Cumulus Mountain (5,815 ft.) Ram Glacier Route: 5.9 miles each way, 4,500 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 2+. My time: 6 hours round trip ▼KMZ Dragon Tail Ridge Route: 5.2 miles each way, 4,800 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 3-. … Read More
McHugh Peak (4,311 ft.) Bear Valley route (North Ridge): 5.4 miles round trip, 2,300 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 2s4. My time: 2.5 hours Rabbit Creek routes (East Ridge): ~10 miles round trip, ~2,900 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 2+s4. … Read More
Gold Cord Lake Trail Less than 1 mile each way, ~600 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 1. My time: 1 hour round trip The Talkeetna Mountains of Alaska are a maze of lush alpine valleys, old mining roads, and black-stained … Read More
North Suicide Peak is a rugged 5,065-foot pyramid at the head of Rabbit Valley, near the southwest corner of Chugach State Park. North Suicide and South Suicide Peak are connected by a wind-swept col halfway between their bases at Rabbit Lake and their virtually equal-heighted summits, inviting an allusion to Siamese twins connected at the hips.
I often think of Rainbow Peak as a kind of “Flattop for locals.” Both peaks are easily accessible from Anchorage, take a half day or less to climb, and are almost the same height (3,543′ for Rainbow and 3,510′ for Flattop). Both sit on the edge of Chugach State Park and punch above their weight in terms of views. But Rainbow is without a doubt a longer, more difficult (and arguably, more rewarding) venture.
Ptarmigan Peak (4,911 ft.) Via the Rabbit Lake trailhead: 7 miles round trip, 3,250 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 3. My time: 3.5 hours Via the Glen Alps trailhead: 10 miles round trip, 3,140 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 3 … Read More
Eagle Peak (6,909 ft.) South face route: 10.2 miles each way, 5,470 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 3+. My time: 14 hours round trip ▼KMZ South ridge route: 10.8 miles each way, 5,790 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 3+. My … Read More
South Suicide Peak (5,005 ft.) Via the Rabbit Creek Trailhead, West Ridge Route: 6 miles each way, 3,560 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 2+. My time: 5 hours round trip▼KMZ Via the Rabbit Creek Trailhead, Hauser’s Gully Route: 5.5 miles … Read More
Penguin Ridge Full ridge 14.9 miles one way, 8,660 ft. elevation gain. Difficulty: Class 3. My time: 12 hours ▼KMZ Driving the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood, you can’t help but notice the long ridge between Bird and Girdwood. … Read More