D'Ju Know Part 2

After visiting Juneau's Arboretum and Shrine sites off we went to Mendenhall Glacier National Park where our new couch surfing buddies served as guides along the park's paved pathway. Time permitted us to learn more about each other. One of our hosts is actually a Wisconsinite (Dodgeville). We can understand their commitment and attachment to the Alaskan homes he has hand built in Juneau. Unfortunately we couldn't see it personally since there were other Juneau stops to be included in our 8 hour stop. BUT our trip's timing was in conjunction with the salmon migration. Now's that's a sight to behold.

                                                                                   
Thousands of tired salmon make their way upstream to lay their eggs. The eggs are viable for 24 hours so those males have to work fast to fertilize the newly laid eggs.

It was no surprise to see other wildlife  near these waterways as fish equals food.  Eagles, porcupines and bears, oh my. Yes, 'tis the season to see bears in Alaska as captured by one of our  couch surfing friends. They actually tend to hang out in trees/bushes eating berries. I spent a lot of time looking for leaf movement.

No wonder the bears use this mode of transportation. ..

As we strolled the path near the glacier I spied a bush shaking and after zooming in with my camera assuming a bear, caught a porcupine instead working on the berries. This may be like Where's Waldo. Can you see him at the base of the bush? (a little right of center)

Mr. Porcupine

BUT We were also here to see the glacier and so far we only saw bits of the glacier floating in the waters.  This larger chunk reminded me of a floating Phoenix. What do you think?

Finally at the end of path the spectacular glacier was before us...

Glaciers make their way down valleys and crush and smooth the bedrock, polishing it and sometimes carrying boulders along as it retreats. Global warming is evident also here as the Mendenhall Glacier used to reach all the way over to the waterfall on the right behind us. 

It was super magnificent to be this close to a glacier...  but we still had more to see..

 TBC for more in Juneau.