Weird. Alaska’s weirdness quotient is higher than that of any other state and Alyeska can’t escape this inherent trait. There are a few bars and restaurants, but don’t seek anything else. You’ll only find ice floes, whales and trees. And that’s just fine.

Hotel Alyeska. It has no rivals on this mountain.

At Alyeska 22.5% of winter days see 6 inches or more of snow, 49% of winter months see 90 inches or more, and only 9% of months see less than 30 inches. This is elite, blue-chip style snow frequency, rivalled only by a handful of areas in North America. The far north location contributes to average snow density of 9-10%, somewhat more than in Utah/Wyoming but considerably less than in Washington, Oregon and California. However with base elevation only 250 feet Alyeska is not immune to rain, and the steep North Face is likely to be closed for icy conditions after a rain until the next big dump. Alyeska is rarely crowded and thus with its huge snowfall is the one of the premier areas for powder skiing in North America

Accumulation and Preservation

Alyeska’s main basin is usually well covered in early season, but the rugged and steep North Face can take more time. Destination visitors rarely come to Alyeska before February due to the limited daylight hours. In the absence of rain, snow preservation can be excellent, with sun strength at high latitude in late March being comparable to mid-February in the Rockies. March and April are also the optimal months for Chugach Powder Guides helisking at Alyeska, as well as numerous other heliski operations elsewhere in Alaska.