Goldbelt Tram

I am absolutely terrified of heights! But I do love the tram living downtown. I watch it go up and down the mountain all the time during the summer the restaurant on top of the mountain although isn't my favorite place to eat it does still have a decent variety of food. The bars is quite nice and service is always lovely! If you have the opportunity to ride the tram, I definitely recommend it if you're visiting Juno, the price can be pretty expensive, but I think it's totally worth it on a nice and sunny day!

Yes, this is a five star must do in Juneau Alaska. The ride is smooth and fairly quick and the view from the top is spectacular. In addition to the landscape we also got to enjoy a Bald Eagle hanging on the tree top which was eye level to us from the top of the ridge.

It's a little steep of a price to go to the top
But at the top is a nice little gift store and surprisingly, they sell these very nice Alaska mint silver coins, cheaper than any place else in Alaska

The Goldbelt Tram is conveniently located right next to the cruise ship port. The tram ascends 1,800 feet, giving you beautiful panoramic views of the Gastineau Channel and downtown Juneau. What truly made the ride worth it was that it gave us access to the Gastineau Peak hike, a challenging uphill hike with even more amazing views. We saw marmots and mountain goats! Word of warning: There's a long line to go up, and there's an even longer line to go back down. Make sure you leave enough time to get back down.

I gave an additional star because the gentleman who "drove" us up was extremely friendly and even tried his best to wipe of the rain so we could see the gorgeous view. Other than that it's a waste of $50. All that's up at the top is a bunch of tourist shops.

So, this was an interesting experience. We were recently on a cruise and we had some more time at port and decided to take the tram up the mountain. It was pricey, but since this would probably be our only time in Alaska we thought let's go for it! So, we took it up and they gave us the last trip up time and last trip down time (noted because we planned to do a hike once we reached the top). It was a smooth ride up and we explore the main area which had a restaurant and gift area. Then, we decided let's go on a quick hike-- it was beautiful. The sun was starting to set though and we didn't see any other humans, so we thought let's head back. We make it back to the main area and notice it felt pretty abandoned. I peek my head in the theater area and the lights are off. One of the workers sees me and with surprise in his voice he asks 'what are you doing here?!' I respond, we are trying to watch the movie that plays at 8:30 (I believe was the last showing posted on the wall). He then indicates, 'well we are closed-- everything is closed.' My kids and I look around and they were literally taking out the trash. He then says, sometimes we close at 8:00, sometimes later. We were shocked!! If the front desk that is selling tickets tells customers a closing time and last team down time, that should be the closing time-- we could've been stuck up there stranded if we didn't walk back from our hike when we did.

Notice to staff: you should have a clicker and count how many people go up, then how many people go down as a talley. Saying someone yells out into the woods before they close up isn't sufficient at all for public safety-- I am a woman with two young kids and couldn't been in real danger due to misinformation provided. That made a real impression on us, and I recently informed another family about this experience so they lead with caution if they decide to explore the Tram area. Also, for the price we paid and to get a full hour shaved off was not okay.

We did this tramway as part of an excursion off of a cruise ship. It was the third stop and the guide dropped us here with our tickets and information on how to get back to the cruise ship once we came back down. She should have told us that once we wait in the long line at the base of the mountain to go up the wait to get back down would be triple that amount of time.

The people at the base of this tramway should warn people how long to expect to be up on the mountain too. Since we booked the excursion through the cruise line we were told they would not leave us behind. Thank goodness since it took an hour for the return trip and by the time we had gotten to the front of the line it had tripled. People were trying to cut into the line. No workers were helping control the line. This was a very frustrating place.

The food was ok. We got the pulled pork nachos and fish & Chips. Thinking the line would get better if we ate before going back down. Didn't happen. The line kept growing.

The trails were inaccessible. Very icy and muddy. So everyone pretty much came up and got back in line to go back down.

We made it back to our ship in time. But had planned to walk around downtown. By the time we made it down we were stressed and just wanted to go back to the ship.

Let People know before they go up how long the wait is to get back down.

We had purchased our tickets from our cruise line (Royal Caribbean) and wish we hadn't as they completely over charged us.

The tramway is within a short walk from the cruise terminal area. Although there were 6 ships, it wasn't very busy and we could have purchased the tickets ourselves. So if you're planning on scheduling this as an excursion from a ship, save your money and purchase it when you arrive.

The wait time was literally 30 seconds! Once it fills up, the doors close and you're on your way! The ride up is little over 3 minutes. As one tram goes up, another is on it's way down.

The view from above is magnificent! Plenty of areas to hike, take photos, relax and take in the views.

There's a restaurant, coffee shop, gift shop and a theater (temporarily closed during our visit).

Even though it was raining on and off, we still had a great time!

If you're on a cruise or visiting the area, this is a must! You won't regret it.

Returning wait time was about 5 minutes as there were a lot of people ahead of us.

This Mount Roberts Tramway is actually the GoldBelt Tram...but regardless of the proper name, this tram/skyway leads to some of the best overlook viewpoints of downtown Juneau, Alaska.

And...it's not just the scene when you first exit the tram, it's all about venturing on Mount Roberts Trail!
Yes, I need to repeat this one more time, lol...MOUNT ROBERTS TRAIL, from the station house at the "top of it all", was absolutely spectacular!

And, you can trek along Mount Roberts Trail for a very long time. Or...if at any point you decide you've had enough or fulfilled with the wondrous sightseeing moments...you can always turn around and head back down the tram.

With this info off my chest, lol, the actual "Mount Roberts Tram" but really the GoldBelt Tram was just fine.
I will talk a little about it, but the majority of what I'd like to enforce, or relay with this review, is that hiking on Mount Roberts Trail is an ABSOLUTE MUST DO while here in Juneau!
You will truly capture the essence of the surroundings of Juneau nestled within Alaska's Inside Passage.

First off, is the price of the tram fare for August 24, 2022. It was $45 roundtrip.
Yeah, that's a bit steep, but you just have to think in the big picture that when you're vacationing and enjoying yourself, you must let prices go.
In the end, it's all about the memories and stories you can make while traveling. And that's what you'll get by taking this tram and then hiking Mount Roberts Trail.

Btw...the ride to and from the top was one of the smoothest rides I have taken in terms of gondolas.
No swinging, very sturdy and fast. It was up and down the mountain in 5 -7 minutes.

At the top in the station house, there's a gift shop, restrooms, a restaurant and theater. I stopped at the gift shop to buy a magnet.

But now it's time to get hiking!
I was advised from people I spoke with to hike on Mount Roberts Trail and trek all the way to GOLD RIDGE and GASTINEAU PEAK to immerse myself in some of the most picturesque landscapes.
And, I really can't say much more than YOU HAVE TO HIKE ALL THE WAY TO THESE 2 SPOTS. I couldn't believe my eyes! So humbled to have made the journey to Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak.

With that in mind, let me relay the distances to all the popular points, climbing up Mount Roberts and eventually leading to, lol, again, Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak.

- Alpine Loop Trail - 1/2 mile, 30 minutes. Basic.

- Father Brown's Cross - 1 mile roundtrip, 45 min - 1 hour. This was a nice vantage point and photo opp.

- Gold Ridge! - 3 miles roundtrip, 2 - 3 hours, gaining 1500 feet in elevation! Right beside Gold Ridge is...

- Gastineau Peak! - 4 miles roundtrip, 4 - 4.5 hours and 1900 feet in elevation.

And, if you're interested in advancing further...
- Mount Roberts Peak - 6 miles roundtrip, 6 -8 hours and over 2000 feet in elevation gain.

I did not attempt to go all the way to Mount Roberts Peak as I was told the footing along the way was a little unsteady. Plus, I was more than satisfied with the surroundings at Gastineau Peak, and...I got a late start in the day and didn't want the sun to fade while hiking to the extremes.

A couple things I'd like to mention...

- The hike up to Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak wasn't difficult, imo, and that's because I was constantly stopping for pictures and lost track of the fact I was on a trail.
So, yeah, the higher you go, the better the sights will be looking down upon Juneau and the seaside waterway.

- While advancing further and further, there were barely any signs or posts about how far along you were. Many people were using the App on their phones called, "All Trails", to help guide them.
But basically, the pathway is well defined all the way to Gastineau Peak so as long as you don't veer off too far, you'll be fine.

- Although they say it rains 260 out of the 360 days of the year in Juneau, I can't believe how fortunate I was stopping here on a rare, beautifully, sunny day. Yep, the views were magical!

- When you exit the tram at the Station House, the trailhead for Mount Roberts Hike can be very tricky to find because there are no signs.
It's located behind one of the houses off to the right hand side. I had to ask for assistance, lol.

- The tram can get very BUSY once a cruise ship pulls into port and starts letting passengers exit.
Mendenhall Glacier is probably the most popular destination in Juneau, but this GoldBelt Tram is not far behind.
I'd just advise to try and beat the cruise rush so you're not waiting in line long to ride the tram.

- Also, I think it's very important to come here early in the day because you'll have the sun positioned at your back which will greatly enhance your photo taking moments.
Eventually as the day goes along, the sun moves across the sky and by mid - late afternoon, you're looking straight into the sun.

Finally, I'll just leave with this...
Mount Roberts/GoldBelt Tram and Hike was my most memorable highlight from visiting Juneau, Alaska.

The Mount Roberts Tramway may be one of the most convenient activities in your stop at Juneau. The base of the tram is right next to most of the ships and the transit center for tour buses. There is no parking in the area so enjoy the short walk.

The tram takes you up the side of Mount Roberts with a steep climb. The view can range from none to spectacular depending on the cloud cover at the base and top. My ride was pretty clear although it was an overcast day. The wait can be a little long at the base, but the ride back is a much shorter wait.

The ride is fun with a rather large gondola. There are no seats, but there are plenty of places to hold on. The windows allow a lot of views which are spectacular. At the top, there is a large gift shop and restaurant and a nice nature hike. The views are great!

The cost of the ride is as steep as the climb, but the Mount Roberts Tramway is a nice and quick option while in the Juneau port. Watch the lines and time it well. If it's a good day, it's a good option!