Home
>
Outdoors
>
Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

I stood at the observation point on the balcony at the Visitor Center overlooking the great Mendenhall Glacier at Juneau, Alaska. Before me was a beautiful scene. The glacier reflected in the large lake. Ooh, ahh. Both to the left and right were mountains. It was a beautiful clear day. I watched the people too, walking around taking photos, and looking at the scenery before us and at the displays in the center, just a few feet away.

A constant roar came from a tall and full waterfall to the right of the glacier. Once, the glacier covered the waterfall. No one was aware of its presence before the glacier receded. I looked closer at the base of the waterfall. There seemed to be a sandbar and people walking on it. With my binoculars I traced the path they must have taken below me. It crossed large sandbars separated by streams and covered with bushes. I found the general location of the beginning of the path. A ranger told me that there was a way to get out there, but it wasn't official, and that it was a little steep at one point. I decided that the best way to see such a beautiful place was up close, so I decided to try it. My mom and my husband were along with me. I told them I wanted to try the path, and asked if they wouldn't mind just hanging around waiting for me since they didn't want to join me.

Into the bushes I went. Immediately, I had to scramble along steep wet slate under the cover of brush. After following some wrong trails and trying again, I found myself in the large bush-covered sandy area heading towards the waterfall. I jumped little streams and plotted my course across to my goal. My last obstacles were climbing a large rock, and then traversing a 20 ft. wide stream dotted with well-placed stepping stones.

I walked right up to the roaring waterfall, and even climbed up along side it a ways on large rocks. Walking away from the waterfall I encountered a large cloud of mist that emanated from its base. I walked out along the sandbar towards the center of the lake and found a large rock to sit on. I had a snack, enjoying being present in this amazing location -- surrounded by the lake and flanked by a glacier, a grand waterfall and mountains. I met people too. Some kids were climbing up much higher than I had on the rocks. A gentleman from Germany took my photo, and I took a photo of two girls out on their own adventure.

After an hour of 'hanging around,' I turned back. I crossed the creek, climbed the rock, and then looked for hikers emerging from the bushes to find the best path back. A couple times I had to stop and wait for new hikers so I could find the path again. The sun was setting, the floating icebergs were glimmering on the lake, and I enjoyed every moment of delay.

My entire trek took about two hours -- worth every moment. My husband and my mom were very understanding and said they enjoyed the visitor center and the scenery (which included me through the telescope!) I'm glad I had the courage to ask for that time. It would have been easy just to do the scheduled tour, and to take no risks. William Shedd once said, 'A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.' I find that when I go further, it makes all the difference. It creates treasured memories.

About The Author

Paths began to beckon Theresa when she was 12, visiting the Bridger Wilderness in Wyoming. Walking, dancing, and movement are a part of her, nourished by John Denver*s musical challenge for her to *fly.* Join her *walking with women* Life Discovery Tours.

Learn more about Theresa Gabriel - Women Summit LLC

http://www.womensummit.com - Life Discovery Tours, Women*s Retreats

Mercedes Benz s500 rentals Salem ..

In The News:

Streaming giant Roku has recently been targeted by a pair of cyberattacks, and the company confirmed over a half million Roku accounts were compromised.

The Land Aircraft Carrier combines an all-terrain, six-wheeled vehicle with a two-seat aircraft, which features electric vertical takeoff and landing.

The European Union has sent TikTok a "request for information" on the video sharing platform's newest app, TikTok Lite, under the Digital Services Act, with the aim to clean up social media.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The FBI is warning the public about a recent phishing scam via text that claims its targets owe money in Pennsylvania for unpaid road toll charges.

Your Apple Music settings may be revealing to your contacts what you're listening to. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the process to change those settings.

Learn how to secure social media accounts, implement legacy contacts, and create a digital estate plan to protect your online assets from 'ghost hackers' after your death.

A ported phone number scam is leading to more people having their identities stolen by sophisticated scammers. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson tells you what you need to know.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vast marine debris vortex, is being tackled by The Ocean Cleanup’s innovative technologies. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Discover easy solutions to tame autocorrect frustration on iOS and Android devices. Turn off, customize and add personal touches to your typing experience.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals the six top things to do right now before it’s too late: Tech and life choices that can keep your safer on and offline.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you some simple steps to discreetly hide apps or an entire app page on your iPhone for decluttering or confidentiality.

The ambient light sensors on smartphones may be turned into cameras, according to researches at MIT. This could pose a threat to people's privacy.

The Autonomous Road Repair System from tech firm Robotiz3d uses artificial intelligence technology to locate potholes and promptly seal them.

Scammers have stooped to using artificial intelligence to scan obituary websites to create fake obituary websites to target the grieving.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing factory in Hungary is using humanoid robots to help with human staffing shortages on the factory floor.

Some video games act like unregulated banks, according to CFPB, which has begun monitoring the situation. The agency says children may be most at risk.

Ascender the robot is capable of climbing stairs with heights up to 8.7 inches, and it can give every corner of your home a deep cleaning.

Tax-return scams are on the rise, and one tax expert from a cybersecurity firm says filing your taxes on time is one way to avoid tax scams.

The innovative XPENG Robot Unicorn is inspired by the mythical unicorn, and you may forget the robot is not actually a living creature.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The Federal Trade Commission, the federal agency to report scams to, is being impersonated as part of a new sophisticated phone scam.

Eatrenalin is a restaurant in Germany with a Floating Chair innovation that makes the 17,000-square-foot venue feel like an amusement park.

U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall met with the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday and said he plans to ride in an autonomously-operated aircraft this Spring.

Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

Outdoors