Alaska for Greenhorns (cont.) Your Alaska Triumvirate
Alyeska's tram
CHUGACH POWDER GUIDES' operating season is one of the longest in Alaska, starting February 1 and running through mid-April. Though they guarantee 80,000 to 100,000 vertical feet in-season on their seven-day all-inclusive package, early birds (people who book trips for the first two weeks of the season) receive a $400 discount and unlimited vertical, should the weather cooperate (which it did for us). Choose from two weekly packages: Five days on snow starts at $3,150 per person (costs are based on double occupancy); seven days on snow starts at $4,350 per person. Package prices include lodging at the Alyeska Prince Hotel, transfers to and from the Anchorage International Airport, helicopter, guides, the use of an avalanche transceiver, lunch on heli-ski days, and unlimited lift access at Alyeska Ski Resort.
We were like Lilliputians in a landscape on steroids.
In addition to its all-inclusive packages, CPG offers a unique backup plan for its guests should the bird fail to fly. An additional $250 (the fee covers everything except lunch) guarantees you a seat in the snowcat on flat-light or stormy days. CPG's exclusive-use permit gives the cats and helicopters access to 750 square miles of sublimely tilted slopes. The area has an annual snowfall of 740 inches,
The proof
nonexistent lift lines, and everything from long cruiser runs to couloirs like the North Face. And yet with a summit elevation just below 4,000 feet, even sea-level skiers needn't worry about acclimatization. Tucked into the trees at the far end of the Girdwood Valley and adjacent to the ski resort, the Alyeska Prince Hotel offers ski-in, ski-out convenience, a host of restaurant options including the award-winning tableside chop-chop at Katsura Teppanyaki, and numerous amenities. Our personal favorites were the fitness center (indoor pool, exercise room, sauna, 16-person whirlpool tub, and massage) and the Kiosk espresso bar on the way to the tram. For more details, contact Chugach Powder Guides (907-783-4354; www.chugachpowderguides.com) and the Alyeska Prince Hotel (800-880-3880; www.alyeskaresort.com).
