 The Juneau Icefield Research Program has monitored outlet glaciers of the Juneau Icefield since 1946 . On the west side of the ice field , the terminus of the Mendenhall Glacier , which flows into suburban Juneau , Alaska , has retreated 580 m ( 1 @,@ 900 ft ) . Of the nineteen glaciers of the Juneau Icefield , eighteen are retreating , and one , the Taku Glacier , is advancing . Eleven of the glaciers have retreated more than 1 km ( 0 @.@ 62 mi ) since 1948 — Antler Glacier , 5 @.@ 4 km ( 3 @.@ 4 mi ) ; Gilkey Glacier , 3 @.@ 5 km ( 2 @.@ 2 mi ) ; Norris Glacier , 1 @.@ 1 km ( 0 @.@ 68 mi ) and Lemon Creek Glacier , 1 @.@ 5 km ( 0 @.@ 93 mi ) . Taku Glacier has been advancing since at least 1890 , when naturalist John Muir observed a large iceberg calving front . By 1948 the adjacent fjord had filled in , and the glacier no longer calved and was able to continue its advance . By 2005 the glacier was only 1 @.@ 5 km ( 0 @.@ 93 mi ) from reaching Taku Point and blocking Taku Inlet . The advance of Taku Glacier averaged 17 m ( 56 ft ) per year between 1988 and 2005 . The mass balance was very positive for the 1946 – 88 period fueling the advance ; however , since 1988 the mass balance has been slightly negative , which should in the future slow the advance of this mighty glacier . 
