Visitors can take the 60-passenger Alyeska Aerial Tram to the top of Mount Alyeska or hike to the top from the valley floor. Tours of the Turnagain Arm often include a ride on the Alyeska Tram and the Turnagain Arm Shuttle provides hop-on hop-off service to the Alyeska Resort from Anchorage.
During the winter months, visitors can enjoy downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and heli- or cat-skiing in the backcountry at the Alyeska Resort. You can also opt for snowmobiling excursions or dog sled rides. Not just a winter destination, you’ll also find plenty of summer activities from sightseeing and wildlife viewing to hiking, mountain biking, and glacier trekking.
Alyeska Resort is located in Girdwood, Alaska 27 miles (44 kilometers) southeast of downtown Anchorage along the Seward Highway. This stretch of highway is called the Turnagain Arm and is of the most scenic drives in Alaska. The Turnagain Arm Shuttle provides transportation to the Alyeska Resort from mid-May through mid-September.
Mount Alyeska can be visited year-round via a scenic tram ride or hike during the summer months, or by skiing in the winter months. With numerous festivals and activities, summers can get busy in Girdwood. Take the first tram ride up the mountain to avoid the tour bus crowds.
Originally called “Glacier City,” Girdwood is a scenic mountain town with great access to glacier hikes and trails in the Chugach range. Girdwood is the perfect basecamp for exploring the Portage Valley and the Turnagain arm. Numerous glacier trekking, kayaking, rafting, canyoneering, and flightseeing adventures set out from town and you can also explore Alaska’s gold rush history at the nearby Crow Creek Mine.