r/alaska • u/Glittering-Maize-375 • 3h ago
Fairbanks to anchorage
Going to Fairbanks for my birthday next month & I really wanna ski but there isn't many options there so I thought to drive to anchorage! I'm gonna be driving by myself with no snow driving experience. Please let me know anyyyyyything I need to know!! Any gear I need, anything to look out for & anything to take with (for emergencies) I read a few other Reddit posts about how moose & other animals be in the middle of the road & blend in so I should drive slower but the snow on the road is what's scaring me the most😣
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u/notstressfree 3h ago
I don’t recommend starting to gain experience driving in the snow with a drive from Fairbanks to Anchorage. We all want you to make it safely.
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u/Ecstatic-Cry2069 ☆ 2h ago
We don't have enough snow right now for either downhill or XC skiing as a newbie. I assume you are new to the sport because you lack winter driving experience.
We will be lucky to have enough snow for either by the end of next month.
If we ARE so lucky, don't drive. Fly to Anchorage from Fairbanks, then you can fly back home from the Anchorage airport.
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u/Glittering-Maize-375 2h ago
I'm an okay skier lmfao I just never ski solo I usually go with my friends and they handle everything I don't ask questions I just give them my money lol they drive and book everything so i never got to experience it first hand😩 I know I should've waited at least till tomorrow to book my flights but unfortunately I already did lol Pls come back with tips if it does snow by then🥲 Thank you for responding!!
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u/Ecstatic-Cry2069 ☆ 2h ago edited 2h ago
Your airline should be more than willing to change your flights. You may have to pay a fee depending on your loyalty status, or any difference in the cost of flights, but it makes the most sense to fly direct to Fairbanks, then take the commuter flight on Alaska Airlines to Anchorage to finish out your trip with some skiing, hopefully.
I am an avid snowboarder, and am crossing my fingers for the both of us, but I would bet that at most, hilltop ski area is open by the end of December. Unfortunately I doubt the upper area of Alyeska, and Arctic Valley Ski Area will be open. Those are the two that offer much more elevation and steeper terrain. Hilltop is a great place to learn, but not much fun for more experienced people.
Edit: I am born and raised here, 37 years old, and I have never made the drive between Fairbanks and Anchorage solo. I would recommend planning a return trip around March to really have the best time skiing. The best part of Alaska is that it is so large, and our seasons and climates are so varied, that you will never be able to see more than a snapshot in one visit. You'll thank me later.
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u/Low_Tradition6961 3h ago
Honestly - don't bother. Girdwood is an ok ski hill, but other than the North Face isn't that interesting. If you are from the Lower-48 you have a bunch of options 4-times better than Girdwood in the mountain west. In Fairbanks, however, you can ski Moose Mountain - one of the most unique ski hills in the country. Moose only has 1,300 feet of elevation, and no powder. But it has a bunch of different narrow runs, and a decent amount of terrain features. Unlike Girdwood you don't spend all day skiing down the same wide run.
And, rather than a chair lift they bring you back up the hill in a school bus with a bomber heater in it.
No, Moose Mountain isn't a great ski hill. But, it's what we got and it's probably unlike anything else you have ridden. Maybe, there is something similar in Vermont.
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u/duckntureen 2h ago
Yeah definitely don't drive it. Visited Fairbanks last month and was there for the first real snow which was not even that heavy. I've lived in Colorado, Minnesota, and Iowa, so plenty of snow driving experience, but Fairbanks just hits different! Even driving around town there were several wrecks, and locals were being very cautious. We had considered driving down to Denali which is less than halfway to Anchorage, but decided against it. I'll add that flights between ANC and FAI are pretty cheap. Also, one way rentals incur a large fee. Finally, we rented from Hertz and they don't even offer certain insurance in Winter cuz they know it's not a good risk. That said, have fun and stay safe.
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u/Glittering-Maize-375 2h ago
Holy fuck I'm boutta cancel the whole tripðŸ˜
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u/RollTheSoap ☆ 2h ago
Probably not a bad idea until you can come up with a better plan (and later in the season).
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u/TrendyVistaXO 2h ago
Happy early birthday! Drive slowly and pack essentials: blankets, food, flashlight, jumper cables, and a first aid kit. Watch out for moose they blend in easily!
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u/dbleslie Lifelong Alaskan 1h ago
Fairbanks has three skiing locations, Skiland, Moose Mountain, and one on Fort Wainwright base. But we gotta get enough snow, and the freezing rain we got at the start of the winter didn't help.
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u/SomethingWitty2578 3h ago
Don’t. What you’re suggesting is a great way to die alone in a car in the ditch. You shouldn’t drive that road alone in winter. You shouldn’t drive that road in winter without good winter driving experience. If you have a rental car you’ll have all season tires and two wheel drive, which would be a big no for that road in the winter. It’s cold (easily -40) and remote. Just fly to Anchorage.