Girdwood, 37 miles south of Anchorage, is proof that a charming little town can coexist with a major ski resort, as long as the resort goes undiscovered by the world's skiers. Girdwood still has a sleepy, offbeat character. Retired hippies, ski bums, and a few old-timers live in the houses and cabins among the big spruce trees in the valley below the Mount Alyeska lifts. They all expected a development explosion to follow the construction of an international resort here a number of years ago, but it never happened. That may not have been good news for the Japanese investors who finally sold the resort in 2006, but it is for skiers and other visitors who discover this paradise. They find varied, uncrowded skiing through long winters, superb accommodations, and an authentically funky community.
The primary summer attractions are the hiking trails, the tram to the top of Mount Alyeska, and the Crow Creek Mine, described below. In winter, it's skiing. Mount Alyeska doesn't have the size of the famous resorts in the Rockies, but it's more than large and steep enough. Better still, there's plenty of room, half the mountain is above the tree line, and the snow lasts a long time. Olympian Tommy Moe trained here, the Alpine national championships raced down these slopes in 2004 and 2007, and national extreme skiing and snowboarding competition came in 2008. Skiers used to tamer, busier slopes rave about the skiing here, with long, challenging downhills, few lift lines, and stunning views of the Chugach Mountains and glistening Turnagain Arm below.
A wealthy skiing enthusiast bought the ski resort in 2006 from owners that had paid it little attention for several years. He pledged to make many welcome improvements on the mountain and at the skiing facilities, but developments have been slow to materialize. Be aware that changes are likely as you use the information you find here.
