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When people think of skiing in Alaska, they tend to think of gnarly backcountry runs fraught with avalanche danger, dropping out of helicopters onto untouched powder, and endless glades for only the most advanced skiers and riders. While that may be true for Alyeska, America’s northernmost winter resort destination, you’re equally likely to find calm groomers that stretch for miles offering enjoyment for the whole family. There are terrain parks for the thrill seekers of the group, and plenty of family-friendly fun like the annual slush cup where you’re guaranteed to encounter the smells of freshly baked sourdough bread coming up from the town of Girdwood below. Alyeska is a destination for everyone and I’m fortunate enough to call it my home mountain.
Alyeska is a mountain that is hard to forget; even before you set foot on the snow, the journey alone is breathtaking. Nestled in the Chugach National Forest, 42 miles south of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest (and only) city, lies this one-of-a-kind destination. While winding your way along a narrow two-lane road, one side smashed up against nearly vertical walls of granite and the other dropping sharply down into the freezing waters of the Pacific in America’s northernmost temperate forest, you’ll eventually come face to face with Alyeska.
The name Alyeska translates to ‘’great land of the white to the east,’’ and I couldn’t think of a better description. The mountain looms as a massive, nearly 5,000-foot white wall over top of the dense green of the coastal forests, shimmering gray waters of the Turnagain arm, and the bluebird skies of the land of the midnight sun.
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You’re immediately struck with the sense of awe the moment you step off the Alyeska Tram. Alyeska is a massive mountain boasting 76 named runs, 7 lifts, 1,610 skiable acres of fresh pow, and tops out at a staggering 3,939 feet. I grew up skiing this mountain with my family and friends over 20 years ago. I still get that same feeling that swept over me when I was five years old, looking over that above-tree-line landscape, knowing the only thing getting me down the 3,689 feet of vertical are the skis strapped to my feet and the confidence that years of calling this mountain home have instilled.
Look to your right and you have big beautiful powder-filled bowls, look behind you and you’re met with people offboarding helicopters and carving lines high into the walls above. Finally, when you look to your left, you’re met with America’s longest continuous double black diamond run, known only as “the North Face.” As a child, I was always intimidated by this run, especially since once you commit, there’s no going back. At this altitude, conditions change quickly, so in my younger years, I’d often opt for the Glacier Bowl and carve my way down to warmer temperatures and the glow of the town of Girdwood below.
At the base of the mountain lie two options: Alyeska Resort and the rustic town of Girdwood. Alyeska Resort comes complete with all the amenities one might find in Aspen or Park City, while Girdwood maintains a more down-to-earth hippy feel. I’ve always found myself attracted to the latter. Girdwood began as a mining town during the Alaska Gold Rush and some of that pioneer history still exists today. Look no further than digging into a freshly baked sourdough bread bowl full of chowder or chili at the Girdwood bakeshop or grab a pint of the local lager at the Sitzmark and get ready for a night you hope you won’t forget!
Alyeska is famous for its wild year-end party and one-of-a-kind slush cup. Slush cups (or pond skims) are common across ski resorts worldwide but at Alyeska, there’s one important difference. You might think you’re in the clear after sending the pond of icy cold water, but here you’re met with a drop into a SECOND pond directly below the first. Needless to say, the majority of people faceplant, bellyflop, or generally end up soaked, but for the intrepid few that make it across there’s no shortage of praise and drinks down at the Sitzmark.
“The North Face” at Alyeska is a place that begs you to test your limits, and for me, there was always no greater challenge than the North Face. I spent countless nights thinking, planning, dreaming, and dreading the day I would finally drop that cornice into the unknown my first time. At the ripe old age of 13, I finally did it. Conditions couldn’t have been better—it was a warm day in April and the snow was just slushy enough to cushion a bad fall but late enough in the season the face wasn’t overrun with out-of-staters looking to prove they could handle the challenge.
My heart pounded out of my chest as I looked over the 45-50° pitch. I dropped in, and as I locked in that first jump, all my anxiety and fear over the run seemed to dissipate. One turn followed the next, which eventually led to the run of my life, speeding down the side of the mountain like a bat out of hell, finally freed from years of trepidation over the feat. When I looked back up the 2.5-mile-long face 10 minutes later, all I could think about was getting back up there and doing it again.
I’ve followed that feeling ever since then and believe if it wasn’t for Alyeska and that run, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Alyeska will always hold a special place in my heart and the hearts of all who have had the privilege to experience this majestic mountain. Most ski resorts have that one thing that stands out above the rest. At Heavenly, you have gorgeous Lake Tahoe in your view; at Breckenridge, you have untouched above-treeline bowls; and at Mount Hood, you have glaciers abound. Nowhere else can you ride the steep and deep (and I do mean deep, an average of 656 inches of snow a year) in a place lucky enough to have it all within a day’s ride than Alyeska.
