Alyeska

Travel 40 miles south west of Anchorage and you will eventually arrive at the somewhat unusual, but interesting resort of Alyeska. It happens to be Alaska’s only traditional purpose-built resort which, now celebrating its 40th year and has a lot going for it. Forget the impression of severe weather conditions and ice slabs that one normally associates with Alaska. What you find here is a great mountain, with excellent terrain serviced by a modern lift system and is spread out over a series of slopes that begin at almost sea-level. Over the years, places like Alyeska have been largely left alone by the mass holiday crowds. Hardly any ski guides or magazines feature this resort, which is a shame because despite its location in the far northern reaches of the US and Canada, Alyeska has as much to offer, if not more, than many Rocky Mountain-based resorts. A huge plus for this resort is not only its excellent snow record, with average yearly dumps of 20m, but also the fact that you can ride deep powder in early and late spring. The 1000 acres are excellent and offer something for every style and ability, especially advanced riders. The double black diamond runs on the North Face are a match for anything found anywhere else in the US. There’s plenty of diverse terrain with a number of damn good bowls and gullies. Across the lower slopes are glades, while higher up you will find nice open slopes and well groomed trails.