When your cruise ship docks in Juneau Port, travel by minibus to Trailhead, a small town roughly 30 minutes’ drive away. Your guide will have brought along some vital pieces of climbing gear (snacks, water, ropes, chalk, crampons and belays) so you can use your time here to pack them, while listening to a short briefing about the day’s itinerary.
Then, set off on your hike, following your guide at a steady pace along a 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) trail through the lush rainforest toward Mendenhall Lake. The first mile of your trail is relatively easy as the forest trails are well maintained, but then the difficulty ramps up for the remaining three miles as you hike over bedrock and scrambl...