick up time and bus stop name given by your driver at drop off.

This is an enthralling opportunity to witness two jewels in Juneau – the graceful elegance of humpback whales and the serene beauty of the Mendenhall Glacier. Our fleet of whale watching boats and glacier shuttles offer a seamless combination of two of Juneau’s favorite activities and our most popular tour.

Upon check in, our friendly dock representatives will put you on the right bus for a narrated 30-minute drive to your first destination.

Mendenhall Glacier is Alaska’s only drive up glacier and the #1 natural attraction in Juneau. You can choose to hike to Nugget Falls (plan 1 hour for a leisurely walk or 40 mins if you hurry), take the Photo Point Trail (20 round trip), look for wildlife along the Steep Creek trail, or stroll up the easy walk to the Visitor Center.

During your time on the water, you will be accompanied by a naturalist who explains the feeding habits of these magnificent creatures and identifies the many other kinds of wildlife that share these waters. Our whale watching boats are custom made to enhance your experience – a warm heated cabin with large viewing windows, and two decks to hurry to when the captain slows after spotting the whales. A bathroom is onboard. Snacks, water and binoculars are also provided.

• Meet us at the convenient, central pick-up location in front of the Mt. Roberts Tramway.
• To find your bus, check in with one of our Dock Representatives holding a “Juneau Tours or Juneau Whale Watch” sign, sporting a smile and wearing a bright blue hat.
• On your way to the boat harbor, listen to informative commentary from your driver about the capital city of Juneau.
• Aboard our whale-watching boats, enjoy a comfortable heated cabin with wide-viewing windows and spacious decks for wildlife spotting.  When our captain spots the whales, the boat slows allowing passengers to step out on the deck for that perfect whale shot. The on-board naturalist is full of information about Alaska’s wildlife – Humpback whales, Stellar sea lions, Dall’s porpoises, bald eagles. A small snack and water are available.
• The Mendenhall Glacier is the next stop with the visitor center included in your tour. Find out about the formation of glaciers and walk to Nugget Creek Falls, Photo Point, Steep Creek or take the Trail of Time – a trail of storyboards the glacier’s retreat over many, many years.
• You get 1.5 hours self guided time at the park.
• Tour time is approximately 6 hours.

The meeting place is located on the street side in front of the Goldbelt Tramway ticket office. Dock representatives are waiting under the aerial tramway cables, holding Juneau Tours and Juneau Whale Watch signs, and wearing bright blue hats. All docks, with the exception of the AJ dock, are within walking distance (under 10 minutes.) Check in is required prior to boarding the shuttle.

• From the “AJ” dock look to the left as you exit the ship. The cruise line provides a “Downtown” shuttle, which will drop you right in front of the Tramway. A small fee may apply. If you’re up for a walk, it’s about 20 minutes. Ask the shore excursion representative from your cruise line for directions.
• Franklin Dock. Exit and turn left. Walk along the Sea Walk for approximately 8 minutes. You’ll see the Tramway building in front of you. Right of the building, on the street side, in between two parking lots, is the meeting area under the cables.
• From the Tramway and Cruise Terminal docks , which are located next to the Tramway office, exit the ship and go straight ahead. Depending on your ship, walk right or left around the building to the street side and meet a representative under the cables. 1 – 2-minute walk.
• From the Steamship dock. Exit the ship and walk down the ramp to the Sea Walk, turn right, walk along the boardwalk and look for the Tramway building. It’s on the left after passing Tracy’s Crab Shack. 5 – 7-minute walk

Check in with a Juneau Tours and Whale Watch dock representative in front of the Goldbelt Tramway, look for the Juneau Tours and Juneau Whale Watch signs, and bright blue hats. Please don’t board a bus before checking in.  We often have multiple tours departing at the same time. Questions? Call (907)523-6095.

Bus departure and return times are subject to change based on weather, unforeseen changes to cruise line schedules, or road delays. Be sure to ask your driver for exact times on the day of travel and plan accordingly.

The drop-off location is the same as the pickup location at the Goldbelt Tramway. Be sure to plan 5-10 minutes by foot back to your ship. AJ dock passengers must take a 5-minute shuttle back to their ship. On nice days, its a 20-minute walk.

The weather in Juneau AK is often wet (we live in a rainforest.) Bring layered clothing, a waterproof jacket, a camera and/or video camera, and comfortable shoes. Eating is not permitted at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area. Keep food and flavored drinks packed tightly away. Water is permitted. Please feel free to eat on our buses

• All transport including pick-up and drop off is included in the tour price.
• Your ticket provides access to everything at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area and visitors center. Occasionally, inclement weather or trail conditions may cause unexpected closures for affected areas in the park.
• Trail mix bar and water on the whale watch upon request.
• Children under 2 are free.

Strollers and folding wheelchairs are welcome. Come a few minutes early and allow extra time for loading and unloading. There are three steps up and onto the bus. Car seats are not required or convenient. Infants may sit on your lap. Less gear to lug around the park!

Buses have limited cargo space and cannot store electric scooters or electric wheelchairs. We recommend booking excursions directly with your cruise line for any passengers requiring extra assistance. For those who can walk three steps onto the bus, electric scooters can be stored nearby (at your own risk) and retrieved at the end of the tour. Viewing areas close to the glacier drop-off area (approximately 150 yards) provide excellent views.

Cancellations are accepted and full refunds issued up until 24 hours before the tour.

• PO Box 21795 Juneau AK 99802
• [email protected]
• 1-907-523-6095

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JUNEAU TOURS & SHORE EXCURSIONS

All Tours (49)

Bear & Wildlife (3)

Fishing (5)

Dog Sledding (6)

Glacier (23)

Glacier Hiking (8)

Kayaking and Canoe (9)

Sightseeing and City (1)

Whale Watching (5)

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Mendenhall Glacier (13)

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• Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour

$359 / person

Join the ultimate Alaskan adventure that takes you up close and personal with the Mendenhall Glacier. Our extended Alaska glacier tour gives you ample time for pictures and exploration while trekking with your guides next to READ MORE...

• Mendenhall Lake Canoe Tour

$239 / person

Be among the select few to travel by canoe for an unprecedented experience of the majestic Mendenhall Glacier. This tour is limited by permits issued by the National Parks Service so book early for this unique experience! Pad READ MORE...

Juneau Glacier Dog Sledding & Helicopter Tour

From: $661 / person

Experience this exciting dog sledding adventure on the Herbert Glacier. Your tour with start with a helicopter ride up to our beloved dog sled camp situated on a glacier. The flight itself will leave you in awe as you take in READ MORE...

Juneau Glacier Dogsled Extended Tour via Helicopter

From: $787 / person

This tour is the same as our regular Dogsled Excursion via Helicopter but it includes an additional glacier landing! Take in the landscape surrounding Juneau as you travel by helicopter up to the first glacier where you'll ju READ MORE...

Juneau Dog Sled World & Glacier Helicopter Adventure

$689 / person

Experience the life of an Alaskan Dog Musher! During this hands-on interactive tour, you will help prepare your dogsled team for the day of mushing that awaits you. In addition to glacier flightseeing and dogsledding, enjoy e READ MORE...

Mendenhall Glacier Dog Sledding & Helicopter Tour

$659 / person

This tour is the same as our Juneau Dog Sledding & Glacier Helicopter Tour except that it will take you on a thrilling mushing ride across the Mendenhall Glacier. After your transfer to the helicopter base, you'll take off on READ MORE...

From: $395 / person

This breathtaking helicopter flight will take you on an adventure to explore the beauty of Juneau glaciers. Keep your eyes peeled during the flight as you may see some wildlife on the mountain peaks. Once you land on the glac READ MORE...

Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour & Guided Walk

$379 / person

Featured on GOOD MORNING AMERICA -- travel back to the Ice Ages with Alaska's original glacier helicopter tour! Board a modern turbine-powered helicopter for a flight to the world-famous Mendenhall Glacier! Soar through the READ MORE...

Juneau Flightseeing and Glacier Landing

$388 / person

Soar above the old-growth trees of the Tongass National Rainforest to the snow-capped Juneau Icefield on this personalized helicopter flightseeing tour. Land on one of the icefield's stunning glaciers, carefully selected by y READ MORE...

Juneau Helicopter Glacier Walkabout

$465 / person

The Walkabout offers a personalized experience and the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with glacier's most stunning features. This non-strenuous, hour-long interpretive hike led by our team of professional gui READ MORE...

Juneau Helicopter Glacier Trek

$515 / person

This 2-hour glacier trekking adventure, led by knowledgeable interpretive guides, offers an amazing blend of scientific discovery, ice trekking and exploration, and stunning views of the Juneau Icefield's most breathtaking fe READ MORE...

Taku Glacier Helicopter & Airboat Exploration

$688 / person

This multifaceted tour is a unique and compelling opportunity to see the exquisite beauty of Southeast Alaska from the Taku River! From the air, enjoy breathtaking views of our Nation's largest National Forest. On the water, READ MORE...

Juneau Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Tour

This combo is the best way to make the most of your day in Juneau! While out on the water, there is no doubt that you'll see humpback whales - this is the time of year they travel to Alaska to feed on thousands of pounds of k READ MORE...

• Juneau Whale Watching Adventure Tour

$169 / person

Come cruise with us in a fully enclosed and heated cabin onboard our mammal friendly boat on your way to the whales' playgrounds. Here you can experience a close encounter with these beautiful marine mammals for the ultimate READ MORE...

• Juneau Dog Sled Summer Camp

$159 / person

Join our team of mushers on an adventure you won't soon forget! Learn about Alaska's official state sport and experience a thrilling ride through the forest. Your excursion begins with a scenic drive along the Gastineau Chann READ MORE...

Juneau Musher's Camp & Sled Dog Discovery

$174 / person

Get ready for a ride you won't soon forget! Hop on as a team of huskies whisks you through the forest on a custom-built sled. You'll pass by gigantic spruce and hemlock trees, many of which are hundreds of years old! At the e READ MORE...

Taku Glacier Lodge Flight & Feast

$475 / person

This tour to the infamous Taku Glacier Lodge is the ultimate Alaskan experience. Your journey begins with a narrated flight in one of our seaplanes to the remote Lodge. Upon arrival, you'll enjoy a delicious Alaskan meal and READ MORE...

Juneau Glacier Flightseeing via Seaplane Tour

$325 / person

The grandeur of Alaska will thrill and delight you beyond expectation on this unforgettable multi-glacier flightseeing tour, where everyone enjoys a window seat. Explore the Juneau Icefield's most stunning glaciers by authent READ MORE...

• Juneau Alpine Zipline Adventure

$245 / person

Soar with us through the trees in the Tongass National Forest on a unique Alaskan adventure! Land in treehouse platforms where you can enjoy the views and take in the scenery. Our knowledgeable guides will be with you every s READ MORE...

Juneau Rainforest eBike Adventure

$160 / person

Discover natural, beautiful Alaska as you set out on an exhilarating 3-hour active adventure for any and all fitness levels. Breathtaking views of the Mendenhall Glacier, old-growth forest, and the world's most northern rain READ MORE...

Juneau City Tour & Highlights

$49 / person

Explore historic downtown Juneau and celebrate the highlights on a family-friendly tour. Brotherhood Bridge Park, Douglas Island, and Breaching Whale Park are a few stops to learn and discover more about Juneau's origins. T READ MORE...

Norris Glacier Fly In, Hike & Packraft Outing

From: $829 / person

Embark on an exhilarating multi-sport tour to one of Juneau's impressive glaciers. Take flight on a float plane to the Norris Glacier and enjoy a glacier lake landing. Join your guide on a hike over glacially carved terrain READ MORE...

Juneau Segway Coastal Rainforest Adventure

Take an adventure from behind the handlebars of a Segway as you zoom through the surrounding trails of Juneau. You'll start with familiarizing yourself with the Segway with your knowledgeable guide before you take off for a p READ MORE...

Juneau Segway Alpine Wilderness Trail Adventure

$175 / person

Looking for a green way to experience Alaska, join the Alpine Wilderness Trail Adventure for a small group excursion amongst Alaska's natural beauty. Explore by Segway, far from the crowds and surrounded by Alaskan natire an READ MORE...

Mendenhall Glacier Float Trip

$199 / person

Get ready for a true outdoor experience - you're going on an exhilarating river rafting adventure down the beautiful Mendenhall River. There is something for everyone; whether this is your first time or you're experienced! Yo READ MORE...

Auke Bay Paddle and Mendenhall Glacier Trek

From: $209 / person

Adventure along the captivating coast of Auke Bay on a sea kayaking experience with a short hike along Mendenhall Lake. A stopover on the West Glacier Trail allows for distant views of the Mendenhall Glacier, beautiful Nugge READ MORE...

Paddle with Whales Kayak Adventure

From: $459 / person

Voted a top ten tour in the US, this small group whale and kayak tour takes guests to the richest humpback whale feeding ground in Alaska! Your experienced captain and guide will take you to the Channel Islands State Marine P READ MORE...

Mendenhall Lake Kayaking Adventure

$269 / person

If you want to be the lucky few who can face the majestic Mendenhall Glacier under a very limited U.S. Forest Service permit, this is the right tour for you! Your guide will teach you kayaking techniques, then board the two-p READ MORE...

Juneau Glacier View Sea Kayaking

$154 / person

You'll be off to the north side of Douglas Island for panoramic views of the Mendenhall Glacier and Auke Bay, where you'll board a two-person kayak sailing as the Aleut Indians did! As you view the Mendenhall Glacier from the READ MORE...

Juneau Guided Mendenhall Glacier Hike

Just outside of Juneau, take a short drive and begin an invigorating 6-7 mile hike through the Tongass National Forest. Wind your way through the forest where you'll emerge and find panoramic views of the beautiful Mendenhal READ MORE...

Juneau Privately Guided Mendenhall Glacier Trek

From: $265 / person

One of the most popular glaciers in Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier can be visited on this privately guided tour. Hike through the Tongass National Forest and around the majestic Mendenhall Glacier on foot. Exploring the uniqu READ MORE...

Juneau Private Bear Viewing and Seaplane Tour

From: $999 / person

Explore the "ABC" Islands of Southeast Alaska, renowned for the world's highest concentration of brown bears. Led by expert guides, embark on an unforgettable private journey to witness these majestic creatures in their natur READ MORE...

Juneau Waterfall Creek Bear Viewing

$999 / person

Waterfall Creek is all about the feast of salmon! The gorgeous Waterfall Creek on Chichagof Island plays host to brown bears for the annual salmon spawning season. Safely watch bears fish from the river on a world-class bear READ MORE...

Juneau Pack Creek Bear Viewing

Pack Creek Bear Viewing on Admiralty Island is the once-in-a-lifetime Alaskan activity you've been searching for. This small group adventure starts with a 25 minute scenic flight from Juneau to Admiralty Island, home to an e READ MORE...

Juneau Whale Watching, Mendenhall Glacier & Salmon Bake

$279 / person

Experience three of Juneau's most popular attractions with this three-in-one excursion! This tour begins with a narrated transfer to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor's Center. You'll have plenty of time to take in the majestic READ MORE...

Juneau Whale Watching Tour & Salmon Bake Combo

Humpback and orca whales are actively feeding while they are in southeast Alaska waters, so chances are you see whales breach, play, and maybe bubble net feed! You will savor wild Alaska salmon amidst amazing scenery at the G READ MORE...

Juneau Mendenhall Lake Kayak & Salmon Bake

$309 / person

Experience tandem kayaking on the pristine glacial waters of the Mendenhall Lake. For two hours, navigate the waters with your professional guide as you take in the natural beauty and learn about the history and ecology of t READ MORE...

Juneau Halibut Fishing Tour

An unparalleled halibut fishing experience on the waters just outside Juneau, Alaska. Take a swift trip to Auke Bay for an epic half-day of fishing and fun on the water. Bait, tackle, and gear are provided by your local fis READ MORE...

Juneau Salmon Fishing Tour

$275 / person

Make lasting memories on a salmon fishing expedition along the waters of Juneau, Alaska. Your local guides are ready to show you the best salmon fishing spots and wildlife sightings along the way. Never fished before? No e READ MORE...

Juneau Halibut and Salmon Fishing Combo

$390 / person

The local waters around Juneau are teeming with life. Try your hand at fishing on the perfect half-day halibut and salmon fishing excursion. Your experienced crew can't wait to take your small group charter on a quest for t READ MORE...

Juneau Salmon Fishing Private Charter

$1,200 / Charter

Hop aboard your private charter for an exceptional salmon fishing experience. Crafted for visitors arriving in Juneau via Alaska cruise ships or staying locally, this tour is certain to take you to the best fishing spots aro READ MORE...

Juneau Halibut Fishing Private Charter

$1,400 / Charter

Juneau Guided Mindfulness Meditation Tour

$198 / person

Southeast Alaska provides the perfect, tranquil setting for a mindfulness journey. Delight in a scenic drive on your way to a breathtaking spot for meditation amongst the ocean, mountains and forests. End your experience wi READ MORE...

Juneau Eat, Sip & Explore

$345 / person

Come explore Juneau with a local guide on an exclusive Jeep journey through historic Juneau. Be amazed by the wonders of the salmon hatchery and catch a glimpse of the adorable harbor seals. Get away from the crowds to exp READ MORE...

Juneau Food Tasting Tour

$129 / person

Prepare your tastebuds for the ultimate Alaskan tasting experience. We'll visit several local eateries like Tracy's King Crab Shack, Taku Smokeries, Hangar on the Wharf, Crystal Saloon, and a few others to delight your senses READ MORE...

Gold Creek Salmon Bake Tour

$79 / person

The Juneau Salmon Bake has been grilling up perfection since 1978! Enjoy this all-you-can-eat feast, in the majestic setting of the Tongass Rainforest. This mouth-watering Alaskan buffet includes signature Alderwood-grilled w READ MORE...

Juneau Historic Gold Panning & Salmon Bake Tour

$139 / person

Experience the history of Alaska - and try your hand at panning for gold! This tour includes a brief narrated city tour as you make your way to the gold mining site that was made famous by Joe Juneau and Rich Harris. After a READ MORE...

Juneau Historic Gold Panning Adventure

$99 / person

Pan for real gold and enjoy the thrill that sparked the Gold Rush days! Visit Gold Creek and "Last Chance Basin" to learn how to expertly work the pan with helpful tips and advice from your guide. You will have plenty of time READ MORE...

Juneau Extended Helicopter Glacier Trek

$615 / person

**THIS TOUR IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE 2024 SEASON**This is the most in-depth glacier trekking tour includes a hike on the glacier and ice climbing. Expert guides will equip you with state-of-the-art trekking and climbing equip READ MORE...

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About Juneau

Best Juneau Tours & Excursions:

These experiences are our most popular tours in Juneau:

1. Dog Sledding & Glacier Helicopter Tour

2. mendenhall glacier dog sledding & helicopter tour, 3. whale watching & mendenhall glacier tour, 4. whale watching, mendenhall glacier & salmon bake combo, 5. musher's camp & sled dog discovery, 6. whale watching adventure tour, 7. mendenhall glacier guided walk via helicopter tour, 8. historic gold panning & salmon bake tour, 9. whale watching tour & salmon bake combo, 10. icefield helicopter tour, juneau shore excursions by locals.

We are a local Alaska company that aims to bring you the best tours and experiences that Juneau has to offer. When you buy Juneau shore excursions on your own, instead of through a cruise ship, we can offer you wholesale, local Alaska prices. Our goal is to make your Alaskan cruise the trip of a lifetime!

What are the best tours in Juneau?

The best tours in Juneau are:

• Dog Sledding & Glacier Helicopter Tour
• Mendenhall Glacier Dog Sledding & Helicopter Tour
• Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Tour
• Mendenhall Lake Canoe Adventure

Can I go whale watching in Juneau?

Yes! Whale watching is one of the top things to do in Juneau and you are 100% guaranteed to see whales. Our top whale watching excursions are:

• Juneau Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Tour
• Whale Watching & Salmon Bake Combo
• Whale Watching, Mendenhall Glacier & Salmon Bake

Which Juneau excursions are best for kids and families?

Juneau is a great destination for children. Here are our top picks for kids and families:

• Juneau Musher’s Camp & Sled Dog Discovery

Is Mendenhall Glacier worth visiting?

The majestic Mendenhall Glacier is one of the top destinations in the Juneau area and is very easily accessible. The top tours are:

• Mendenhall Glacier Guided Walk Helicopter Tour

Visiting Juneau:

Juneau, originally named Harrisburg after one of its co-founders, was the first town established in Alaska after it’s purchase from Russia in 1867. In 1880, the first rush of miners came in search of gold. With the help of Tlingit Chief Kowee, seekers found gold and by the end of 1916, there were three successful mines producing millions of dollars worth of gold. Once word of Juneau’s natural beauty and prospecting triumph’s spread, more visitors began flocking to the town and haven’t stopped since! Nowadays Juneau sees nearly 1 million visitors every year - will you be one of them?

Come visit, check out our list of the best  things to do in Juneau , and take in some of the natural highlights like the Juneau helicopter tours over the ice fields, the arrival of the humpback whales every summer with one of our Juneau whale watching tours, go dog sledding, go ziplining through  Tongass National Forest , or take a flightseeing trip up to the historic Taku Lodge where you’ll fly over the Taku Glacier, the only glacier unaffected by glacial melting!

The most popular Juneau shore excursions are tours involving glaciers or wildlife sightseeing. The Mendenhall Glacier  is the only glacier that can be accessed by land via the road system, whereas many other glaciers can be experienced through helicopter and seaplane sightseeing. Juneau helicopter tours give you an opportunity to land and walk on various glaciers in the area that could otherwise not be seen or visited. As you prepare for your trip, you can check out the current Mendenhall Glacier weather .

Whale Watching is also very popular and among the best Alaska tours, because of the extreme abundance of whales in the area. Humpback whales spend their summers in Alaska to feed before heading back to Mexico or Hawaii to live and give birth to offspring in the winter months. The nutrient-rich waters create the ideal feeding grounds in Juneau for humpback whales including the spectacular bubble-net feeding technique in which whales work together to consume large amounts of krill, their main food source.  If you're feeling hungry, you can pair your  whale watching tour with an outdoor salmon bake .

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After a burst ice dam unleashed a flood, residents in Alaska's capital clean up swamped homes

JUNEAU, Alaska — In her yard under the blazing sun Wednesday, Debbie Penrose Fischer leafed through a water-logged cookbook with sentimental value that she hoped to salvage but doubted she could. Nearby, friends helped carry boxes out of her family’s garage, which was inundated this week after a lake dammed by the Mendenhall Glacier let rip — sending floodwaters into neighborhoods like hers that never had to worry about that threat before.

“We’re blessed,” she said. “Nobody was hurt. Lots of things I love are gone, and I don’t like that. But it’s just stuff, you know?”

About 100 homes and some businesses were damaged by rapidly rising floodwaters that crested around 3:15 a.m. Tuesday, according to initial estimates. In some areas, cars floated as people scrambled to evacuate. Fischer’s daughter, Alyssa, who lives across the street, said the water in the road at one point reached her hips.

The waters began receding Tuesday, and water levels had returned to the normal range for this time of year by Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.

The flooding happens because a smaller glacier near Mendenhall Glacier had retreated — a casualty of the warming climate — and left a basin that fills with rainwater and snowmelt each spring and summer. When the water creates enough pressure, it forces its way under or around the ice dam created by the Mendenhall Glacier and enters Mendenhall Lake and eventually the Mendenhall River, as it did this week.

Since 2011 , the phenomenon has at times flooded streets or homes near the lake and river, and  last year floodwaters devoured large chunks  of the riverbank, inundated homes and sent at least one residence crashing into the raging river.

But the extent of this week’s flooding was unprecedented, officials said, and left residents shaken as they tried to dry out furniture, books and other belongings during a stretch of warm, sunny weather. On Wednesday, piles of garbage bags and other items — wood, boxes, sodden insulation and carpeting — dotted the curbs. A street sweeper was tackling the gray, silty grime the retreating waters had left behind.

While the basin was created by glacial retreat, climate change plays almost no role in the the year-to-year variations in the volume of the flooding in Juneau, said Eran Hood, a professor of environmental science at the University of Alaska Southeast who has studied the Mendenhall Glacier for years.

“It’s very clear that these floods will persist for some amount of time, again, on a sort of decadal timescale into the future,” he said. “But there are so many different competing factors that work to either increase the volume of the flood or decrease the volume of the flood that we need to be able to quantify that it’s difficult to say how large floods will be in the future without much more detailed modeling of the glacier dynamics.”

At some point, Mendenhall Glacier will retreat and thin enough that it can no longer act as a dam, Hood said.

The flooding is a reminder of the global risk from bursting snow-and-ice dams — a phenomenon called a jökulhlaup, which is little known in the U.S. but could  threaten about 15 million people  around the world.

Juneau, a city of about 30,000 people in southeast Alaska, is reachable only by plane or boat. It’s the height of the tourist season, and the city is already struggling with a housing shortage that could limit temporary accommodations available for flood victims that might need them. Juneau also has limited rental car agencies for those whose vehicles were swamped.

The Mendenhall River crested at 15.99 feet (4.9 meters), a new record, topping the level during last year’s flood by about a foot, and the water reached farther into the Mendenhall Valley, officials said. The city said the water reached some homes outside expected flood areas. The valley is roughly a 15 to 20 minute drive from downtown Juneau.

Alyssa Fischer said that when she went to sleep Monday night, she didn’t think she had to worry about flooding where she lives. Her dad woke her up hours later via FaceTime and alerted her to rising water outside. She helped him move his cars to higher ground, as well as her quails, before evacuating with her 4- and 8-year-old children and pets to a shelter at a local school. She said she noticed the license plate on her truck was bent from the water current.

On Wednesday she was relieved that damage to her property was mostly limited to a crawl space and the garage. She had boxes, rugs and other items in her yard and had a fan going to help dry out the garage.

But she worries about the future. When she bought the house earlier this year, it was a selling point for her that it was not on the river. After they returned home Tuesday, her 8-year-old daughter asked when the floodwaters would return.

“I think next year around this time, I’ll be stressed out for sure,” she said. She said she would like to see community meetings about addressing future floods events.

The Associated Press

Alaska glacier outburst floods Juneau, damages more than 100 homes

Aug. 8 (UPI) -- A melting glacier, overflowing from heavy rains in Alaska, unleashed a torrent of water on Juneau where more than 100 homes were damaged in what is being called an "unprecedented" glacial lake outburst flood.

The glacier flood from the Suicide Basin swelled the Mendenhall River to record levels, causing destructive flooding in Juneau on Tuesday, nearly one year after the same river flooded on Aug. 7, 2023.

Glacial lake outbursts occur when a basin fills with water from melting snow, ice and rain -- after Juneau's heavy rainfall in July -- which overtopped the glacier, "like water overflowing out of a full bathtub," the city of Juneau explained last week in a warning to residents to prepare for flooding and evacuations.

A U.S. Geological Survey camera captured the Suicide Basin glacial lake's gradual rise over the past month and rapid fall pictured Tuesday after the outburst sent water flooding into Juneau below.

"I have declared a state disaster emergency for the 2024 August Juneau Glacier Flood," Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy wrote Tuesday in a post on X.

Glacial outbursts have become more common in the last decade due to warmer temperatures, which have reduced the size of both the Mendenhall and Suicide glaciers in Alaska.

On Wednesday, Dunleavy visited Juneau where he surveyed the flood's aftermath .

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Juneau residents hit by glacial flood scramble to drain homes and clean up

No deaths and or injuries were reported, but the extent of the property damage from the flooding was becoming clearer Wednesday.

Linda Perry shows the level flood water reached in a bedroom of her home on Emily Way in Juneau on August 7, 2024. (Marc Lester / ADN)

JUNEAU — Linda Perry was devastated on Wednesday. Torrents of floodwater from the Mendenhall River had rushed into her house early Tuesday morning. She safely evacuated, but her home was significantly damaged. By Wednesday afternoon, Perry’s ruined carpet had been torn out. Family photographs lay out on tarps in the sun.

“Honestly, I don’t really know how I’m gonna make it. I don’t — I can’t afford this. No insurance. My only revenue is if there’s disaster funds,” she said.

Similar experiences were shared by dozens of homeowners on several streets in the densely populated Mendenhall Valley, where the bulk of Juneau residents live. Record-breaking flooding of the Mendenhall River was caused by a basin off to the side of the glacier that emptied Tuesday morning, rapidly inundating dozens of homes and other dwellings.

Robert Barr, deputy Juneau city manager, said Wednesday afternoon that local officials were still counting how many homes had been inundated, but the best estimate was more than 100. Officials from the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida said 120 tribal citizens had been severely affected by the flooding.

Lauren Stichert places her family’s pictures and papers on the lawn to dry on August 7, 2024, a day after flooding damaged their home in Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Front and backyards on heavily affected streets were strewn with the contents of homes. Carpets, insulation and drywall destroyed by the flood were headed to the dump. Precious mementos dried in the sun.

The City and Borough of Juneau is organizing collection of debris and waste . Gary and Karen Kostenko couldn’t wait. Their garage flooded and their yard was filled with waterlogged stuff they didn’t need.

[ ‘It happened so fast’: Speed and scale of Juneau flooding caught residents by surprise ]

Abraham and Aiona Fisi, owners of Southeast Junk Removal & Demolition, arrived at the Kostenko home Wednesday morning to start hauling away trash. They have had dozens of flood-impacted residents calling to remove junk.

“We’re barely even making a dent,” Aiona Fisi said, looking at neighboring yards filled with flotsam.

Aiona Fisi, center, and others from the Southeast Junk Removal company, haul away items from Gee Street in Juneau on August 7, 2024, a day after flooding damaged many homes in the area. (Marc Lester / ADN)

On a nearby street, U.S. Coast Guardsmen fried burgers on a grill to feed people cleaning their homes. Churches and tribal groups delivered food and water on Wednesday. Several exhausted and frayed homeowners said they couldn’t remember what day it was.

Drayton Parker and Dustin McCoy, both Coast Guard members, grill burgers for residents and helpers responding to flooding on Emily Way in Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley on August 7, 2024. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Jacqueline Pata, first vice president of Tlingit and Haida, said the Juneau tribe was giving out food and water because people were forgetting to take care of themselves as they worked frantically. Some needed emotional support, she said.

“It’s a crisis that people are dealing with and we want to take care of them,” she said, adding that there was another time pressure concerning officials.

”With school coming next week, we’re a little nervous about how are these families going to be ready for that?” Pata said.

The city’s emergency shelter at nearby Floyd Dryden Middle School had closed as of Wednesday, Juneau officials said. Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall was open downtown for people who needed to shelter or just to take a break — maybe somewhere to drop off the kids as they cleaned up, Pata said.

The flood water receded rapidly Tuesday morning, leaving most streets dry in unusually sunny Juneau weather. Homeowners scrambled to dry their possessions and drain flood water from their homes before rain that was forecasted for Friday evening.

The impacted area from the glacial lake flooding was in Mendenhall Valley, a neighborhood northwest of downtown Juneau.

Martha Quinn, who has lived in her Mendenhall Valley home for 23 years, was circumspect Tuesday evening. Her floors will have to be ripped out, and her house has drywall damage. She said neighbors and friends have been “incredible” helping out.

“All the suffering that there is of such greater magnitude around the world, this is a drop in the bucket,” she said philosophically.

Martha Quinn takes her dog, Daisy, out for a walk late Tuesday, August 6, 2024. Many of Quinn’s belongings are drying in front of the home she has lived in for 23 years, which was damaged by flooding. Quinn said it had been a difficult day, but she had a lot of help from friends and neighbors in response to the flooding and remains optimistic. “All the suffering that there is of such greater magnitude around the world, this is a drop in the bucket,” she said. (Marc Lester / ADN)

By Wednesday afternoon, standing water remained in basements and crawl spaces in houses in some of the hardest hit neighborhoods. Barr said Wednesday that there was a need to drain water and remove waterlogged drywall quickly to avoid structural damage.

Last year, the Mendenhall River flooded at then-record levels, washing away two homes into the river. A year later to the day, the 2024 flood hit after the Suicide Basin ice dam burst.

Debris from a home that partially fell into the Mendenhall River sits on its banks in Juneau, Alaska, in August of 2023. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire via AP)

Paul Converse spent Tuesday pulling flood-damaged carpet out of his home. On Wednesday morning, he was preparing to remove sodden sheetrock and insulation. Like many Mendenhall Valley residents, he was surprised by the speed and the scale of the flooding in neighborhoods that hadn’t flooded before.

”It was stunning to me that last year my lot was dry, then this year I had four feet of moving water,” he said.

Tuesday’s flooding was historic, raising the Mendenhall River to a record level of 15.99 feet, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service maintains an interactive map that shows which Mendenhall Valley neighborhoods can expect to be inundated at different flood levels.

Barr suggested the mapping system and communication with residents could be improved. He described the map as “kind of cumbersome,” and he said that it “isn’t really comprehensible to a lay person.”

“Because the maps are good, the technology is good, the data is good, the science is good — it’s just public communication and getting the right information in front of the right people at the time that they need it,” he said.

Murkowski and Dunleavy tour the damage

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined local Juneau officials to tour some of the worst-hit neighborhoods on Wednesday. At Janet Coffin’s house, the subterranean crawl space was still full of water by the early afternoon. A sump pump ran to drain water onto the road.

Dunleavy and Murkowski toured the Juneau flood damage a year ago. They were back on Wednesday, surveying more widespread damage from the same flooding phenomenon.

“I don’t want to come back and visit you every August 6 or 7,” Murkowski said to Lisa Wallace, a homeowner with her front yard strewn with furniture and other possessions.

Both Dunleavy and Murkowski said there should be longer-term discussions about whether there could be ways to mitigate the now-annual glacial dam release, or to avoid it altogether.

“The question is going to be, how do you mitigate and control a release up there?” Dunleavy said.

“We want to do more than just monitoring. We want to be able to figure out, is this preventable?” Murkowski said.

For now, though, the focus is on recovery.

Dunleavy issued a state disaster declaration on Tuesday, which allows residents to apply for cash assistance through Oct. 9. A federal disaster declaration would allow substantially more cash assistance to be available.

Murkowski said a federal disaster declaration was denied for the 2023 Juneau flood. Last year’s flooding occurred at the same time as a devastating wildfire in Maui and unprecedented storms in South Carolina and Florida, she said.

“We stack up with the other disasters going on around the country,” she said.

Linda Perry hugs Sen. Lisa Murkowski on August 7, 2024. Perry’s home on Emily Way in Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley was damaged by Mendenhall River flooding on Tuesday. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Paul Converse lives a quarter mile from the river. Like many of his neighbors, he thought he was safe from Mendenhall River flooding. He doesn’t have insurance that will help. He said he talked to his insurance agent who wondered if federal assistance will be approved.

For Linda Perry, that assistance would be critical.

“I really hope they can find help for us. ‘Cause I didn’t work my whole life just to lose everything to a flood,” she said.

Sean Maguire

Sean Maguire is a politics and general assignment reporter for the Anchorage Daily News based in Juneau. He previously reported from Juneau for Alaska's News Source. Contact him at [email protected].

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Alaska Felt Safe From Global Warming. Then the Glacier Melted.

What i hope people understand about the record flooding in juneau..

Thirteen years ago, I returned to my hometown of Juneau, Alaska. I’d been living in Southern California, an environment that, with each wildfire season, had become increasingly hostile to my lungs. Juneau seemed like the solution, a place where I could raise a family of my own. Nestled in the world’s largest temperate rainforest—where it rains on average between 90 and 120 inches a year—I could drink delicious water from the tap and breathe deeply in the pristine air. If all hell broke loose, we would be surrounded by plenty of natural resources with which to fill our jars and freezers and warm our homes.

Juneau lacks wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes, and due to the island’s breakup, there are no tsunamis. In a burning world, ours is rainy and cold. My hypersensitive, medically fragile body felt safe.

That is until the melting glacier came for the town. Specifically, this glacier:

Almost one year ago exactly, on Aug. 4, 2023 ,  ice melt that had accumulated spilled out from the glacial lake at Suicide Basin . The overflow flooded the river, eroding the bank in a matter of hours—by some estimations, up to 150 feet of riverbank—undermined the foundations of multiple buildings, and swallowed entire stands of trees. It swept the home where two friends and teaching colleagues of mine lived into the river, and devoured the bank near my sister-in-law’s home. The historic flood was featured on the covers of major international publications, and in a viral TikTok video showing how powerful the water had become.

On Monday night, Aug. 6, 2024, Suicide Basin crested again. This time, the flood was even more devastating . Coinciding with a high tide that brought the river even higher, the water level surpassed the forecasted “worst-case scenario” at 1 foot higher than last year’s flood. Some streets filled up with 4 feet or more of water. It’s estimated that hundreds of homes may have been affected .

One guy I talked to said his friend had been stuck in his car overnight as the ice-cold flood waters entered it.

A story reported by local news source KTOO described a family who saw water rushing into their home so fast they put their child on top of the refrigerator, which was floating. When they arrived at the city’s emergency shelter at Floyd Dryden Middle School, they were soaked with glacial water. In their quick exit, they had left their “ducks, a cat, a lizard, and a beloved pet dog behind,” KTOO reported.

One couple narrowly escaped the flood by jumping out of their second-story windows to get to a raft.

A friend whose house flooded said that in the morning, the power was out, so a neighbor lent her a gas-powered pump. This repeatedly set off the carbon monoxide monitors due to the fumes. Any time she or her husband went inside, they held their breath. This morning her husband came down with a bloody nose.

“With every moment of relief there seems to be a whole new concern,” she said.

The Juneau community has wasted no time in posting pictures of found pets and items in hopes of reuniting them with owners. Businesses have been driving around offering food and free services. Friends, my family included, have been scrounging for fans, dehumidifiers, and sump pumps to lend to friends affected by the flood.

On Tuesday, just hours after the second flood of historic proportions, I took a ride in a de Havilland Beaver floatplane to tour over the glacier with my family. My cousin was in town and my mom had arranged the tickets to do some sightseeing before the flood had occurred. It felt incongruous with the disaster, but we went anyway. We flew into skies choked with smoke from the Canadian wildfires—I couldn’t escape the fires after all—and over glaciers and an ice field that are in the process of disappearing. I saw how the rock had been exposed by the shrinking glacier. The pilot later told us a dogsled-camp tourist attraction had been moved up higher due to melting ice.

The air got smokier as we flew over the ice fields. Then, we saw the bloated Mendenhall River, which had just hours before had damaged hundreds of homes and destroyed cars, and left people to lay their entire lives out on lawns, drying in the sun. I thought about how insurance won’t cover so much of the damage . The policies weren’t designed to protect us from all the tolls of climate change. Most of the affected homes were not located in flood zones, and likely didn’t have any kind of flood insurance.

I will not be safe from the effects of climate change in the Alaska rainforest. The signs had been there. Two summers back, I participated in a local event called Climate Fair for a Cool Planet. As part of the programming, I and others danced a silly little number at a waterfront park by a breaching whale statue, pretending to be tourists taking in the wildlife. But what stuck most with me was the climate expert who spoke.

He told us that using reusable grocery bags and buying electric cars is good, but won’t make much of a difference in the big picture. If we really want to make a change, we need to work on voting in leaders who will work to introduce legislation to combat climate change.

His words have stuck with me even now. If you’re still reading, by all means, keep driving those electric cars, doing what you can in your daily life. But most importantly, I hope you’ll help elect leaders who will commit to addressing climate change. My community in Alaska is only one of the latest places to be affected. We might seem far away to you, but we are part of the same world. And I can tell you what we’re thinking here: We can’t even imagine what the future will look like if we don’t take action now.