Reed Creek Overnight Backcountry Camping-(Cancelled)
Travel under the rugged and beautiful peaks of Archangel Valley and up Reed Creek for a spectacular weekend of skiing and winter camping. Expect to ski about 3 ¾ miles before we set up camp, gaining about 500 feet of altitude in that distance. Camp will be set up between Goodhope Creek and the former mine buildings near Snowbird Creek. We’ll dig a pit for a common area for cooking and set up tents near the pit. Bring your own camping gear and food. A parts list is on the website for suggestions. Be prepared for the elements, wind, cold and precipitation, including rain. For those skiing with their dogs, porcupines are in the area.
Registration opens Saturday, March 25th at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
Please check the weather forecast to prepare for this trip:
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.
Skookum Glacier, Kenai Mountains-Cancelled
This will be a kick and glide tour up to the Skookum Glacier. On a sunny day, we’ll enjoy incredible views of the glacier, Byron and Carpathian Peaks. Because it’s spring, we have to worry about the warmth instead of the cold. Depending on snow conditions, we may need to negotiate some snow bridge crossings. The ski is flat until the last two miles as we approach the glacier. There are beautiful views of the glacier from ~mile 4. To get to the toe of the glacier, we will need to continue on, ski down and up Skookum Creek valley and up the glacier moraine.
Registration opens Saturday, February 25th at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
Please check the following weather information to prepare for this ski tour.
ADOT&PF Road Weather Information System (look for Seward Highway, Portage Glacier Road)
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.
Hidden Lake OR Gold Mint OR SOMEWHERE ELSE (location TBD based on snow conditions)
We’ll ski somewhere fun, depending on snow conditions. Hidden Lakes/Ship Pass are off of Powerline Pass, and Nancy Lakes State Park has a fun loop with rolling hills. Meeting location TBD, depending on skiing conditions.
Be prepared for cold, wind, and good times. You’ll need warm clothes, including some for breaks, food for a lunch stop and plenty of water.
Registration opens Saturday, February 11th at 10am. All day tours are $25/person.
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.
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. (Registration is full)
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 AT/Tele Tour (Cancelled)
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.
We’re terribly sorry, but this tour had to be cancelled.
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. (Registration is full)
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
