Since the late ’90s, Alaska has been on the top of every serious skier and snowboarder’s bucket list. Tall peaks, famously stable maritime snowpack, more heli operations than ski areas, and the promise of a life-changing day have made AK a must-hit. But Alaska is a big state, and mountains are only a part of it. Missing out on the ski trip of a lifetime is as easy as booking a flight to Fairbanks. Below, we offer a quick look at Alaska’s five most popular ski and snowboard destinations. These only scratch the surface of the Alaska experience, which is why some devotees make it an annual pilgrimage. Alas, you need to start somewhere.

Anchorage/Girdwood

Mik Baker snowboards a spine outside of Girdwood, Alaska. Photo by Adam Clark

As the largest city with the largest airport in the state, Anchorage is the kicking-off point for many Alaska adventures. If you’re experiencing Alaska for the first time, you don’t really need to go much further. Alyeska, the only true destination ski resort in the state, is just an hour away in Girdwood and features all the comforts you’d expect at most Lower 48 ski destinations, such as a luxury hotel, nine lifts including two high-speed quads and a 60-person tram, and 2,500 vertical feet that gets covered in 650 inches of snow a year.

Chugach Powder Guides is based right in the Hotel Alyeska and offers a wide variety of heli-skiing opportunities, as well as cat skiing right from the resort. Days the weather is too inclement for helicopters are usually great resort-skiing days. Also, Girdwood is a legitimate ski town with charm, nice dining options, live music, and a number of chalets and houses you can rent if you are with a group or want to avoid the hotel vibe.

If you are looking to get deeper into the wilderness, the Tordrillo Lodge is a short seaplane flight from Ted Stevens International Airport. This backcountry lodge features a chef, massage therapist, hot tub, and, of course, heli skiing right out of the lodge.

There are also numerous touring and backcountry skiing options around Girdwood and Anchorage. Turnagain and Hatcher’s passes are popular roadside attractions. If you’re new to the area, it’s advisable to get some local guidance. Even though you’re accessing them by foot, both feature legitimate, big Alaskan terrain, so use caution.

Valdez
Considered the birthplace of the Alaska heli-skiing industry, Valdez is home to five different guided heli-ski operations. There is a proposal to put a ski area 4 miles outside of town, but for the time being, helicopters, snowcats, snowmobiles, or touring skis/splitboards are the only options for skiing in the Valdez/Thompson Pass area. All operations fly to similar terrain in the Chugach Mountains, but each offers differe