Skiing in Anchorage

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Skiing

Cross-country skiing is extremely popular in Anchorage. Locals ski on trails in town at Kincaid Park or Hillside and farther away at Girdwood Valley, Turnagain Pass, and Chugach State Park. Downhill skiing is convenient to downtown. A number of cross-country ski events are held annually in Anchorage. The Alaska Ski for Women (www.alaskaskiforwomen.org), held on Super Bowl Sunday in early February, is the biggest women's ski race in North America, attracting more than 1,500 skiers. The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage (www.anchoragenordicski.com) sponsors many other ski races and events throughout the winter, from wooden ski classics to the highly competitive Besh Cup series. Biggest of all is the Tour of Anchorage (www.tourofanchorage.com), a grueling 50-km marathon in early March. Alyeska Ski Resort (907/754-1111; 800/880-3880; 907/754-7669 recorded information and snow conditions; 907/753-2275 for ticket office. www.alyeskaresort.com), at Girdwood, 40 mi south of the city, is Alaska's premier destination resort, where snowfall averages 782 inches annually. Alyeska features a day lodge, hotel, restaurants, six chairlifts, a tram, a vertical drop of 2,500 feet, and runs for all abilities. Lift tickets cost $48 for adults; $21 for night skiing. The tram ($16) is open during the summer, providing access to the Seven Glaciers restaurant and hiking trails. Alyeska Accommodations (907/783-2000 or 888/783-2001. www.alyeskaaccommodations.com) can set you up in a privately owned cabin or condo. Alpenglow at Arctic Valley (Mile 7, Arctic Valley Rd. off Glenn Hwy., just past Muldoon Exit. 907/428-1208. www.skialpenglow.com) is a small ski area just north of Anchorage. On the eastern edge of town, Hilltop Ski Area (Abbott Rd. near Hillside Dr., East Anchorage. 907/346-1446. www.hilltopskiarea.org) is a favorite ski area with families.

On 1,400 acres of rolling, timbered hills and bordered on the west by Cook Inlet, Kincaid Park (Main entrance at far west end of Raspberry Rd., Southwest Anchorage. 907/343-6397. www.muni.org/parks/parkdistrictsw.cfm) is a scenic treasure with maintained trails groomed for diagonal and skate-skiing that are perfect for cross-country skiing. National cross-country skiing events (including U.S. Olympic team qualifying events and national masters championships) are held each winter along the 60 km of interwoven trails -- including 20 km that are lighted for night skiing. The park is open year-round: for skiing in winter; and for mountain biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities in summer. The Raspberry Road parking lot is open 6 AM-11 PM daily; lots inside the park are open 10 AM-10 PM daily. The locally owned Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking (2633 Spenard Rd., Midtown. 907/272-1811. www.alaskamountaineering.com) outdoors shop has a highly experienced staff and plenty of cross-country skis for sale or rent. Ski sales and rentals are available from Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI, 1200 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Midtown. 907/272-4565. www.rei.com).