Alaska, Usa
Alyeska
76 runs, 2,526ft vertical, 1,610 acres in the Chugach Mountains. 650in average snowfall near Anchorage.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
24 Nov 2025
Closes
13 Apr 2026
Days open
140
Annual snow
54ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Alyeska's summit reaches 2,756 feet, dropping 2,526 vertical feet to a base at 230 feet across 76 runs spread over 1,610 acres in the Chugach Mountains near Girdwood, Alaska. Terrain splits 52 per cent intermediate, 20 per cent advanced, 17 per cent expert and 11 per cent beginner. Average annual snowfall reaches roughly 650 inches, among the highest totals of any resort in North America. Alyeska carries no major multi-resort pass affiliation.
The 2,526-foot vertical drop is the largest of any ski resort in Alaska and among the largest in the United States, accessed via an aerial tram built in 1993 by the Japanese firm Seibu/Prince Hotels. The historic Roundhouse lodge at the top of the mountain, built from 1960 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, now houses a ski history museum. The exceptionally low base elevation of 230 feet, combined with the 2,756-foot summit, gives Alyeska a coastal, near-sea-level starting point unusual among major ski resorts. Seven lifts, including the tram, four quad chairs and two surface lifts, serve the 76-run network.
The Alyeska Ski Corporation was founded in 1954, with the first chairlift and day lodge opening in 1959. Girdwood, the town at the resort's base, was originally called Glacier City, a supply camp for gold miners, before being renamed after James Girdwood, who staked the first gold claims along Crow Creek in 1896. Pomeroy Lodging, an Alaska-based hospitality company, acquired substantially all of Alyeska's resort assets in October 2018, committing roughly 50 million US dollars to improvements over its first five years of ownership.
With no major pass affiliation, Alyeska sells its own day tickets and season passes directly. Adult full-day tickets range from 119 to 169 US dollars depending on date, with an Alyeska Peak Pass priced at 59 dollars for limited access and a full 2025/26 season pass at 1,599 dollars. The resort suits skiers seeking exceptional snowfall and vertical relief within a roughly 40-mile drive of Anchorage, unusual for a resort of this scale anywhere in the United States. Its Chugach Mountains setting and Turnagain Arm views give it a coastal Alaska character distinct from interior or Lower 48 resorts.
2,526ft
Vertical
76
Runs
1,610 acres
Skiable
54ft
Annual snow
The Terrain
76 runs across 1,610 acres skiable
Alyeska spreads 76 runs across 1,610 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 52%, with 8 beginner runs to find your feet and 28 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
76
runs
76 runs across 4 grades
Beginner8 runs · 11%
Intermediate40 runs · 52%
Advanced15 runs · 20%
Expert13 runs · 17%
Time it right
When to visit Alyeska
The 2025-26 season at Alyeska ran from 24 November 2025 to 13 April 2026, a roughly twenty-week window, among the longer seasons of any US resort. Alaska's far northern latitude gives the resort long daylight hours in spring even as the season extends into April. Season dates can shift based on early and late-season snowpack. This length reflects both the resort's high snowfall and its far-northern position.
Average annual snowfall of roughly 650 inches ranks among the highest of any ski resort in North America, a result of Alyeska's position in the Chugach Mountains catching moisture-laden storms off the Gulf of Alaska. This exceptional natural snowfall makes snowmaking a secondary consideration compared with most other US resorts. Base depth builds substantially through midwinter given the sheer volume of natural snow. The Chugach Mountains' coastal position drives this snowfall pattern.
January and February typically deliver the deepest natural snowpack, consistent with the broader Alaska storm pattern. The resort's far-northern latitude means short daylight hours in December and January, lengthening substantially by March and April. Spring skiing in March and April benefits from both a deep base and improving daylight and weather. Weekday visits are generally quieter than weekends, given Alyeska's role as Alaska's primary destination resort.
Alyeska's calendar has historically included extreme skiing competitions given its steep 2,526-foot vertical drop and challenging terrain, though specific current event programming is not confirmed in available resort information. The resort's exceptional snowfall and vertical drop have long attracted attention from big-mountain skiers and film crews. Girdwood's broader identity as an Alaska outdoor recreation town supports activities beyond skiing through the season. Under Pomeroy Lodging's ownership since 2018, the calendar continues to centre on Alyeska's role as Alaska's premier ski destination.
Season 2025 - 2026
24 Nov 2025
Opens
13 Apr 2026
Closes
140
Days open
54 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Alyeska, and where to stay
Alyeska sits in the Chugach Mountains near Girdwood, Alaska, with an unusually low base elevation of 230 feet and a summit at 2,756 feet across a 2,526-foot vertical drop over 1,610 acres. This coastal mountain setting, close to sea level at the base, is unusual among major North American ski resorts. Turnagain Arm, an inlet of the Gulf of Alaska, lies close to the resort. The Chugach Mountains rise dramatically from near sea level in this part of southcentral Alaska.
Girdwood, the town at Alyeska's base, was originally a gold-mining supply camp called Glacier City before being renamed after James Girdwood, who staked gold claims along Crow Creek in 1896. The town retains a small, outdoor-recreation-focused character distinct from a purpose-built resort village. Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, lies roughly 40 miles northwest along the Seward Highway. The drive between the two follows the scenic Turnagain Arm coastline.
The Seward Highway provides the sole road access to Girdwood and Alyeska, running along Turnagain Arm from Anchorage. The drive from Anchorage takes roughly 40 minutes to an hour under normal conditions. Winter driving on the Seward Highway can include avalanche closures and icy conditions, given the route's exposure along the coastal mountains. No passenger rail service currently connects Anchorage to Girdwood for visitors, though the Alaska Railroad's line passes through the area.
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the nearest airport with extensive commercial and international service, roughly 40 miles from the resort. This makes Alyeska unusually accessible for an Alaska ski resort, reachable within an hour of a major international airport. No other airport in the region offers comparable service. Most visitors fly into Anchorage and drive the Seward Highway directly to Girdwood.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Alyeska, powered by Stay22.
Good to know
Frequently asked
When is Alyeska's ski season?
Alyeska's season typically runs from November 24 to April 13, roughly 140 days, weather and conditions permitting.
How much skiable terrain does Alyeska have?
Alyeska has about 1,610 acres skiable across 76 runs.
How many lifts does Alyeska have?
Alyeska operates 7 lifts in total.
How much snow does Alyeska get?
Alyeska averages around 650 inches (54.2 feet) of snowfall per season.
Where can I buy Alyeska lift tickets?
Lift tickets for Alyeska can be purchased directly from the resort online, or in person at the ticket office. See the full pricing breakdown on the lift tickets page.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
Unstable Glacier Above Randa Puts Zermatt-Area Village on Alert
A hanging glacier above the Swiss village of Randa, just south of Zermatt, has been shedding large chunks of ice for weeks, with authorities warning more break-offs are likely. A danger zone has been closed off since June, though officials say the village's 479 residents aren't at risk. It's a familiar pattern for this glacier - it's done this before, in 1819, 1972 and 1973 - but a reminder of how closely Alpine authorities now watch terrain once considered stable.
26 Aug 2026
Thredbo Is 'On the Table' as EVT Reviews Its Whole Business
Thredbo is officially 'on the table.' EVT Limited, owner of Australia's most decorated ski resort, has hired Rothschild & Co to review its entire corporate structure - and confirmed Thredbo isn't off limits, even as it books a stronger year of earnings. The resort's own valuation has nearly halved after a brutal 2026 season, and speculation is already running toward Vail Resorts, Alterra, or a New Zealand operator picking it up. Here's what EVT actually said, and who could buy it.
25 Aug 2026
Ski-E-O! Is the Ski Resort Tycoon Game We Didn't Know We Needed
I'm not a gamer. I'm a skier and snowboarder who happens to have a laptop. So when a ski resort management game called Ski-E-O! landed on Steam, I wasn't expecting to lose an afternoon to it - but here we are. Real mountain terrain, a full weather system, storms that roll in and wreck your snow base, avalanche danger, and enough depth to make RollerCoaster Tycoon feel simple by comparison. Early access lands in November. Here's what a few hours in the free demo actually looks like.
23 Aug 2026
Sugar Bowl, California, Rebuilds Its Historic Village Gondola
The rumours are true: Sugar Bowl is tearing out its Emerald gondola, in place since 1983, and replacing it with a new 8-person Doppelmayr system - nearly doubling uphill capacity to 1,800 people an hour. It's the fourth generation of a gondola line that dates back to 1953, when Sugar Bowl became the first resort on the West Coast to run one at all, and it's just one piece of a $100 million overhaul touching lodges, parking and snowmaking. Here's what's changing, and what's staying the same.
23 Aug 2026
Two Confirmed Dead as Search Continues After Swiss Alps Fire
The death toll from Thursday night's fire at Restaurant Beverin in Thusis, Switzerland, has begun to firm up. One Swiss outlet, citing Graubünden Cantonal Police, reports that two of the five people initially reported missing have now been confirmed dead, leaving three unaccounted for. The building's collapsed stairwell and structural instability have slowed recovery efforts throughout. Here's what's changed since the fire broke out, and what's still unconfirmed.
22 Aug 2026