Juneau
On the morning our cruise ship arrived in Juneau, it was sunny and 70℉ - a gorgeous summer day! When we disembarked, a ship photographer said she had visited Juneau at least forty times, and this was only the second time with such beautiful weather.
We had arranged to rent a car through Turo (like Airbnb for vehicles), and picked up our brand new Chevy Equinox at the library parking garage just steps from the pier. Soon we were on the road in Alaska! We were in the narrow southeastern part of the state, barely grasping just the end of the elephant’s tail, but it still counted.
It was just twenty-five minutes’ drive to Mendenhall Glacier in the Tongass National Forest. The Visitors Center had exhibits about glacier formation and local wildlife. Mom and Jan stayed there while Steve and I hiked to nearby Nugget Falls. It was so warm and sunny that it was hard to believe we were in Alaska!
Mendenhall Glacier extends about thirteen miles from the massive Juneau Icefield down to Mendenhall Lake. It has been retreating for hundreds of years, largely due to global warming. We could already see that soon, the glacier’s face will no longer reach the lake. This time-lapse video shows the glacier’s retreat over the last two decades. Watch to the end!
From the glacier, we drove about twenty-five minutes north, back to the seashore. Here we visited the peaceful National Shrine of St. Thérèse (of Lisieux), the patron saint of Alaska. A short spit of land led to a small wooded island. At its center was the shrine chapel, built from local stones collected by volunteers. The Stations of the Cross Walk encircled the island. Access to the beach was difficult, though we did see someone enjoying a swim. Brrrr.
A sign near the shrine warned us to avoid marmots, but we didn’t see any. We did see a crow perched on a tree branch just three feet above us, its call sounding strangely like a cat’s meow.
After driving back to Juneau and returning the car, we walked along the pier back to the ship, enjoying the colorful totem poles. I felt grateful for the beautiful summer day and our first close encounter with Alaska.
