Ski Train

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Enjoy Alaska’s beauty on the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage’s Ski Train! This is a bucket list experience that is sure to make you smile! Ride the rails with a train full of fellow skiers for a full day of awesome fun with friends old and new in Alaska’s remote backcountry. The four hour ride is a great time to relax and enjoy the scenery, share games and picnic with friends and family or pass the time dancing with the Alaska Blaskapelle Band. Please remember this is a family friendly event and safety is our priority!

Ski train ticket refunds and exchanges can only be done up until Wednesday, March 15th

Ski Train Video

Date Information

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Approximate time frame

  • 6-7 am – Boarding in Anchorage
  • 7 am – Doors close – 7:30 train leaves station
  • 10 am– Beer tasting starts
  • 11 am – Arrival in Curry
  • 11-4 pm – Skiing in Curry (train stays on site for warmup)
  • 4 pm – Train departs Curry. Let the polka dancing begin!
  • 8 pm – Arrival in Anchorage.

What to expect

What to expect for loading gear:

  • Load your equipment on the baggage car (in ski bags or securely bundled and labeled)
  • Gear can be loaded the night before (Friday, March 17th) from 5pm-7pm

What to expect when boarding the train :

  • Park in lot on Ship Creek Ave, across from the Comfort Inn
  • Know which car you are assigned to and check in at that car
  • Sign-in with photo id and board the train

What to expect on the train:

  • Assigned seats
  • Storage for your personal gear and food ONLY. All skis, poles, snowboots, and snowshoes in baggage car please!
  • Commemorative Ski Train merchandise for sale in CAR 351
  • Travel between cars is allowed until 10am; once beer starts being served, only 21+ and ticketed allowed to enter.
  • Dance your way home with live music by the Alaska Blaskapelle Band.
  • Please help out and clean up around your area before you leave the train

What to expect in Curry:

  • Curry Weather
  • Mild temperatures, beautiful backcountry conditions – no groomed trails, but with hundreds of skiers there will be trails to follow
  • Please follow directions of the Safety Teams
  • Stay with the safety borders
  • No skiing on the river or near the train tracks
  • Snow conditions vary tremendously from year to year, from powder to hard packed to corn snow. Snow is generally too deep and soft to walk, bring snowshoes if you do not ski.
  • Want a mellow ski? – flat area around the tracks, old town site & north along the tracks
  • Want a more hard-core ski? – head east from the train and up the quary road, switchbacking up 1000’. Views of Denali and sweet turns coming down.

What to Bring:

  • Skis or snow shoes in ski bag with your name clearly marked. Please save our volunteer’s back – NO HEAVY SKI BAGS PLEASE, 25 pounds max!
  • Child-carriers or chariots welcome in baggage car
  • Dress warmly in layers. Temperatures vary, expect warm, cool or cold weather.
  • Change of clothes for ride home – shoes must be wore at all times
  • Food and NA Beverages
  • Crock pots & blenders: There are limited electrical outlets in some cars, check with the availability in your car on the seating charts

What NOT to bring:

  • No glass, please do not bring any glass bottles or containers on the train.
  • Your dog. Only search and rescue dogs from ASARD allowed.
  • No heavy ski bags, max 25 pounds – our volunteers have to load and unload them.
  • No large hard-sided coolers – small or soft-sided coolers fit in the limited storage space.
  • No fuel allowed (AKRR rules). Please leave your cook stoves at home.

Where to Board:

Tickets

Registration will open Friday, November 25th

Standard Ticket-$180 (Please be sure to select what car you want to be in before checking out)

Additional cost-$40 (for all alcohol cars)

  • 4 drink tickets and a hot dog

Additional cost-$10 (for Wild Scoops car)

  • food item ice cream sandwiches

Car Layout: 

Car Themes:

  • Wild Scoops-Beach theme
  • Trek Bicycles-Trek or Treat theme
  • Turnagain Brewing-Mardi Gras theme
  • 49th State Brewing-1990s theme
  • Matanuska Brewing-St. Patrick’s Day theme
  • Double Shovel Cider Company-70s ski bunny and hot dog theme

Details

ThemeCar Sponsor
Beach ThemeWild Scoops
Trek or TreatTrek
Mardi GrasTurnagain Brewing
1990s49th State Brewing
St. Patrick’sMatanuska
70s ski bunnyDouble Shovel
  • Skis or snow shoes in ski bag with your name clearly marked. Please save our volunteer’s backs – NO HEAVY SKI BAGS PLEASE. 25 pounds max!
  • Child-carriers or chariots welcome in baggage car.
  • Dress warmly in layers. Temperatures vary, be prepared for sun, snow or (gasp) rain.
  • Change of clothes for ride home – shoes must be on at all times on the train.
  • Cash: merchandise car will have food for sale too.
  • Luck: raffle drawing for free FATBIKE from Trek Store of Anchorage will happen on the ride home!
  • Food and refreshments (no glass please).
    • If you are on a brewery car, adult beverages are provided by servers, so please leave yours at home
    • For all other cars, BYOB, but please leave hard alcohol at home.
  • All riders: drink responsibly please and consider leaving the hard alcohol at home. Help us keep this a family friendly event, and preserve the adult beverage option for all future Ski Train events.
  • Crock pots & blenders if you’d like. There are limited electrical outlets on the train.
  • Your dog or cat. Only search and rescue dogs from ASAR are allowed.
  • Heavy ski bags.  Please limit each bag to 25 pounds max.
  • Large items. Please no fatbikes or large equipment, there’s limited storage.
  • Glass containers 
  • Large, hard-sided coolers.  Limited storage space, bring small or soft-sided coolers only.
  • Gas or propane fuel. Please leave your cook stoves at home.  Small charcoal grills are permitted, however NO lighter fluid or other liquid flammables or fuel is permitted.

Click here for the latest draft of the Ski Train seat assignments for the whole train.

Click here for the latest draft of the Ski Train seat assignments by car.

As changes are made, we will send out a weekly update of the seat assignments. There are no paper tickets this year, so please know your car and seat and bring your ID on Saturday in order to check into your car. If you do not have an ID, you will not be allowed to board. Seat assignments will be final as of Wednesday, March 15th.

  • Please Please Please always let staff, security, and other passengers through aisles. A tunnel of hands is the most fun way to do this. It is very important we allow people to move through the walkways.
  • Please drink responsibly and self-police. Be conscientious of other ski train goers, and ask members in your group to act accordingly. It’s okay to let the party wane a little if it means we can continue to have fun in the long run.
  • Do not sit on the backs of the train seats.
  • Everyone must be wearing shoes at all times.

  • The train tracks are active railroad tracks, and there will be several trains passing through Curry during the day. DO NOT SKI ON THE TRACKS.  Stay at least 100 feet away from the tracks.
  • Do not travel south past Milepost 248, as this is an avalanche zone.
  • Please do not go north of the bridge located just past Milepost 252.
  • Please do not ski on the river.
  • Please do not ski past the marker at the beginning of Deadhorse Canyon, as this area is subject to avalanches and cornice collapse.
  • Please stay well away from any equipment in the quarry area.

Sponsors

Thank you to our generous 2023 ski train car sponsors

Thank you to our 2023 ski train partners

Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage

9170 JEWEL LAKE RD
ANCHORAGE, AK 99502
(907) 276-7609

© Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage