Alaska Ski Resorts Ranked & Mapped
Alaska has only a handful of ski resorts, not surprisingly centered around their three most populous cities: Juneau, Anchorage, and Fairbanks.
The Alaska ski season typically runs from November through the end of April, with some areas staying open into May or even June. The snow in Alaska is known for being light and dry, often referred to as “Champagne Powder,” which makes for great skiing conditions. The amount of snow varies depending on the location, with some areas receiving up to 500 inches of snowfall per year.
List of All Alaska Ski Resorts
Alaska only has two resorts that a part of a nationwide lift ticket system. Arctic Valley and Eaglecrest are both a part of the INDY network, which was created in 2019 to help independent ski resorts compete against the larger conglomerates like Vail Resorts or Alterra Mountain Company.
| Resort | Pass | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Alyeska | IKON | Girdwood, AK, 99587 |
| Arctic Valley | INDY | Eagle River, AK, 99577 |
| Eaglecrest | INDY,POWD | Juneau, AK, 99801 |
| Hilltop Ski Area | Anchorage, AK, 99507 | |
| Moose Mountain | Fairbanks, AK, 99709 | |
| Mt. Aurora Ski Land | Fairbanks, AK, 99712 |
Explaining Our ‘Difficulty Score’
Parks & Trips created a proprietary Difficulty Score that is generated by looking at the number of easy-intermediate-expert slopes by acreage and the maximum vertical drop of the overall resort.
Our algorithm compares each resort’s metrics with all others in North America, then gives each a Difficulty Score, which we use to rank them accordingly. Resorts with a lower score are easier than those with a higher one. However, a high score does not mean that the resort does not have any easy slopes, or vice versa. This is just an overall score given to the resort based on all its metrics grouped together.
The Most Difficult Alaskan Ski Resorts
Alyeska Resort is Alaska’s most difficult ski area and only destination ski resort. Located just south of Anchorage, Alyeska is home to North America’s longest double black diamond run. Alyeska Ski Resort is also one of the snowiest ski resorts on the continent as well.
| Rank | Resort | Green Trails | Blue Trails | Black Trails | Difficulty ScoreTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Alyeska | 11% | 52% | 37% | 77% |
| #2 | Eaglecrest | 20% | 40% | 40% | 52% |
| #3 | Mt. Aurora Ski Land | 20% | 40% | 40% | 48% |
| #4 | Arctic Valley | 20% | 50% | 30% | 48% |
| #5 | Moose Mountain | 15% | 65% | 20% | 44% |
The Largest Ski Resorts in Alaska
Located in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska, Alyeska Ski Resort is also the largest in the state. It has over 1,500 skiable acres than its closest competitor, and its vertical drop more than doubles Arctic Valley’s.
| Rank | Resort | Summit Elevation | Base Elevation | Vertical Drop | Acres | Trails |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Alyeska | 3,939 ft | 250 ft | 3,689 ft | 1,610 | 76 |
| #2 | Arctic Valley | 3,900 ft | 2,500 ft | 1,400 ft | 320 | 25 |
| #3 | Eaglecrest | 2,600 ft | 1,200 ft | 1,400 ft | 640 | 31 |
| #4 | Moose Mountain | 1,987 ft | 680 ft | 1,307 ft | 200 | 35 |
| #5 | Mt. Aurora Ski Land | 2,435 ft | 1,408 ft | 1,027 ft | 100 | 40 |
