Matanuska Glacier
We’ll ski to the toe of the mighty Matanuska Glacier. The ski will be on and off the frozen creek and through some brush, but mostly open terrain. We’ll ski approximately 9 miles with a lunch stop at the glacier. Be prepared for cold and wind. Make sure you have lunch, water, and extra layers (especially for wind).
***For those skiing with dogs: this tour is along an active trap line. Your dog must be on a harness and leashed to you at all times! ***
Registration opens Saturday, January 28th at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
Please check the following weather information before you prepare for this ski tour:
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. If needed, they provide first aid and safety for tour participants. We thank them for their valuable help.
Turnagain Pass OR Hatcher Pass (location TBD based on conditions), AT/Tele Tour
Grab some sturdy skis, climbing skins, and avalanche safety gear, and we will search for powder turns in the beautiful mountains of Turnagain Pass or Hatcher Pass. We will spend much of the day “touring for turns” and stopping often to enjoy the mountain views. Be sure to bring comfy warm layers and some good food to enjoy during breaks. This tour is especially suitable for new backcountry skiers looking to venture slowly into avalanche terrain and experienced backcountry skiers looking to expand their social circle or explore new country.
Safety will be our highest priority, as this tour will likely venture into avalanche terrain. Location will be based on snow safety reports and weather forecasts. The specific mountain, route, and goals will be determined based on avalanche forecast conditions, field observations, and the experience of the group.
Registration opens Saturday, January 14th at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
SPECIAL NOTICE: All participants must bring sturdy skis suitable for touring and downhill turning, climbing skins, avalanche beacon, snow shovel, and avalanche probe. Tour size is limited to 8 people.
Please check the following weather information before you prepare for this ski tour. For up to date point weather forecasts of the area check:
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. If needed, they provide first aid and safety for tour participants. We thank them for their valuable help.
Hatcher Pass OR Turnagain Pass (location TBD based on conditions), AT/Tele tour
We’ll ski up the road that goes over the pass to April Bowl and then ski down the northeast face of April Bowl. Depending on how the group is feeling, we can do multiple runs or try another nearby mountain. Be sure to bring comfy warm layers and some good food to enjoy during breaks. This tour is especially suitable for new backcountry skiers looking to venture slowly into avalanche terrain and experienced backcountry skiers looking to expand their social circle or explore new country.
Safety will be our highest priority, as this tour will likely venture into avalanche terrain. Location will be based on snow safety reports and weather forecasts. The specific mountain, route, and goals will be determined based on avalanche forecast conditions, field observations, and the experience of the group.
Registration will open Saturday, December 31st at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
SPECIAL NOTICE: All participants must bring sturdy skis suitable for touring and downhill turning, climbing skins, avalanche beacon, snow shovel, and avalanche probe. Tour size will be limited to eight (8) participants.
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. If needed, they provide first aid and safety for tour participants. We thank them for their valuable help.
Iditarod National Historic Trail, Turnagain Pass, Kenai Mountains
Enjoy a great ski on part of the Iditarod National Historic Trail (INHT). We will start at the bathrooms on the east side of the highway at Turnagain Pass. We will begin with a gradual ski in on a well-developed narrow trail through the forest with short climbs under various snow conditions. We will continue north to Ingram Creek where we will enjoy lunch before the return trip. There is a downhill section coming back down to the parking area.
Registration will open Saturday, November 26th at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
Please check the following weather information before you prepare for this ski tour. For up-to-date weather forecasts of the area check:
Portage/Portage Pass (National Weather Service)
Weather station at nearby Sunburst Ridge (includes a webcam that looks down at Center Ridge)
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. If needed, they provide first aid and safety for tour participants. We thank them for their valuable help.
25th Annual Turkey Day Shake-off – Archangel Road or Independence Mine, Hatcher Pass, Talkeetna Mountains
Join us for this post-Thanksgiving shake-off ski for our first tour of the season. Travel under the rugged and beautiful peaks of the Archangel Valley and past old mining ruins in Hatcher Pass for a spectacular day of skiing on the Archangel Road. This is a great opportunity for those who want to learn about ski touring in the mountains, or start skiing for the season. The first portion of the trail, to the Reed Lakes trailhead, is flat, gaining only 300 feet in 2 ½ miles. This is a great turnaround spot for beginning skiers. The trail to the gate is another 1 ½ miles, gaining 500 feet and will be a great downhill run for those with more experience. We expect to ski about 8 miles round trip.
Alternatively (depending on snow conditions), we will ski through Independence Mine (likely off the groomed trails) and continue up the hill past Gold Cord Mine. We will ski beyond into the flatter upper bowl below Granite Peak and Friendship Pass, where we will have lunch. We will descend the hill at our own pace and, if conditions allow, cross the creek to find our way back to the trailhead. This tour would be appropriate for an advanced beginner to intermediate skier who can travel about 6 miles round trip on terrain with short climbs and downhills under various snow conditions.
Registration will open Saturday, November 12th at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
Please check the following weather information before you prepare for this ski tour.
Hatcher Pass area weather forecast: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=61.79480994425425&lon=-149.27061629638672#.WA1w5q8zWUk
Independence Mine area temps and snow depth (but a few miles from our trailhead: http://ambcs.org/cgi-bin/siteCurrent.cgi?site=INDEPENDENCE_M
Point forecast for Archangel Road:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-149.22049&lat=61.77503#.VI4003u2WI0
Marmot weather station operated by the Friends of the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center (besides weather information this has a web cam)
http://www.cnfaic.org/wx/wx_site.php?site=marmot
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. If needed, they provide first aid and safety for tour participants. We thank them for their valuable help.
Photo Contest
The Submission Deadline is June 30, 2022. The contest is open to all Alaska Nordic ski club members and entrants may submit three images per category.
For all official rules please check the main site, NSAA PHOTO CONTEST.
Kincaid Park Clean Up
New Event: Spring Fling
Michael Martin Youth & Sports Development Endowment Fund
NSAA and Northrim Bank are honored to announce a new endowment for the benefit of Alaska youth skiing in memory of the late Michael Martin, Northrim Bank’s Chief Operating Officer, who passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 11.
The Michael Martin Youth & Sports Development Endowment fund was created with a $100,000 donation from Northrim and is supported with additional donations from the community. The funds will be used to ensure that NSAA is able to promote cross-country skiing as a health and wellness activity and is made available to children of low-income families and throughout diverse neighborhoods.
NSAA Executive Director Kikkan Randall shared, “We are extremely grateful to Northrim Bank and the Martin family for this generous gift that will allow us to celebrate Michael’s legacy and get more kids and families into the sport of cross-country skiing. Michael Martin brought such incredible energy, heart, and enthusiasm to our community and we are committed to keeping that energy alive through the resources this endowment fund will provide.”
Working with the Alaska Community Foundation, Northrim Bank has established this fund to benefit the NSAA’s Junior Nordic program on behalf of Michael Martin, a long-time member of its executive team. Junior Nordic teaches children aged 6-14 Nordic skiing techniques in a fun, welcoming environment and was very meaningful to Mr. Martin and his family. The program started in 1984 with just a few participants and now hosts more than 800 skiers a year.
Northrim Bank Chairman, President, and CEO Joe Schierhorn commented, “We are saddened by the sudden loss of Mr. Martin who was deeply committed to his family, Northrim Bank, and the larger community. We want to recognize his contributions in a long-term meaningful way and are pleased to provide this opportunity to allow more youth to participate in skiing and learn life skills that will follow them throughout their lives. Northrim is proud to be Alaskan and supports young Alaskans
in a variety of ways to encourage strong, healthy, and active communities.”
Through this generous donation from Northrim Bank, NSAA will be able to provide youth & sports development opportunities more broadly to children through the Anchorage area in the years to come. Learn more about the endowment and donate to support Here.
Jonathan, Beck, Owen, Isaac; Dave