Alaska Ski Touring
Guided big-mountain skiing and splitboarding in Valdez, Alaska — the Chugach, deep maritime snow, and legendary spine walls, all human-powered. No helicopter required.
Valdez and Thompson Pass are the birthplace of big-mountain freeriding — and still the benchmark. The Chugach combines absurdly deep maritime snow with steep, sculpted spine walls and faces, and a snowpack that often bonds well enough to ride terrain you only dream about elsewhere. Best of all, much of it is accessible on skins straight off the road, so you can experience Alaska big-mountain skiing human-powered, without a helicopter.
We guide it as a progression — building terrain, movement, and judgment so you ride bigger lines, safely.
Our Alaska trips
Guided Ski Trips
Guided big-mountain ski touring in the Chugach — from building skills and terrain progression to riding the classic Thompson Pass lines, with lodging and logistics handled.
The terrain
Thompson Pass, above Valdez on the Richardson Highway, is the heart of it: enormous terrain straight off the road, from mellow pillows and trees to committing spines and big faces. The Chugach's deep, maritime snowpack is what makes the steep, sculpted lines rideable — and why skiers and riders have pilgrimaged here for decades.
When to go
Prime
The Valdez window — deep, settled snow and long days in the Chugach.
Big snow
Thompson Pass gets some of the deepest maritime snow in North America.
Access
Huge terrain straight off the Richardson Highway — no heli required.
Why go with us
Big terrain demands good judgment. We guide Alaska as a progression with certified AMGA guides and small groups — building your terrain sense and movement so you ride bigger, better lines with confidence, under your own power.
Alaska skiing FAQ
When is the best time to ski Valdez, Alaska?
The prime window is roughly March into April, when the Chugach snowpack is deep and settled and the days are long. This is the classic big-mountain season at Thompson Pass.
Do you use helicopters?
No — our Alaska trips are human-powered ski touring. You earn your turns on skins and splitboards, which keeps the trip accessible, flexible, and far more affordable than heli skiing, with a huge amount of terrain reachable right off the road.
How hard is skiing in Alaska? Do I need experience?
Valdez is big-mountain terrain, so it's best for solid intermediate to advanced skiers and splitboarders with touring experience and good fitness. That said, we guide it as a progression — guides match the terrain to your ability and build you up to bigger lines over the trip.
What's the Chugach snowpack like?
Deep and maritime — some of the heaviest snowfall in North America. That deep, bonded snow is exactly what makes the steep, sculpted spines and faces rideable, and it's why Valdez is legendary.
What's included and where do you stay?
Trips include guiding and lodging in the Valdez area plus trip logistics (exact inclusions vary by trip). You cover flights, personal ski/splitboard and avalanche gear, travel insurance, and personal expenses. Full details come after you book.
Let's plan your Alaska trip
Tell us your experience and goals and we'll help you build toward the big lines of Valdez — under your own power.