Alaska’s supple, snow covered mountains have been calling to adventurers for thousands of years, begging to be explored. Luckily, the modern age has brought us chairlifts, snowboards and hot cocoa to enhance the art of playing in the snow. Head to these amazing ski hills and ski excursions to taste the world-class powder, short lift lines and gorgeous mountain ranges that Alaska is famous for. If winter is going to be this long and cold, it might as well be awesome.
1. Hilltop Ski Area, 7015 Abbott Road, Anchorage.
Hilltop Ski Area is owned and operated by Youth Exploring Adventure, Inc. which is a nonprofit providing outdoor activities for Anchorage youth. They have everything you want in a ski hill with lessons and a tow rope for learners. This place is perfect for practicing jumps at the ski jump complex and there are plenty of cross country trails as well.
2. Arctic Valley Ski Area, Mile 7 Arctic Valley Road,
Anchorage.
This ski hill is just 10 minutes outside of Anchorage up the scenic Arctic Valley Road. Right in the Chugach Mountains, this ski resort has everything you need for a fun family friendly ski day. For the extreme, killer runs and backcountry access to even more powder will thrill and delight you.
3. Mt. Eyak Ski Area, #1 Ski Hill Road, Cordova.
If you make it to Cordova in the winter, check out this ski hill that is well loved and maintained by the town. This place is reasonably priced and has a 1939 lift chair that they keep in tip top shape. Most of the runs are on the difficult side, so beginners should make sure to stick to the right trails.
4. Ski Land, 2315 Ski Land Road, Fairbanks.
This resort is on the northern face of Cleary Summit on the Steese Highway north of Fairbanks. This resort has been in operation since 1962 and has the furthest north ski lift in North America. Ski Land offers downhill winter recreation on Saturday and Sunday and Aurora viewing nightly in the winter. The skiing is unparalleled if you can stand the cold, but the lodge has hot cocoa on hand and beautiful views when you need to warm up.
5. Moose Mountain, Moose Mountain Road,
Fairbanks.
Follow the local mantra "Shred the Moose" and head to Moose Mountain. Instead of a lift, this unique resort offers warm busses to transport skiers in comfort and style. There are a bunch of runs for all levels, a friendly family vibe, and great powder for the skilled.
6. Birch Hill Ski and Snowboard Area, Building 1172, Fort Wainwright.
Know for having the best terrain park in the state, this ski area lies on the U.S. Army Base. The public is permitted to access the ski hill as long as you are permitted on base with a valid U.S. ID. They feature lessons for all levels, tubing, skiing, and snowboarding. There are also nighttime tubing events with green and pink lights to extend the short ski days in the winter.
7. Eaglecrest Ski Area, 3000 Fish Creek Road,
Juneau.
Juneau's ski hill is absolutely beautiful. A 30 minute drive from downtown on Douglas Island lies Eaglecrest. The hill spans 640 skiable acres with beautiful conditions. They have a "snow bus" shuttle to get you there from town for a small fee. Enjoy the incredible skiing right outside of Alaska's capital!
8. Alyeska, 1000 Arlberg Avenue, Girdwood.
The king of all the ski hills, Alyeska has Alaska's only 4 star hotel. The world-class ski resort is a vast lift system with a wide variety of runs for different skill levels. Girdwood is a beautiful alpine mountain town with everything you need for a perfect, although pricey, ski resort weekend.
How many of these ski hills have you been to? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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