Alyeska Aerial Tramway in Girdwood, Alaska

In this video, follow along as we make the drive from Anchorage to Girdwood and the Alyeska Resort where we dry camp and ride the Alyeska Aerial Tramway.

The drive from Anchorage to Girdwood

Despite the dreary weather, it was still a beautiful drive. We had mountains to the left of us and Turnagain Arm to our right with more mountains out beyond the water.

During peak high tides, the Beluga whales come into Turnagain Arm to feed. We stopped at Beluga Point to look for them but didn’t see any. It also wasn’t the highest tide.

Dry Camping at Alyeska Resort

Alyeska Resort allows dry camping in their parking lot for $10 per night during the summer months. It’s a sloped parking lot and not an easy task getting level there. Be prepared with blocks and wood. But it is convenient to town and the resort.

People reported seeing bears on the hills behind the parking lot. Of course, we didn’t see any.

Alyeska Aerial Tramway

If you want to get to the top of the mountain, you can hike it or take the Alyeska Aerial Tramway. The tram costs $30 per person which seems a bit pricey for what it is. But, if you hike up, you get a free ride down.

Once you get to the top, there are a few hikes you can do. You could still see snow in places on the mountain on August 1st when we visited. And the resort was just about to open for mountain biking. Up to this point, there was still too much ice for it to be safe.

We hiked over to the glacier. It sits in a bowl. It’s still a bit of a workout to get from the tram drop off to the glacier. Be careful. There is a bunch of loose rocks, gravel, and snow. I wish I’d worn waterproof hiking boots instead of sneakers.

You’ll also find a gift shop/museum and a restaurant where the tram drops you off. The Bore Tide Deli & Bar had a couple of items that could be vegan like hummus and pita and a veggie sandwich. But they didn’t seem that appealing, so we skipped it.

We’re not done in Girdwood yet! In our next post, we’ll show you some beautiful hikes nearby.

Check out all the videos in our Alaska 2018 adventure here.