THE GLACIER HIGHWAY IN ALASKA 



BY JOHIS D. GUTHRIE, U. S. FOREST SERVICE 



FEW people know that it is possible now to visit an 

 Alaskan glacier by automobile and yet one can hire 

 a car in Juneau at any of the numerous garages, 

 and by a drive of only ii miles, 

 over a good road, visit Menden- 

 hall Glacier. 



This drive is over a part of 

 what is to be known as the 

 Glacier Highway, which when 

 completed will extend from 

 Juneau, the capital of the terri- 

 tory of Alaska, some 60 miles 

 north to Bemer's Bay. It will 

 be entirely within the Tongass 

 National Forest except the small 

 portion within the city limits of 

 Juneau. 



This highway is being con- 

 structed under a co-operative 

 arrangement between the Forest 

 Service, the Bureau of Public 

 Roads, the Alaska Road Com- 

 mission (composed of United States Army Engineers), 

 and the Territorial Road Commission. The location, 



The road starts at Juneau, follows north along Gastineau 

 Channel, past canneries and sawmills, then by farms 

 and dairy ranches, with several silos in sight, for a 



ALASKA, THE LAND OF POWER AND BEAUTY THIS SHOWS THE INLET TO AUKE LAKE, 

 VIEWED FROM THE GLACIER HIGHWAY, SUMMER HOMES ARE ALREADY APPEARING ON 

 THE TIMBER COVERED SHORES OF THIS LOVELY BODY OF WATER 



distance of some eleven miles, where a branch road 

 turns oflf to Mendenhall Glacier. Autos may approach 

 within a few hundred yards of the 

 glacier and visitors, by a short walk 

 past the power plant, may go out on 

 the glacier. There is a camping site 

 nearby which is used by Juneau peo- 

 ple who drive out, bringing tents and 

 camping outfits, and spend a night 

 under the shadow of this interesting 

 age-old ice-mass. 



On the steep, rock slopes of the sur- 

 rounding mountains may be seen the 



TO VISIT AN ALASKAN GLAOER BY AUTOMO 

 BILE IT IS ONLY NECESSARY TO HIRE A CAR 

 ON ANY FINE SUNDAY AT JUNEAU AND BY 



survey and construction work is being 

 done entirely by the Bureau of Public 

 Roads, C. W. Cheatham, Senior High- 

 way Engineer, being directly in charge. 

 The Forest Service, the Alaska Road 

 Commission and the Territorial Road 

 Commission bear the cost. 



When completed this highway will be 

 one of the show places of all Alaska. 



A DRIVE OF ONLY ELEVEN MILES, OVER A FINE ROAD, ARRIVE AT MENDEN- 

 HALL GLACIER. WHEN THIS HIGHWAY IS COMPLETED IT WILL BE ONE OF 

 THE SHOW PLACES OF ALASKA 



