For skiers and snowboarders, Alaska can be exotic, exciting and enticing. Our beloved Alyeska Resort in Girdwood offers world-class slopes and has hosted the US Alpine Championships twice in the last decade. Locals enjoy local hills situated throughout town and even groomed trails for cross country skiing. Skiing and snowboarding are part of the culture here and finding friends to go with, probably, will never be hard.

With all these serious opportunities, it’s easy to forget more lighthearted sports.

Odd questions and requests are my favorite part about working in the hospitality industry, and yesterday someone asked after good sledding hills. After a quick search, I was pleasantly surprised to find a wealth of resources that I would have never thought there. Hills range from bunny slopes to legitimate mountain tops.

Municipal Sledding Hills

The Anchorage Municipality’s website lists several basic hills. More importantly, though, it lists safety guidelines, sledding tips, and park rules. If you’re not sure where to start, this website is extremely helpful: http://www.muni.org/departments/parks/pages/sledding.aspx

Sled Riding

A website for sledding enthusiasts to report various information about hills including location, condition, and size. Though some of the information is scant due to the website relying on user submissions, you might find a tip here you wouldn’t anywhere else. Find a hill you like? Submit it! http://www.sledriding.com/Alaska.html

Arctic Valley

Featuring a lodge and ski lifts in addition to sledding areas, Arctic Valley is a local favorite for winter activities. Arctic Valley also offers a famous tubing area in case sledding gets boring. Be sure to get your tickets in advance! http://www.skiarctic.net/tube-park/