Monday, October 13, 2025

Taku Glacier

Taku Glacier is a tidewater glacier located in Taku Inlet in Alaska, just southeast of the city of Juneau. Recognized as the deepest and thickest alpine temperate glacier known in the world, the Taku Glacier is measured at 4,845 feet thick. It is about 36 miles long and is largely within the Tongass National Forest.

The glacier was originally named Schultze Glacier in 1883 and then the Foster Glacier in 1890, but Taku, the name the local Tlingit natives had for the glacier, eventually stuck. It is nestled in the Coast Mountains and originates in the Juneau Icefield. It’s the largest glacier in the icefield and one of the southernmost tidewater glaciers of the northern hemisphere.

Due to the positive mass balance, more snow currently accumulating than snow and ice melt, and the fact that it was no longer losing mass to icebergs, Taku Glacier has become insensitive to the warming that has impacted all other glaciers of the icefield. This has driven its advance.

We were able to get a bird’s eye view of the glacier as we traveled by helicopter with North Star Trekking en route to our dog sledding excursion during our Carnival Legend stop in Juneau. This photo gives you an idea of how massive this glacier really is.

Latest

Cake Boss Buddy Valastro Talks Giants Football, Perfect Cake Bites, and Expanding His Bakery Legacy

Buddy Valastro, best known for his reality TV show Cake...

Extra Innings ’26: Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Dierks Bentley + Hardy

For its third year, Extra Innings Festival will return...

Masterpieces in Motown: Inside the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum

The Detroit Institute of Arts Museum is among the...

Chris Stapleton and Brooks & Dunn Top The Bill for Two Step Inn

Returning to San Gabriel Park for its fourth year,...

Don't miss

Cake Boss Buddy Valastro Talks Giants Football, Perfect Cake Bites, and Expanding His Bakery Legacy

Buddy Valastro, best known for his reality TV show Cake...

Extra Innings ’26: Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Dierks Bentley + Hardy

For its third year, Extra Innings Festival will return...

Masterpieces in Motown: Inside the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum

The Detroit Institute of Arts Museum is among the...

Chris Stapleton and Brooks & Dunn Top The Bill for Two Step Inn

Returning to San Gabriel Park for its fourth year,...

Meeting the Makers: A Road Trip Through Northern Indiana Shows Off the Goods

When you think “road trip”, what comes to mind?...
Amy Harris
Amy Harris is a writer and photographer who has been traveling for 20 years and flown over 2 million miles to visit over 80 countries on 6 continents. She is a freelance photographer for Invision by Associated Press, AP Images and Rex/Shutterstock. Her work can be seen in various publications and websites including: Rolling Stone, AP Images, National Geographic Books, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Forbes.com, Lonely Planet Travel Guides, JetStar magazine, and Delta Sky Magazine.

Cake Boss Buddy Valastro Talks Giants Football, Perfect Cake Bites, and Expanding His Bakery Legacy

Buddy Valastro, best known for his reality TV show Cake Boss, detailing the daily life of running his family bakery business, is more than just a...

Extra Innings ’26: Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Dierks Bentley + Hardy

For its third year, Extra Innings Festival will return to Arizona’s Tempe Beach Park & Arts Park on February 27-28, 2026. In addition to...

Masterpieces in Motown: Inside the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum

The Detroit Institute of Arts Museum is among the top six in the nation, containing over 65,000 works of art. The building is 658,000...

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here