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U.S. Alpine Championships Athletes, Fans Explore Big, Wild Life

Anchorage, Alaska – March 22, 2007 – The world-renown U.S. Alpine Championships promises to keep nearly 1,000 athletes, family members, officials and media busy in Girdwood, Alaska March 27 – April 3, 2007. Many visitors will have the opportunity before and afterwards to explore the surrounding landscape and participate in a wide variety of exciting activities within Anchorage’s magnificent winter wonderland.

Mild temperatures, abundant snowfall, towering mountains and miles of untouched snow will amaze winter visitors discovering the ultimate conditions for winter fun in Southcentral Alaska. Anchorage’s annual snowfall averages 70 inches, creating the ideal playground for alpine and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice climbing, sledding and ice skating.

Alyeska Resort boasts stunning views from high mountaintops. This sea level resort’s base begins at 250 feet and crests at 3,923 feet, creating some of the best snow conditions Mother Nature has to offer. Alaska’s premier ski resort, located 40 scenic miles south of downtown Anchorage, averages an annual snowfall from 700 to 1,000 inches, allowing the ski season to extend through May. Alyeska’s challenging slopes have raised several Olympians, including Hilary Lindh, Megan Gerety, Tommy Moe and snowboarding bronze medalist, Rosey Fletcher. Skiers and snowboarders can explore 2,500 feet of vertical exhilaration and 1,000 acres of terrain via nine lifts. A 60-passenger tram, located directly behind the 307-room, chateau-styled Hotel Alyeska, whisks winter adventurers to open bowls near the summit.

Alpine enthusiasts can enjoy beginning and intermediate skiing and snowboarding just 15 minutes from downtown Anchorage at Hillop Ski Area. Skiers can meander down gentle slopes across the base of scenic Chugach State park. Snowboarders can test their skills on the popular “Mongoline,” a permanent half pipe.

Those looking forward to skiing with a bit of a backcountry edge can head to Alpenglow at Arctic Valley, located just 25 minutes north of downtown. Skiing facilities at Arctic Valley were originally established for military recreation in the 1940s. Today, the adjoining and challenging “Alpenglow” portion of the mountain is operated by the Anchorage Ski Club, which encourages a friendly, family atmosphere in the lodge and on the slopes.

Prefer flatter terrain? Cross-country skiers have access to more than 105 miles of groomed and countless miles of ungroomed trails. Anchorage’s award-winning trail system begins downtown on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and criss-crosses throughout the city. Kincaid Park, an internationally recognized Nordic ski competition area, offers groomed, lighted and maintained wilderness trails for every experience level within a 1,400-acre area. Other highlights within Anchorage’s extensive Nordic network include Russian Jack Springs, Hillside and Bicentennial Parks, as well as the trail system of the Eagle River Nature Center.

Snowshoeing is one of the nation’s fastest growing winter sports. This low-impact exercise is easy to learn, burns up to 1,000 calories a day and can be done alone or within a group. Anchorage, Girdwood and Eagle River all have miles of trails for all abilities.

Dogsledding is the state’s official sport, and is an amazing way to see Alaska’s backcountry. It’s also an important part of Alaska’s history. During the gold rush era, the Iditarod National Historic Trail was a supply route to mining camps, trading posts and remote bush areas. The trail became a lifeline in 1925 when a diphtheria epidemic hit Nome. Twenty mushers and their dogs sped through sub-zero conditions to deliver life-saving serum to the isolated community of Nome.

Today, outdoor enthusiasts can relive history and experience the exhilaration of handling a dog team first hand by participating in half-day or multi-day tours. The ultimate experience involves taking a helicopter to a magnificent ice-blue glacier, then taking the ride of a lifetime behind a team of sled dogs. Visitors can also visit a sled dog kennel and play with puppies while talking to a past or future Iditarod winner.

Anyone seeking the ultimate thrill and solitude of pristine, untouched powder, can head into the wilderness for some of the most incredible backcountry skiing in North America. Take a helicopter ride while soaring above stunning mountaintops towering above Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound. Chugach Powder Guides has the exclusive-use permit to more than 300,000 acres in the Chugach State Park. Carve a wild course 4,000 exhilarating feet to the bottom. Backcountry terrain is also accessible by snow cat, a less expensive option.

Those looking for a low-cost, adrenaline-filled, fast ride down a slippery slope have numerous sledding options around town. Many parks offer wonderful sledding hills, from beginning to moderate difficulty. Try Kincaid Park, Russian Jack Springs or Oceanview Park.

Ever dreamed of climbing a glacier? Join local climbers on ice-draped cliffs along the Seward Highway, just minutes south of downtown Anchorage. The canyons throughout Anchorage’s Chugach State Park offer numerous ice climbing options. Local adventure operators provide guided tours and all the necessary equipment.

Carve figure eights on the skating oval at picturesque Westchester Lagoon or join a pick-up game of hockey for some good, family fun. Chase the chill away as you cozy up to the warming barrels while sipping a cup of hot chocolate. Other ice skating locations include Town Square in downtown Anchorage and Jewel and Goose Lakes.

For those preferring something a bit tamer, consider taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the woods over snow-covered trails and past frost-laden trees. At the end of your adventure, warm up in a toasty cabin while sipping hot cider.

Looking for a bird’s eye view of Chugach State Park? Take in Anchorage’s half-million-acre playground by plane. The glacier-carved valleys and deeply gored mountains are breathtaking. Venture further and view magnificent Denali (Mt. McKinley) during a flightseeing trip on a crisp, clear day. Expert pilots provide guided tours, maneuvering planes over vast wilderness for unsurpassed panoramas. It’s an experience of a lifetime.

Surrounded by six colossal mountain ranges, Anchorage has more than 1,960 square miles of winter fun waiting to be explored. For more information on Anchorage winter adventures, explore www.Anchorage.net/winter.

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Contact:

• Jason Lott, Chief of Press for 2007 U.S. Alpine Championships at Alyeska Resort, (907) 754-2211, (907) 223-1823 cell, jlott@alyeskaresort.com


• Jeanette Anderson Moores, Media Room Director, (907) 754-2153, (907) 229-6925 cell, mooreswj@gci.net


• Juliann Fritz, Public Relations Director for U.S.S.A, (435) 647-2061, (435) 640-8379 cell, jfritz@ussa.org


• Laura Tanis, ACVB Public Relations Manager (907) 257-2331, (907) 250-5285 cell, ltanis@anchorage.net