Trip Booked to Alyeska- Tips?

**huckmadtrix** · 12-01-2014, 10:23 AM

Myself and 4 compadres booked a trip to Girdwood in mid-March . We're staying right at the base of Alyeska and will be skiing at the resort most days. We'll have touring setups and possibly access to some sleds. Looking for general tips on areas to hit on the mountain, side or backcountry off the resort (if any) and where to go elsewhere for the goods.

Tips on local watering holes, breakfast/coffee, grocery stores is appreciated too.

Thanks!

**ak_powder_monkey** · 12-01-2014, 02:48 PM

Well the resort has no side or backcountry. Its pretty small and you can see pretty much all of it (unless its snowing). Go where it looks cool. North face is good, when its good, gates are pretty clearly marked. Maybe you get lucky and hit a headwall opening (hopefully not because of to much snow). Backcountry options are pretty limitless (if it snows). Just not from the resort directly, unless you want to ski up the snowcat terrain, you'll probably have to drive.

Hope it snows

I'm pretty partial to the silvertip for breakfast
others like the grind (coffee shop), and the bake shop
right by the only store in town (the Merch)
Bars in town are the Sitzmark, The A bar and the 7 glaciers (all resort owned) I recommend making sure to get a fizz at 7 g's. Other bars are silvertip, chair 5 and double musky.
Double Musky has some of the best food in the state. Go there, get the pepper steak, have lunch for the next couple days.
Book a cat trip.
Tip your bartenders.

And hope it snows.

**AKturnanburn** · 12-02-2014, 03:10 AM

Don't listen to the above unless you appreciate overpriced, overbuttered, overcooked and underwhelming food, don't bother with the musky. Jack Sprats near the base of the mountain is significantly better in all categories. Maybe some apps and drinks at the musky, but meh, I'm so over the musky-best food in the state-hype bullshit.

**DickMerkin** · 12-02-2014, 03:59 AM

Bullcrap...Musky was legit.

The mountain, on the other hand, kinda sucked. Big letdown.

**Shredhead** · 12-02-2014, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

Well the resort has no side or backcountry. Its pretty small and you can see pretty much all of it (unless its snowing). Go where it looks cool. North face is good, when its good, gates are pretty clearly marked. Maybe you get lucky and hit a headwall opening (hopefully not because of to much snow). Backcountry options are pretty limitless (if it snows). Just not from the resort directly, unless you want to ski up the snowcat terrain, you'll probably have to drive.

Hope it snows

I'm pretty partial to the silvertip for breakfast
others like the grind (coffee shop), and the bake shop
right by the only store in town (the Merch)
Bars in town are the Sitzmark, The A bar and the 7 glaciers (all resort owned) I recommend making sure to get a fizz at 7 g's. Other bars are silvertip, chair 5 and double musky.
Double Musky has some of the best food in the state. Go there, get the pepper steak, have lunch for the next couple days.
Book a cat trip.
Tip your bartenders.

And hope it snows.

I really like the guys at CPG and wouldn't hesitate to fly with them,
but the cat op is kind of lame.

**huckmadtrix** · 12-02-2014, 08:24 AM

It looks like our condo is steps from Jack Sprats so that's cool.

Will look into cat skiing but may not be in the budget.

**ak_powder_monkey** · 12-02-2014, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by AKturnanburn

Don't listen to the above unless you appreciate overpriced, overbuttered, overcooked and underwhelming food, don't bother with the musky. Jack Sprats near the base of the mountain is significantly better in all categories. Maybe some apps and drinks at the musky, but meh, I'm so over the musky-best food in the state-hype bullshit.

Sounds like you are not good at ordering

... Musky is on the short list for steak (put it up there with Club Paris, not as good as club paris but...), I cannot speak to any of the other entres there though. And yes butter makes everything better. And really, find better crawfish in Alaska. And yes I'm super fat and love cheese and butter.

Totally forgot about Jack Sprats, Its (really) good but I cannot afford to eat there, and unless something has changed, no liquor, just beer and wine (I can't really afford to eat at the Musky either). Their brunch is pretty fantastic.

**ak_powder_monkey** · 12-02-2014, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Shredhead

I really like the guys at CPG and wouldn't hesitate to fly with them,
but the cat op is kind of lame.

And didn't even go last year... (sigh)

Its snowing. !

**Goniff** · 12-02-2014, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Shredhead

I really like the guys at CPG and wouldn't hesitate to fly with them,
but the cat op is kind of lame.

I'll be at Alyeska the first week in March. I was planning to do the heli and/or cat. Why is the cat op lame?

**AKturnanburn** · 12-02-2014, 05:28 PM

Not saying the muskys terrible, just tastes too much like Applebee's, ha, I'm just a food snob.

Cat skiing can be fun, just don't expect it to compare to big vert Canadian ops. Really yur at the mercy of the weather on all fronts.

**buttahflake** · 12-02-2014, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by AKturnanburn

Not saying the muskys terrible, just tastes too much like Applebee's, ha, I'm just a food snob.

Cat skiing can be fun, just don't expect it to compare to big vert Canadian ops. Really yur at the mercy of the weather on all fronts.

that and there could be some wicked punters on the cat, when i was there, that was the case.
BP oil dicks, who couldn't buy a turn on un-groomed terrain, it was tedious.
however, the heli-op was very good.
i like the ski hill, North Face is legit, upper postal slot was gnar.

**BFD** · 12-02-2014, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by AKturnanburn

Not saying the muskys terrible, just tastes too much like Applebee's, ha, I'm just a food snob.

Cat skiing can be fun, just don't expect it to compare to big vert Canadian ops. Really yur at the mercy of the weather on all fronts.

complain about raw pizza at Pizza Athena than praise Jack Spratt. Raw apple pie at Jack Spratt posibbly worst item I have ever purchased in a restaurant.

**Goniff** · 12-02-2014, 06:10 PM

So I should stick to the heli and bring my own food. Are there any outfits that guide BC tours out of Alyeska? I'll be solo with no car.

**BFD** · 12-02-2014, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Goniff

So I should stick to the heli and bring my own food. Are there any outfits that guide BC tours out of Alyeska? I'll be solo with no car.

contact Joe Stock he is like a god even wrote a guide book.

**dewam** · 12-02-2014, 07:46 PM

March is a long way off. Watch this for the next few months, then check back in.

http://www.cnfaic.org/index.php

Advisories, Observations, and Weather, should keep you clued in.

No pizza, steak, or apple pie knowledge to share. Den

**zion zig zag** · 12-02-2014, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by DickMerkin

The mountain, on the other hand, kinda sucked. Big letdown.

Ignore this guy. If the north face is open, it's fun as hell. The christmas and new years chutes are fun too.

**AKturnanburn** · 12-02-2014, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by BFD

complain about raw pizza at Pizza Athena than praise Jack Spratt. Raw apple pie at Jack Spratt posibbly worst item I have ever purchased in a restaurant.

Ha, good memory, I hope for more in a $26 pizza. in my opinion alaska has a serious problem with a lack of decent restaurants, how hard is it? overpriced and underwhelmed, cisco bullshit is unacceptable. granted raw apple pie just sounds weird, how was everything else there? Yes, I usually just cook my own shit.

sorry to detract from the thread with my critical food leanings, carry on. (we need some firkin snow already)

**Meadow Skipper** · 12-02-2014, 08:53 PM

Flying in and out of Anchorage, right?
http://www.akbushcompany.com/the-gre...-show-club.php <-NSFW btw

[cliché]This place is slipping[/cliché]

**ak_powder_monkey** · 12-02-2014, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by AKturnanburn

Ha, good memory, I hope for more in a $26 pizza. in my opinion alaska has a serious problem with a lack of decent restaurants, how hard is it? overpriced and underwhelmed, cisco bullshit is unacceptable. granted raw apple pie just sounds weird, how was everything else there? Yes, I usually just cook my own shit.

sorry to detract from the thread with my critical food leanings, carry on. (we need some firkin snow already)

god there is a lot of horrible over priced food in this state, fortunately for us Anchorage has the most affordable least shitty food in the state!

**ak_powder_monkey** · 12-02-2014, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by buttahflake

that and there could be some wicked punters on the cat, when i was there, that was the case.
BP oil dicks, who couldn't buy a turn on un-groomed terrain, it was tedious.
however, the heli-op was very good.
i like the ski hill, North Face is legit, upper postal slot was gnar.

I think you could run into this with a bird too. CPG now has like 3 cats, I kinda foresee the cat terrain getting skied out super fast? however it could make for smaller/more fun groups. They even have a hut you can rent at the top of the cat ski terrain.

North Face is super fun, we just had some coverage issues last year. Without it the mountain gets really small really fast (but I have a ton of fun there).

**digitaldeath** · 12-02-2014, 11:09 PM

What's the ticket on said trip?

**HansJob** · 12-02-2014, 11:10 PM

Find out where McAlpine is cooking and eat the best meal in all of Girdweed. Did I mention it's finally snowing!

**ak_powder_monkey** · 12-03-2014, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by digitaldeath

What's the ticket on said trip?

I wanna say renting the hut costs significantly less than renting a cat (you can tour right too it)

PS http://www.stockalpine.com/the-alaska-factor/

**LongShortLong** · 12-03-2014, 01:06 AM

Pepe's Turnagain House served one of the better meals I've had anywhere, but I'm not from AK, so what do I know. It's a short way up 1 toward Anchorage.

As for the resort, the others have you covered. If you're quick on the north face you can get down ahead of the tram.

If you haven't seen the northern lights, ask whoever you're staying with to wake you if the lights come to town. There's a free northern lights paging service, too (Google might know more?).