Southcentral Alaska Ski Itineraries

Seek out the best snow and weather in Southcentral Alaska 

Renting a car and following the snow is the a great way to ski Alaska. With the flexibility of a car we can shift plans to take advantage of the best conditions. Below is a possible itinerary and route. Because Alaska is mostly wilderness and undeveloped, trips require flexibility. Going with the flow in Alaska means you’ll have an incredible adventure.

Return to Skiing Overview. 

Alaska's few roads offer great ski access. We'll start and finish in Anchorage (A) and base out of Girdwood (B) for skiing Turnagain Pass (C) and Valdez (F) for skiing Thompson Pass (J). Fly-in base camp trips can be to Lake Clark National Park (Neacola and Chigmit Mountains) from Nikiski (D), Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park from Chitina (G), and Denali National Park (Little Switzerland) from Talkeetna (I). Hatcher Pass (H) is a good stopover along the way. The Alaska Ferry system between Whittier (E) and Valdez (F) is a great way to see Prince William Sound and make a loop out of the trip.

Possible Itinerary

Day 0 Meet in Anchorage. Gear check and last minute gear purchases. Welcome dinner at the Bear Tooth Grill. Stay at a bed and breakfast in Anchorage. 
 
Day 1 We’ll drive 1½ hours to Turnagain Pass and ski from the road. We’ll stay the dramatic ski town of Girdwood, which is halfway between Turnagain and Anchorage. 
 
Day 2 Ski Turnagain Pass and stay in Girdwood. 
 
Day 3 From Girdwood we’ll drive 45 minutes to Whittier and load the vans onto the ferry across Prince William Sound to Valdez. 
 
Day 4 Ski Thompson Pass. Stay in Valdez. 
 
Day 5 Ski Thompson Pass. Stay in Valdez.
 
Day 6 Ski Thompson Pass. Stay in Valdez.
 
Day 7 Drive five hours on the Glenn Highway to Talkeetna. Shop for food and pack for our trip into Little Switzerland. Stay in Talkeenta. 
 
Day 8 Weather permitting, we’ll fly in into Little Switzerland in the Alaska Range and set up a base camp on the Pika Glacier. In the afternoon we can ski up to one of the surrounding passes. 
 
Day 9 Ski Little Switzerland and stay at base camp. 
 
Day 10 Ski Little Switzerland and stay at base camp. 
 
Day 11 Fly back to Talkeetna. Shower, eat and stay in Talkeetna for the night. 
 
Day 12 Drive two hours to Hatcher Pass. Ski Hatchers then drive two hours to Girdwood and stay in Girdwood for three nights. 
 
Day 13 Ski the Western Chugach around Girdwood. 
 
Day 14 Ski the Western Chugach around Girdwood. Drive to our B&B in Anchorage. Final dinner in Anchorage. 
 
Day 15 Fly home. 

 

Weather & conditions

Similar to late spring European weather and conditions. We may find corn snow, but much of the skiing will probably be on shallow powder. Temperatures could be down to -15°C in Little Switzerland.

Cost

Let's discuss your budget and interests. 

Includes

  • Guide(s)
  • First aid, navigation repair kits
  • Group cook tent and cook gear
  • Food, bush flights, road and ferry travel can be packaged into a single cost. 

Does Not Include

The Glenn Highway near Sheep Mountain. This is my favorite stretch of highway in Alaska.

 

Renting RVs is a way to travel in style.