Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Alaska #3357

Bob Engelbrecht treks along an icy ledge next to a deep blue glacial lake on the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska.
Last week Bob Engelbrecht and Reed Stoops invited Jan McPhetres and me along on a photo trek on the Mendenhall Glacier. Bob moved to Juneau in 1981, arriving in a Hughes 500 helicopter. Originally, Bob came to provide helicopter support to Greens Creek Mine on Admiralty Island. But when friends and family came to visit him, he would fly them up to the Mendenhall Glacier. Everyone raved about this unique Alaska experience, so Bob created the first Alaska commercially permitted helicopter glacier tour on the Mendenhall Glacier in 1983. As we say, “the rest is history.” Bob left TEMSCO in 1997 to start NorthStar Trekking and moved out of state in 2007. He now splits his time between Bend, Oregon, and Juneau. After 37 some years of free glacier trips Bob finally happily paid for the pleasure of walking on the Mendenhall Glacier. During our glacier trek Reed expressed the sentiment that in this covid-19 world we do not adventure far from home, so we ought to explore our own amazing backyard. The Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield are, of course, at the top of the list. So, get out there! Our local helicopter companies, TEMSCO, NorthStar Trekking, and Coastal Helicopter offer custom charters. Camera: Nikon D850, Lens: Nikkor 24-70, f/2.8, Digital Capture, Handheld ©Mark Kelley