Ocean views from the slopes of Alaska's Alyeska Resort.
If you were to guess with no prior information, you’d probably say that Alaska is a top notch ski and snowboard destination. It absolutely is, hosting world renowned backcountry and helicopter destinations, but what about its resort experience? PeakRankings took a look at Alaska’s several ski areas do determine if it’s worth it to visit the state for a resort-based ski trip.
Let’s go way out of the way of every other state on the list and head to Alaska. Alaska stands out for its staggering snow packs, with heavy maritime snow falling on many of its ski areas, often allowing seasons to extend well into May. The abundance of snow permits some of the lowest base elevations in the country, with Alyeska reaching down to just 250 feet above sea level and offering rare views of an ocean connected inlet from its slopes. Further inland near Fairbanks, conditions flip with lighter snowfall, but drier coverage. Alaska’s ski resorts also face unique circumstances. Early winter days are extremely short, with only a narrow window of daylight in December and early January. On the other hand, by March the slopes can stay light until 8:00 PM and conveniently, Alyeska allows visitors to take advantage of this with night skiing hours certain days of the week. This is Alaska and extreme cold spells can occur, but conditions when skiing or riding inbounds in Alaska are often more comfortable than you think. #peakrankings#werankpeaks#skieurope#skivacation#mountains#winter#skitrip#travel#landscape#snowboarding#wintertrip#skiusa#skiingisfun#powder
Alaska has a fair chunk of ski areas, but there are only a few larger ones, most notably are Alyeska and Eagle Crest. The state can see some serious snowpacks, but lower altitude areas can see rain on not-so-great seasons. While the ski days are quite short in the early season, “night skiing” can stretch well toward 8pm as the days get significantly longer.
Alaska is certainly worth a visit, with stunning views and a unique ski/snowboard experience, but it’s important to understand that ski resort infrastructure is often a bit less significant than resorts in the lower 48.
Nolan Deck is a writer for Unofficial Networks, covering skiing and outdoor adventure. After growing up and skiing in Maine, he moved to the Denver area for college where he continues to live and work...
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