Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier, in southeast Alaska, is one of the most accessible, and most frequently visited, glaciers on Earth.  In Juneau, Alaska it is referred to as “The Glacier”, as it is a short walk, ski, or bike ride (or even visible!) from many homes.  Having this icy-behemoth as a dominating feature of the local landscape results in it playing a large role in the lives of those who are privileged to refer to it as a neighbor.  Sherry Simpson (AK author and GlacierChange.org contributor) writes that “for those of us who grew up with it, the glacier is a calendar, a place holder, a reminder that time scrapes against us, too.”