Hike onto Mendenhall Glacier

You will follow the West Glacier Trail from the trailhead and eventually take the Ice Cave trail. It is not very well marked and you will need to be on the look out for cairns and other identifiers throughout the hike. The beginning is fairly smooth, though often slippery with many roots and boulders to scramble around. In some places you will pass small bridges and use fixed lines to climb u rock faces. 

This trail will take you to the edge of the glacier, which is a good point to put on your crampons and start exploring. Be sure to note where you came down the trial onto the glacier, because it can be difficult to find your place on the way back up. The Mendenhall is vast, with walls of ice towering over you. It is like another world out there, so a GPS device or a good sense of direction is important once you are on the expanse of ice. Be aware of time, for hiking back in the dark would not be a good idea. 

There are also the possibility of ice caves, with a known one being on the north side of the glacier. When the trail ends and you hit the glacier, go straight down to it, then follow to edge to the left. Following this will take you to a grand opening to one of the largest ice caves I have ever seen. That being said, with changing seasons these caves are not consistent. Be aware of conditions and never go into anything that you are unsure of. There is lots to explore, so there is no need to go into anything dangerous.