Since signing our new concession agreement with Alaska State Parks in 2020 and developing a Strategic Plan in 2021, we’ve been working on a master plan to guide Arctic Valley’s development. The Board of Directors and the Planning Committee took input from our members, the public, and relied on the expertise of both SE Group (an internationally-renowned ski area planning group) and local landscape architects and planners HuddleAK. The input, planning, and review/approval process took longer than we anticipated, but overall, we’re pleased with the direction the final master plan sets for Arctic Valley.
Our goal is not to make Arctic Valley a destination resort, but rather to add summer experiences to enhance the year-round appeal of the area and to help fund ski area improvements. The master plan will guide our future development, though details for any specific project will require much more in-depth planning. Some elements, in particular the lift plan, have not been finalized, and may look very different by the time they’re actually implemented. All projects are dependent upon availability of funding, and the order of prioritization is up to the Anchorage Ski Club’s Board of Directors.
There are three big challenges to improving Arctic Valley:
- Funding: Without the deep pockets of a large corporation or wealthy owner, we’re reliant on income from operations, donations, grants, and financing to make improvements. The Board of Directors needs to be very strategic to balance revenue-generating projects along with upgrades and replacement of aging equipment.
- Geography: Arctic Valley is in a steep mountain valley, which severely limits the available land for buildings, parking lots, beginner terrain, and other features that require very low-grade terrain. Where we need to create more suitable land for these projects, it will be expensive to excavate and/or fill the necessary terrain.
- Access: Arctic Valley’s access is controlled by JBER, who owns Arctic Valley Road. The road is maintained for military purposes only, and is subject to access delays when the military is holding exercises. While we have been and are continuing to work with JBER to resolve road maintenance and access concerns, this will be an issue for the foreseeable future. We firmly believe that upgrading the road will lead to a large increase in visitation at Arctic Valley, new revenue potential, and a better experience for everyone.
Next Steps
So, what’s next? We’ve already completed the first project in our Master Plan, the John & Janet Goetz Public Use Cabin, which opened in October 2024. We’re also in the process of building our next two cabins, thanks in part to a grant from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) via the Municipality of Anchorage. Those cabins should be completed in fall 2025, and will round out our first planned pod of cabins. These projects will provide additional year-round revenue to help us finance other projects in the Master Plan.
A working group from the Board of Directors is also working on finalizing our lift replacement plan. Though the lift alignments shown in the Master Plan are one option under consideration, we’re pursuing others as well. A quad fixed grip chairlift will likely cost $3.5-4 million all-in, and even a new T-bar following the current lift line would likely cost around $2 million. Because of the huge effect any new lift will have on both our finances and the experience at Arctic Valley, we’re taking extra time to make sure we get our lift replacement plan right. One thing we’ve determined so far: barring a serious injection of cash enabling us to build multiple lifts at the same time, we likely will not be able to build a lift that satisfies all our user groups or meets all our needs right away. A phased approach, with a less-than-ideal first step, is probably needed.
We’re also working on a badly-needed maintenance shop. Our mechanics have been working on our equipment outside (the temporary tent we put up in 2022 gives some shelter, but not nearly enough). Equipment downtime will decrease, and quality of life for our staff will greatly increase with a proper shop. Finding a location and funding for this project are major hurdles, as it will require a substantial footprint and is not directly revenue generating.
Other Ski Area Improvements
- Magic Carpet: We want to replace the current handle tow lift in our beginner area with a magic carpet lift. This will be a much friendlier beginner experience, especially for snowboarders and young children.
- Tube Park upgrade: We have the potential to expand the tube park capacity on weekends, generating additional revenue for other projects. This would involve adding a magic carpet lift, relocating the existing handle tow lift, and creating additional runs. Space is a primary consideration for this project, as the tube park already shares some space with Chair 2, and we are required to maintain access for backcountry travel to Mt Gordon-Lyon. We also need to consider the impact on parking on our peak days.
- Lights: Lighting would greatly improve the experience at Arctic Valley on flat light days and allow us to offer more consistent hours early in the season, but it is a huge project due to our open terrain. The industry standard lighting plan is to have lights every 150 feet on alternating sides of a 120-foot wide run. At Arctic Valley, this would mean rows of light towers down Ptarmigan Bowl (and anywhere else we want to light), which would break up the terrain, and have high construction costs due to the steepness of the terrain and need to lay underground utilities. We do hope to add lights, but recognize that it will be a significant expense – perhaps out of line with the potential revenue it generates.
- Snowmaking: Snowmaking would greatly improve the early-season ski/ride experience at Arctic Valley, especially in low snow years. Implementation faces similar challenges to lighting, as it would require rows of (likely) tower-mounted snowguns down the mountain, permanent hydrants and electrical pedestals, and underground utilities. There are synergies in constructing both lighting and snowmaking at the same time. Additionally, snowmaking will require a large holding pond, likely constructed just north of Chair 2. This will be a major engineering, permitting, and construction task.
- Trail Development: The Master Plan suggests carving several trails from the top of the mountain to enable better access for beginner and intermediate skiers and riders. Due to the steepness of our terrain, these trails have the potential to be very disruptive to the existing mountainside. That kind of work will require permitting and permission from Alaska State Parks, as well as evaluation internally and with our users (summer and winter) as to feasibility and desirability.
Summer & Year-Round Improvements
- Lodge: Alpenglow Lodge is not large enough for our current user base, services, and staff on peak days, not to mention any additional user growth. Significant additional square footage is needed to accommodate a more capable kitchen, provide administrative offices, additional room for ski patrol, and seating for the public. This will be a major undertaking, with code-required electrical, plumbing, and ADA upgrades in addition to structural changes to the lodge.
- Parking: With very limited flat ground available at Arctic Valley, expanding parking to match our continued growth is a serious challenge. Alaska State Parks received a $175,000 grant in 2024 to study additional parking areas, along with re-orienting the trailhead, re-routing the Rendezvous Peak Trail as it leaves the parking lot, improving the final stretch of Arctic Valley Road, and improving drainage around those areas. We hope additional funds for construction will follow once the study is completed. Parking lots, trails, and the trailhead facilities are owned by Alaska State Parks, so improvements to those facilities will largely be funded by grants from the State or other entities, not by the Anchorage Ski Club.
- Biking: We do not believe Arctic Valley is a good candidate for a lift-served bike park. Our open, above tree line terrain greatly increases trail maintenance requirements and erosion issues. However, we believe there is great potential to use Arctic Valley as a trailhead for a through-trail to Indian. This was nearly approved in the 2024 Alaska Capital Budget and is something we will continue to advocate for.
- Wedding Venue: As we’ve grown busier in both summer and winter, the dual-use nature of Alpenglow Lodge has become an issue, as we’re not able to optimize for either summer or winter use. Additionally, the use of the lodge as a wedding venue in the summer precludes us from operating a restaurant and bar during the summer. We’ve identified an ideal location for a dedicated wedding venue; however, access is problematic due to the military’s control of the south end of Arctic Valley.
- Summer Attraction: There is no commercial-scale summer alpine attraction in Anchorage proper. We have had great success running Chair 2 on limited days during the summer for lift-supported hiking, berry picking, and scenic lift rides. Combining this operation with a large zip line or similar attraction that would bring in tourists as well as locals, we have the potential to generate large amounts of revenue that will help pay for upgrades to our winter operations. The capital outlay for a zip line is very large, so this requires careful further study. Our relatively short summer season, inclement weather, and military control/maintenance of Arctic Valley Road are considerations that may reduce the feasibility of such a project.
- Additional Public Use Cabins: The master plan identifies several places where we could construct additional public use cabins, including near the base of Chair 1 and on the shoulder of the mountain overlooking Ship Creek Valley, near the Marston Trail. Cabins and their associated facilities are expensive to build, so while they provide a stable revenue stream, we need to carefully consider the return on investment versus other priorities.
- Summer Music Venue: Our successful Chugach Fest series also points towards the possibility for more outdoor music at Arctic Valley – especially if a restaurant/bar is open regularly with a summer attraction. Finding space for a dedicated music venue is a concern, due to limited suitable areas for an outdoor concert, and limited usage potential during much of the year.
Documents
- Full Master Plan
- ASC Concession Area Map
- Existing Conditions Map
- Terrain Aspect Analysis
- Terrain Slope Analysis Map
- Short-term Winter Upgrades Map
- Long-term Winter Upgrades Map
- Summer Trail Zone Concept Map
- Short-term Base Area Development Map
- Long-term Base Area Development Map (Existing Boundaries)
- Long-term Base Area Development Map (Expanded Boundaries)
Feedback
Have comments on our Master Plan? We’d love to hear from you! Use our feedback form to let us know – especially if you have experience in engineering, construction, or fundraising and are able to offer time and expertise to help us move forward.
Donations & Sponsorships
Want to help make all this possible? We are in the process of stepping up our donation, grant, and sponsorship funding. If you’re willing to make a donation, have a corporate donation match at work, are willing to become an Arctic Valley sponsor, or know of grant opportunities, please contact us!
