A half-hour drive south of Anchorage is Girdwood, best known as the home of luxurious Alyeska Resort and the fabled Girdwood Forest Fair. Tucked into mighty peaks famed for skiing and overlooking the beauty of Turnagain Arm, Girdwood is truly grand.
Originally named Glacier City, Girdwood began as a supply camp for gold miners at the turn of the century. After the Good Friday Earthquake in 1964 dropped the coastal edges along the Turnagain Arm 10 feet, the town relocated 2.5 miles up the valley to the present location.
Today Girdwood is a full-service community of 1,800 that attracts skiers in the winter, hikers in the summer and artists year-round while Alaskans and visitors alike are drawn to its fine restaurants, wide range of accommodations, and not one, but two trams.
The most impressive tram is at Alyeska, Alaska’s four-star, year-round resort. The hotel operates a 60-passenger tram that provides a scenic ride up Mount Alyeska where at the 2,300-foot level are a fine restaurant, museum and a dramatic view of Turnagain Arm and seven glaciers. In the winter skiers and snowboarders then head downhill. In the summer, hikers enjoy an easy stroll through the alpine world.
Girdwood’s other tram is an ultra-fun hand-tram used by hikers following Winner Creek Gorge Trail, a pleasant hike that winds 5.5 miles through lush forest, ending in the gorge itself. The most impressive trek in the area is the Crow Pass Trail a stunning alpine hike that features gold-mining relics, a glacier and alpine lake and usually Dall sheep on the slopes above. Other popular outdoor activities include mountain biking on the slopes of Alyeska, rock climbing, rafting, paragliding and sled dog trips even during the summer on the surrounding glaciers.
Girdwood also hosts the annual Girdwood Forest Fair, a popular summer fair held the first weekend of July. This event features crafts and artwork by the abundance of artists who live in the area as well as food, games, homegrown music and dancing. If you visit in the spring the annual Spring Carnival and Slush Cup provides fun and entertainment for all.