Though Mendenhall Glacier area’s Steep Creek might appear calm and empty this time of year, come summer, it will be teeming with salmon.

In the meantime, before the excitement of the run begins, Juneau youth and residents are invited to visit the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Saturday morning to learn more and participate in activities that explore the life cycle of the salmon that inhabit the Mendenhall Glacier area.

“This month explores all things salmon,” Julia Spofford, acting assistant director at the center, told the Empire. “We chose salmon because it’s one of our biggest wildlife presences here and something we talk about frequently with the public.”

Saturday’s event is the final installment of this winter’s Mendenhall Mini’s series, an annual series created by the forest service as a way to encourage children in Juneau to learn more about the vast array of animals that call the glacier home via offering activities and mini feature videos that spotlight different species each winter month.

The sun partially sines on the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center as it sets in late February. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

This year, the animals featured were bears in January, birds in February and lastly, and salmon in March. This winter marked the in-person return of the series after a few years of online-only content due to COVID.

Spofford said it’s been great to have the series snack in person, and encouraged residents to head over to the visitor center to learn more about the salmon that will be making their way to Juneau in just a few short months.

Know & Go

What: Mendenhall Minis Series: Salmon

Where: Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. 6000 Glacier Spur Rd

When: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 11.

• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.