Skimo Ain’t Uphilling: Bike Trails, Cat Roads, and Mountains

Yesterday morning I found myself out of breath heading uphill with 65mm race skis on my feet, head-to-toe in Crazy Idea clothes, nordic poles in hand, and a soft flask of water stuffed in my shirt. I was in Girdwood, Alaska, 40 minutes south of my home town, Anchorage. I picked up about just over 10 miles and just shy of 4,000 feet of vert in a couple of hours of skimo training.

Such a sight is far from uncommon in ski towns across the country. Skimo athletes and fitness faithfuls use resort uphilling not just to train, but also increasingly to take part in a budding ski “scene,” catching up with friends, soaking up the early morning views, and donning that fresh pair of corduroy before the masses ascend upon their iron couches. However, while Alaska’s premier ski resort—Alyeska—resides in Girdwood, they do not allow uphilling. Unfortunately us spandex inclined AK skiers have no such scene to show off our stylish neon race garb, let alone rando race train, as do our southern counterparts. Indeed, moving up to Anchorage, I feared that without local access to a resort my skimo setup with rust in the garage. I was wrong.

I love the Front Range of the Chugach and usually ski there at least a couple times a week. The peaks translate into ski fitness, but not really skimo fitness—they are too steep and rarely in great conditions for race skis and race pace. I have also extolled quite a bit in the past about ski mountaineering traverses in Southcentral Alaska. Classics like the Eklutna and Bomber traverse, as well as lesser-known local favorites, are perfect skimo outings when conditions are just right. These feel like big race days and show up late in the year.