Juneau, Alaska, one of the largest municipalities in the United States, greeted us with towering mountains and fresh, crisp air. It was our second stop on the cruise after an eventful day in Sitka. Having experienced the rich culture of Alaska, we were eager for our next adventures: hiking near a glacier and visiting sledding dogs. Michael ventured off on his own brewery tour, while Beth and Hunter explored downtown Juneau, soaking in the charm of this unique capital city.
Amber and Vicky’s Day: Glacier and Huskies
Today Amber and I paired up for two back-to-back excursions.
Mendenhall Glacier Explorers
Starting with a trip to Mendenhall Glacier. Our bus driver, Donni, was a character, cracking jokes about his “Wrong Bus” sign, making the ride almost as entertaining as the destination. Mendenhall Glacier, is a 13-mile glacier that meets up with Mendenhall Lake.
Amber and I decided to do the 2-mile round-trip hike to Nugget Falls. This hike took us through a spooky forest—Amber's kind of vibe! The waterfall was magnificent, with its roaring water crashing down right in front of us from 377 feet down the rugged mountainside. Some brave adventurers, like myself, hopped across stepping stones to get even closer. From that point, we could see the Mendenhall Glacier in all its icy blue glory. We meandered back towards the visitor center and the scenic Photo Point. Amber and I even hunted for a virtual geocache before catching the "Right-Wrong Bus" back.
On the way, we spotted eagles. Our guide joked they were the pigeons of Alaska—so common yet majestic.
Sledding Dog Summer Camp
Next up was our visit to a sledding dog summer camp—talk about cuteness overload! There were 187 Alaskan Huskies, including seven adorable puppies. Our guide, Patrick—though I kept calling him "Alaskan Bob" since he reminded me of my brother-in-law—introduced us to his pack of 62 dogs. He also told us he had 17 more dogs at home in Utah. The 187 Alaskan Huskies are basically mutts, bred for certain characteristics.
We went on a thrilling 2-mile cart run with the dogs, and it was over so fast we wished it could’ve lasted longer. I was especially touched by Togi, a 12-year-old veteran dog who, despite throat cancer and losing his bark, was still going strong. Togi will be retiring after this year due to arthritis. He would have retired last year but due to new food and supplements he was ready to run again. Then there was poor Bruno, who got run over not once, but twice during the run—first for stopping to poop, and second when a handler didn’t secure him properly. Amazingly, Bruno was Mars' seeing-eye dog!
After the dog run, we learned about the Iditarod and saw a real snow sled used in the race. Our guide shared stories, like the time his dogs ran off while he was sleeping in his sled, leaving him stranded in the freezing cold in only his underwear. The only way they returned to him was yelling “Gee” over and over until they made enough right turns to get back to him.
Finally, the best part—puppy time! Amber joked about sneaking one home, and we laughed when we heard about a tourist who actually tried that a few years ago and made it all the way back to the cruise ship. Though they ended up being left at port.
Beth and Hunter: Exploring Juneau Adventure
While Amber and I were off hiking and dog sledding, Beth and Hunter took their time exploring downtown Juneau. They wandered the boardwalk, admired the local totem poles, and stumbled across a unique piece of art—a map of the U.S. made entirely of nails. Beth also made it her mission to find shops giving away free items, like jewelry (who can resist a good freebie?). She even walked to a local grocery store, fascinated by how different it was from the typical tourist spots. She described it as the everything store.
Michael’s Solo Journey: Biking and Brews
Michael, meanwhile, set off on his own adventure. On his way to meet up for the excursions a crew member stopped to ask him "Where’s Outdoorsy?” since he was wearing our matching "Indoorsy" and “Outdoorsy” sweater. His day started with a bit of a delay—two missing participants made everyone wait.
He finally started his 9-mile bike ride, weaving through residential streets and scenic trails. Michael caught stunning views of the glacier from across the lake—ironically, Amber and I were on the opposite side at that moment! After biking to the visitor center, he took a few quick photos, wishing he had time for a hike but knowing he'd never make it back in time.
Next up, the Alaska Brewing tasting. He tried three beers—Kolsch, Amber, and Ice Bay IPA—and declared them all delicious. Michael had a quick task to complete set by myself to find a certain statue. The statue in question is Tahku, the Alaskan Whale Sculpture, that is a life-size bronze humpback breaching amidst the infinity pool.
After a quick lunch back on the ship, he set out on his own self-guided drinking tour, starting at Amalga Distillery for a free tasting. Then it was on to Devil Brewing and Barnaby Brewing, where he discovered a cute resident kitty.
By the end of the day, we all gathered back on the ship, sharing stories of our separate adventures. From breathtaking glaciers to cuddly puppies and local brews, Juneau gave us a true taste of Alaska’s wild spirit. It’s a stop we’ll never forget, and one that left us eager to explore more of this incredible state. Sadly this will be our last stop in Alaska, because that evening we would learn that hurricane-like weather was approaching and to keep us safe we would skip the next two ports.
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