Arduous winter hikes in Alaska inspire the fearless traveller
The thought of visiting Alaska in the winter may fill you with shivers and a longing to hibernate, but, if you are an adventure-seeker, it is prime playtime.
Mesmerizing mountains, laden with snow create stunning backdrops, and the choices of things to do outdoor are limitless. You can strap on snowshoes, grab a snowboard or skis, get a taste of dog-mushing or cruise the backcountry on a snowmobile. I visited in late January and early February and was smitten. I scoffed at the biting cold even as I slipped along icy streets in downtown Anchorage and wish for a thicker jacket.
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I’m accustomed to the cold and congratulate myself on braving Alaska’s winter temperatures. What I didn’t know at the time was that my trip coincided with the fourth warmest January ever recorded in the city. Winter in Alaska may be downright cold, but I was enraptured with winter skies that were crisp and blue, not bleak and grey. Here are some of the places I visited: Bird Ridge Overlook, Chugach State Park, about 40 kilometres south of Anchorage along Seward Highway.
This hike has it all: steepness, breathtaking views and wild weather. It offers sweeping views of a waterway and countless snow-capped peaks with only a swivel of the head.
We start in a cool mist at sea level, peeking out over Turnagain Arm as we wind upward through a forest to an exposed ridge. That’s where the wind picked up and repeatedly knocked me over, forcing me to tromp through the snow just below the ridge.
As we scuttled up a rocky point to Bird Ridge, the mist turned to snow, even though the sun was still peeking through.
Many people stop there, which clocks in at eight kilometres and 3,400 feet of elevation gain. Others push on for the overlook, which is 19 kilometres and 5,500 feet gain. Panorama Peak, on the threshold of the Alaska Range north of Cantwell. Couloir routes are an exhilarating way to dress up a climb. Getting into a couloir in Washington usually requires a long drive and a long approach; apparently, in Alaska, you just pull over on the side of the highway and get going. It was another reminder of how accessible and limitless the possibilities are.
The gully didn’t look intimidating from the bottom, but the steepness of the 60-degree couloir became apparent as we moved higher. It was a tedious process to kick our crampons into the mix of ice and snow and then plunge in our ice axes before moving up. A quarter or so of the way up the 3,500-foot couloir, we crossed a rocky area and paused momentarily to scarf down lunch. It was the only place on the route where it was safe enough to sit down.
Atrio of mountain goats kept an eye on us, but kept their distance as we kept climbing up, up, up. We were treated to some stunning views of some of the biggest mountains in the state. Talkeetna, about 193 kilometres north of Anchorage, in the shadow of Denali. History buffs should carve out time to visit this tiny, spunky town off the beaten path. It has evolved from a gold mining town at the turn of the 20th-century to the place where mountaineers ascend- ing Denali catch an air taxi to the 7,200-foot Kahiltna Glacier. Its charm is said to have been the inspiration behind the community of Cicely on the TV show Northern Exposure. The downtown area is a National Historic Site, and has buildings dating back to the early 1900s, including the Talkeetna Roadhouse and Nagley’s General Store. Wander into the funky shops or skip rocks down on the river. Talkeetna is at the confluence of the Susitna, Chulitna and Talkeetna rivers and draws salmon fishermen in the summer. We arrived after dinnertime, hungry from a climb, and found our pub of choice was no longer serving grub. The friendly bartender, however, invited us to partake of the town potluck and hang out as long as we wished. Flat Top Mountain, Chugach State Park, about 15 miles from downtown Anchorage. I couldn’t pass up a chance to sit atop the “most often climbed peak in Alaska,” — at least it is, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
It’s a relatively easy hike through some hemlocks and above timber- line to a talus field. Scramble up to the aptly named flat summit, which is about the size of a football field. The trail climbs 1,300 feet in 1.7 miles. In Alaska style, it offers gorgeous views of Cook Inlet, Anchorage and the Alaska Range, where Denali dominates the landscape. Turnagain Pass, highest point of Seward Highway (900 feet) at the gateway to the Kenai Peninsula, 48 kilometres south of Girdwood. This is a free-for-all winter recreation area, where you can do just about any snow activity you can dream up. It’s known for its endless snow, because it collects powder blown over the ridgelines, but manages to avoid the winds.
We strap on snowshoes and tie on sleds before we venture into a back bowl between Tincan and Sunburst mountains to set up camp and properly enjoy a wintry Alaskan evening. There is a hot meal, cold feet and a quiet stillness you can’t find anywhere but the outdoors. The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington)