Skiing Cross Country in Alaska

“But I’m not a B&B; type,” I said as a friend tried to persuade me to just give it a try. I always felt that I was a hotel person. I love to shut the door to the world and let breakfast be a room service affair.

But once I saw the Alaska Private Lodging brochure I was sold. I would have been crazy to pass this up.

The directory listed everything from private yachts to log cabins. Exquisite private homes filled with antiques, mountain retreats, a cabin right on the bank of a great fishing river (the Kenai), a wonderful inn on the island of Kodiak, even a home with its own airstrip.

It was winter and I was going skiing in Alaska. One listing I couldn’t resist was Hatcher Pass Lodge--cross-country skiing and downhill by helicopter at only $15 a ride. I figured this must be the world’s best-kept ski secret. Hatcher Pass is only a 90-minute drive from Anchorage, just outside Palmer in the Talkeetna Mountains.

Warmth and Good Spirits

The lodge is a nook of wood, warmth and good spirits, both human and liquid. I had heard that the view was mind-boggling, and it literally stopped me in my tracks.

The main lodge is an A-frame with a front wall of glass to capture the view. It certainly does; there’s Palmer, and beyond it the high peaks of the Chugach Mountains.

To the left, the Talkeetna Mountains sprawl into the distance. Farther around, Mt. McKinley looms large. The western Alaska Range trails from that highest summit, and Cook Inlet pulls up close, shining golden in the sunshine below all the peaks. I felt as if I was sitting on top of the world, and in a sense I was.

In the center of the main lodge a large coal stove is surrounded by tables for dining. The cozy bar soon becomes the center of activity as the sun sets and the day finishes. Soft rock plays in the background.

Tom Murphy, co-owner and general manager of Hatcher Pass Lodge, was preparing a special fondue from a recipe he brought back from Europe. Combining Emmenthaler and Gruyere Swiss cheeses, fresh garlic and cherry schnapps, it was the best fondue I’ve ever had and just a preview of the meal to come.

Fluffy Omelets

I could go on and on about the food--for breakfast, big fluffy omelets made with Havarti cheese, Black Forest ham or fresh sauteed mushrooms and French toast made with real French bread. They even bake their own croissants.

You’ve probably heard stories about certain hardy Alaskans who take hot saunas in the dead of winter, then burst out into the cold and plunge their lobster-like bodies into ice-cold mountain streams. The sauna that straddles Clear Creek is just one of the high points of the Hatcher Pass Lodge.

The lodge has five double rooms upstairs. Separate from the main lodge are two (soon to be four) smaller A-frame cabins, with the same fabulous view. What a way to wake up!

I was there to ski, and after breakfast the next day our “ski lift” arrived.

“Keep your head down! Keep your skis parallel to the ground.” These were the orders from Chris Soloy of Soloy Heli-Ops. His office is in Wasilla, but his outfit also operates glacier tours out of Valdez as well as custom tours that include a sunset watch, hiking, mining sites and champagne flights.

For more information, contact Soloy Heli-Ops, P.O. Box 872701, Wasilla, Alaska 99687, phone (907) 562-2866.

Off we go for a short flight to the summit of Hatch Mountain. Consistent, smooth powder covers north-facing slopes. It feels comfortable to turn in--or fall in. The run back to the lodge takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your pace.

Falling Under a Spell

Hatcher Pass is well-known for its cross-country skiing. Murphy and his crew have set 15 to 20 kilometers of gently rolling ski track between the lodge and the Independence Mine State Historic Park, just a mile up the valley from the lodge. And plenty of non-groomed trails for those who want to practice their telemarking.

One doesn’t have to be a skier to fall under the spell of Hatcher Pass Lodge. Good people, good food and unbelievable scenery make it a delight in summer or winter.

A word about driving up to Hatcher. It’s no problem. My rental car, equipped for winter, handled the roads without a hitch.

Rates at the lodge are slightly higher in winter than summer. Rooms in the main lodge--with bath down the hall--during winter: $25 single, $35 double; summer: $20 and $30. Cabins with private bath in winter: $50 single, $65 double; summer: $40 and $55. The address is Hatcher Pass Lodge, P.O. Box 2655, Palmer, Alaska 99645, phone (907) 745-5897.

I stayed in a log cabin in Talkeetna, 115 miles north of Anchorage. Talkeetna looks like a living ghost town that reflects Alaska’s mining and trapping heritage.

The Talkeetna area is often referred to as the playground of south-central Alaska. At the confluence of the Susitna, Talkeetna and Chulitna rivers, Talkeetna is a hub for a variety of wilderness possibilities, from raging canyon river rafting to unexcelled salmon fishing.

Main Route to Fairbanks

The town is just off George Parks Highway about halfway between Anchorage and the entrance to Denali National Park. This highway is also the main route to Fairbanks.

One mode of transportation to the area’s fishing hot spots is by plane or helicopter. Four air charter services are based in Talkeetna. They offer flight-seeing tours and, during the “climbing season,” fly the climber to base camp on the Kahlitna or Ruth glaciers, where most teams begin their ascent of Mt. McKinley.

From April till early July, Talkeetna brims with mountain climbers and guides, which at times outnumber the community’s 375 residents.

Mt. McKinley is the symbol of untamed wilderness. At 20,320 feet above sea level, it is the highest mountain in North America.

Known as Denali--”the high one”--by natives, it is called simply “The Mountain” by most. Mystical in its dominance, Mt. McKinley has broken men’s spirits and uplifted them, flirted with their minds and challenged their souls.

Talkeetna seems to sit in the shadow of The Mountain, and it looks close enough to walk to, even though it’s 60 miles away. Cross-country skiing was my sport and, with The Mountain ever present, it was a heady experience. That, plus my stay in a picture-book log cabin in the snow, seemed too good to be true.

Perfect for Two Couples

The cabin has two bedrooms, a living room with a big stone fireplace, and a cozy kitchen. It’s perfect for two couples or a family, and is right in the center of this tiny town.

The rates for the cabin are the same in summer and winter: single $40, double $50, or $100 a night for the whole cabin. The log cabin is available through Rose Jenne, P.O. Box 300, Talkeetna, Alaska 99676, phone (907) 733-2400.

When I return to Alaska this summer, I’ll be sailing on the Camai, a beautiful, well-appointed 55-foot ketch that sails out of Seward.

This picturesque town, set against the mountains at the head of Resurrection Bay, is the gateway to the hauntingly beautiful Kenai Fiords. Seward is about 140 miles south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula, and it’s a spectacular drive all the way.

The Camai sails Resurrection Bay, the Kenai Fiords and Prince William Sound. The sound is a large body of water surrounded by an emerald green forest and majestic mountains.

Sailing the sound allows a leisurely inspection of sea life and one of the largest of Alaska’s tidewater glaciers, the Columbia. From the Camai we’ll be able to see 2 1/2 miles of sheer cliff, rising 160 to 260 feet above sea level. Ice may extend as far as 2,300 feet deep in some places.

With a 16 1/2-foot beam, the Camai is built for comfort. The staterooms are exquisitely decorated and have plenty of storage area.

The galley is equipped with a custom-built refrigerator, freezer, diesel cook stove and double stainless-steel sinks. The heads and galley have hot and cold running water.

At a settee and table in the salon you can sit comfortably in inclement weather and enjoy the scenery. The Camai has ample deck space to walk leisurely from the stern to the bow. The spacious aft deck is large enough to have a barbecue.

Great for first-time sailors, the Camai sails with a full crew, and you’re pampered and cared for the whole time. It’s available for day cruises as well as two- and three-day charters.

Alaska’s Big Apple

Camai rates for overnight and next-day cruising are $100 single, $200 double. Rates for longer charters vary with duration.

To book an overnight stay or charter, or to get a copy of the brochure, contact Alaska Private Lodging, 1236 West 10th Ave., Anchorage, Alaska 99501, phone (907) 258-1717.

Another possibility is Accommodations Alaska Style, P.O. Box 173-3605-Z, Arctic Boulevard, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, phone (907) 344-4006.

Anchorage, Alaska’s Big Apple, started as a tent city in 1913. The city enjoys a magnificent setting on a bluff overlooking Cook Inlet. Knik Arm of the inlet curves around the northwestern side, Turnagain Arm cuts inland at the south, and to the east the beautiful Chugach Mountains rise more than 8,000 feet.

Alaska Private Lodging lists 30 Anchorage locations, either downtown or mid-town.

Best bet is to determine the location you’ll want, and go from there. They’ll try to arrange a good match between guests and hosts.

I wanted a location within walking distance of downtown. My choice turned out perfect--a lovely home right on the park, a view from every window. It was a studio apartment with bath and kitchen.

The kitchen was stocked with everything I needed for a private breakfast, or I could join my hosts upstairs. The hostess is Mary Reardon, 1236 West 10th Ave., Anchorage, Alaska 99501, phone (907) 258-1717.

Alaska is infectious. So much to see. I always leave feeling as if I just got started. Does one ever really know such a great land? One way is through its people, and bed and breakfast can help open that door.

For more information on traveling in Alaska, contact the Alaska Division of Tourism, Department of Commerce and Economic Development, P.O. Box E, Juneau, Alaska 99811, or call (907) 465-2010.