Juneau / June 17, 2014

Today, we went to Mendenhall Glacier and then a Salmon Bake. It was the "rainiest" day we had on the entire cruise! Thank goodness we had rain gear! Juneau (Tlingit: Dzánti K'ihéeni), capital of Alaska, was founded during a gold rush in 1880. It is the second largest city in the United States by area. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, and is the second most populous city in Alaska. There are no roads connecting Juneau to the rest of Alaska or the rest of North America (though ferry service is available for cars). Today, the former gold-mining town counts among its riches some of Alaska's most spectacular scenery. Nestled at the foot of Mt. Juneau in the Alaska Panhandle, it faces the water from the mainland side of Gastineau Channel. Several magnificent fjords are located along the channel coast, and the majestic Mendenhall Glacier, a favorite of visitors, is nearby. The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik'i Héeni ("Base of the Flounder’s River", dzánti ‘flounder’, –kʼi ‘base’, héen ‘river’).