We enjoyed our free ride on the tramway. It is comfortable, silent, and offers great views. At the top are lots of photo taking opportunities, the roundhouse museum and gift shop, and a very expensive restaurant.
30+ minutes from the airport, a gorgeous seaside drive takes you to this huge mountain retreat. The town is small, but the resort has everything. It's relaxing with a huge gym and pool, free gondola for summer guests. Nice bakery at the entrance of town has the best chocolate chip cookies in North America...not too sweet. Summertime chairlift will bring your mountain bike up for a cool downhill ride, on a designated mountain bike path, free of hikers if you're lucky.
I resided in the Anchorage area for six years, and on one occasion drove down to ski at the Alyeska Resort; which is located in Girdwood, Alaska, approximately 27 miles from the city of Anchorage. Mount Alyeska is part of the Chugach mountain range and the Alyeska Resort is the largest ski area in the state. Although it can be very cold in the winters, and there is plenty of snow; I think that this is also the only commercial ski resort in Alaska! Actually cross country skiing, and mountain climbing is much more popular in the State of Alaska.
This would be an excellent rating if it weren't for the occasional avalanches that sometimes erase part of the ski-able terrain. The North Face of the mountain is where the real adrenaline junkies go for their steep fix! Beginners, stay on the Day Lodge side!
This resort has something for everyone. There are beginner slopes for those who have never set foot in the snow, to the steepest scariest slopes I have ever seen from Colorado to Montana to Alaska. Plus everything in between. A little pricy for a lift ticket, but you really get what you pay for, and during our trip the longest line has had four people in it! Spectacular views of the Turnagain Arm and the mountains as well.
When planning a ski trip 4 months in advance.... no guantees on having snow. In one of the least snowy winters in a long time. Alyeska still offered a great skiing experience with challenging terrain and great vistas. The crew at Alyeska did a great job in keeping the skiing going in a difficult winter!
Passing by, on our way to a helicopter tour with Alpine Air. We stopped at the resort to have a quick lunch. Very elegant with beautiful views.
We had a nice nature hike from the lodge. The staff are all very nice. Get a massage from Aimee-she was GREAT. The view is out of this world from the top of the mountain- take the lift up.
A must for photo lovers. Take the chair lift and photograph the best of Alaska snow scenery. Awesome hotel and restaurant but very expensive. Girdwood is a very friendly town with much to photograph and I love walking it.
We managed to travel from australia and must have brought the warm weather! Im a green run skier and they did not open the entire 5 days we were there and there was 1 day not open at all. My husband got 3 days boarding in up the top and enjoyed, though with many runs closed it was rather congested up on the only run open. Not the fault of the mountain though, just nature!