Tour operators demand enforcement of permits at Mendenhall Glacier as fee increases are put forward

Public can leave feedback on recreation fee increases for sites in Juneau, Ketchikan and near Hoonah until July 20

A sign welcomes people to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in November 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Independent)

By Jasz Garrett

Juneau Independent

What was an open house hearing for a proposed fee increase at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center turned into a session where permit holders sought solutions to an enforcement problem they say has persisted for several seasons.

The proposal raises the daily entry fee from $5 per person to $15 and charges $20 per person for a season/year pass, instead of the current fee of $15 per group. The public comment period for the proposed increase began in May and concludes July 20.

The annual operation and maintenance expenditures are about equal to collections, but do not account for

life-cycle replacements to safely operate the visitor center, especially with increasing demand, according to the Forest Service.

The additional funds, along with 95% of the revenue from recreation fees, are used to operate, maintain and improve Forest Service facilities. For the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, deferred maintenance and upgrading restrooms would be a priority, according to agency officials.

“You guys need all the money, you deserve all the money,” said Serene Hutchinson, an owner of Juneau Tours, during a U.S. Forest Service open house June 24 at the Juneau Ranger District station. “I think the Mendenhall Glacier is worth $15 as an entrance fee, but unfortunately, if this is required of us to pre-collect, it will price me so far out I might as well sell all my trolleys and buy a bunch of Turos.”

Hutchinson said a fee increase is not the issue, but “our permit has lost its value.” 

“What I’m here to represent is just the enforcement of the permit and the management of the property,” she said.

Slide from U.S. Forest Service presentation. (Courtesy of John Suomala)

She said the glacier’s visitor management needs to be addressed because of “the incredible unfair inequity that is happening right now to us permitted operators, compared to all of the thousands upon thousands of non-permitted operators.” 

The Mendenhall Glacier is Juneau’s most visited attraction, with about 700,000 visitors a year. 

Hutchinson said the permit issue has been exacerbated since 2023. 

“It’s been an increasing problem for years, partially because the permits are limited, and we had a crisis where all the permits were getting used up, and so then what happened is non-permitted operators started springing up everywhere,” she said in an interview.

Hutchinson asked the Forest Service to set up a contact station and collect fees directly. The agency has the authority to install a contact station under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. But state access to the road makes it challenging.

“The portion of Glacier Spur Road that leads into the recreation area is outside of the Forest Service's jurisdiction, which limits the agency’s ability to conduct enforcement actions,” wrote Paul Robbins, a Forest Service spokesperson. “We are committed to coordinating with local, state, and federal officials to find solutions.”

Hutchinson said she is concerned about going out of business. Juneau Tours is a family business without cruise line contracts that owns 20 vehicles. She explained permit holders are billed in advance for site visits — Juneau Tours pays about $7 a person.

“I’m at such a disadvantage every day,” she said. “There’s more rental cars every year. There's unlicensed taxis, and not only do they not have to pay the regular permit fee, they also don't have to prepay for the $5 fee.”

Juneau Tours is the second largest permit holder after Holland America Princess. The three-hour glacier tour, including transportation time, is $65. She said while tourism is a successful industry, it’s harder to make ends meet — fuel costs are one-third higher than last season, and there are expenses for maintenance and 85 employees.

“We’re real people, and you guys are real people, and we’re on the real people level, and we know you guys are doing your best — and we also know that we’ve been screaming into the wind for years now and so have you,” she told the Forest Service rangers. 

A graph shows current fee collections for the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. (Slide courtesy of John Suomala)

Another tour operator asked the Forest Service to change when the fees are collected.

Dawn Wolfe, chief financial officer of Gastineau Guiding Co., said if the fee increase is implemented, “it’s going to be harder and harder to get those prepayments paid in May.” 

“No revenue for the entire year, and then you have a huge payment coming up, and that is so stressful,” she said. 

Wolfe added it’s difficult to raise fees when locked into two-to three-year contracts with cruise lines.

“If it doesn’t make sense to raise it, we won’t,” said John Suomala, a recreation program manager for the Forest Service. He said this is why the public comment period is important.

He added fee increases could be phased in due to the need to advertise tours in advance. The Forest Service took a similar approach at the Anan Wildlife Observatory Site and various cabins.

“It’s kind of an administrative burden, and it’s confusing for the public because it seems like we’re raising the fee all the time, so it has its disadvantages, but yes, you can phase it,” Suomala said. 

The fee increase could go into effect as soon as next summer, though.

Suomala said the fee proposal could be dismissed if there are overwhelming public comments against it — or if the permit enforcement is not resolved, the increase could be delayed.

The comment period could also be extended past July 20 if more feedback is needed. Another option is to raise Mendenhall Glacier’s entry fees to $10 rather than $15. The entry fees apply during the cruise season (May 1 - Sept. 30) and are not necessary for connecting trail systems.

There is no exception for locals during the summer, but the season pass aims to address this, Suomala said. The current season pass covers two people and is discounted after July 1 for the calendar year. The proposal would change it to cover one person at $20.

“Once we get all that feedback, we will look at all the comments, propose a decision to the Washington office, as well as the fee board, and make a recommendation to the regional forester,” he said.

As of Wednesday, the Forest Service has received nine comments, according to Suomala. There were four attendees at June’s open house. Comments are accepted online, by email, mail, at an office, or by phone. Feedback is also being accepted this month for fees at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center and the False Bay Cabin. 

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz@juneauindependent.com or (907) 723-9356.