Alaska’s top tourist attraction, the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, is reaching its capacity for commercial tours this year sooner than in previous years, due to the growing number of visitors.
This means tour operators are also facing limits in the second half of the summer season on how many tours have permits to visit the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, which is overseen by the U.S. Forest Service.
The Forest Service said in a statement that it is asking for the public’s patience and understanding.
The commercial-tourism limits are in place to protect the local ecosystems and natural resources, as well as the experiences of visitors, according to the Forest Service. A limit of 517,650 visitors was set in 2015 after an environmental analysis of the area. But with the exception of the pandemic – which shut down the industry for nearly two years – the number of cruise-ship visitors has grown. The cruise-ship industry projected 1.65 million visitors to Alaska this year.
Business owners knew this day was coming, but it still stings, said Serene Hutchinson, general manager of Juneau Tours, which has operated for more than 20 years.
“Mostly, it’s hard to be disappointing people all day long,” she said.
She said her business plans to carefully manage its remaining permits for glacier visits. But she’s also trying to make up for the limits with additional city tours of Juneau and with whale-watching tours. She acknowledged that for Juneau visitors, the glacier is iconic.
“I’ve kind of made it through all five stages of grief and you’re catching me at ‘acceptance,’” Hutchinson said.
She added that she feels sympathy for Forest Service staff facing public criticism: “We’re a small town and we know them all personally. … I’m grateful for them and I trust them to make the right decision.”
The glacier’s visitor capacity was adjusted slightly upward in 2019, adding 55,000, after restrooms and other facilities were expanded. The Forest Service is considering further expanding facilities as a longer-term solution. That proposed project is under review by the public.
Juneau Deputy District Ranger Laura Buchheit, in a statement, described the public engagement with the proposal as being “in the final stretch.”
“Protecting this special place while adapting to unprecedented increases in visitation is a significant challenge, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we move through the process,” Buchheit said.
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