This is a great peak to try if you want a long hike that never gets very difficult (you don't have…read moreto use your hands). The "quick" way is to start at South Fork Eagle river trail: https://www.yelp.com/biz/south-fork-eagle-river-trail-anchorage After you reach the lakes you'll want to veer right around Symphony lake and gain that ridge. You then take that ridge all the way up to the summit of Triangle. Or, you can hike on South Fork for about 1 mile. There, you will come to a junction where you can gain Rendezvous Ridge (https://www.yelp.com/biz/arctic-valley-rendezvous-peak-trail-anchorage). You take this up to the top of the ridge on your right and ride this ridge all the way to the summit. There's a lot of up and down, so it's going to take a lot more time going this route, but it's worth it. You get 360 degree Chugach views the entire time. The views of Eagle and Symphony lakes from the ridge are even better than they are down on the normal trail. You'll likely see Dall Sheep near the summit, the love this area. I was "herding" them for the last 2 miles to the summit. Getting to the summit involves some easy scrambling. There's a summit register where you can write your name, proving you made it. There are excellent views of Cantata Peak (review pending) to the north. When I was there, a storm was rolling in, creating a nice drizzle and lots of rainbows!

Review with an asterisk …read more.. Nice little locals-only secret. The trailhead is ambiguous and not well-marked, but there is no fee or parking charge as it's informal as trailheads go. It's straight up and can be a little brutal at times depending on the weather - but the views once you start hitting the false peaks get very good. And the views on the summit on a clear day are spectacular and panoramic. Summit for most of 2-4 hours depending on shape, pace, and weather. Highly recommend as a short but vigorous hike for those who are healthy and ballsy. Straight instead of going up will also lead to a game trail that offers XC skiing Asterisk - I am the guy whose driveway intersects with the trailhead. Thank you to Andrew H for his plea to be nice to the locals. Please be nice. I don't like being a meany when you block the street, or play in my driveway. But I will be - I live here

This is a trail that's really grown on me…read more If you're looking to get really high afterwork, it's impossible to beat! At 5,001 ft, this is the easiest way to get above 5k in the Anchorage bowl! In the winter, the mountain is frequently used by backcountry skiers but it's also used by gumby post-holers such as myself! The trailhead is at the end of Hiland road, please be respectful of all the private property in the area. It would be horrible to ruin relations with the neighbors here who are sharing their area with us! Don't part where signs say not to park and, for fucks sake, don't litter! The trail is a little hard to find at first, you'll go east for a hundred feet or so, then quickly turn left (north) and start up the mountain proper. Harp ain't technical, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and follow the ridge up. The views on the way up are good, but not great. But the views from the summit proper, are a sight to behold. The view of frightening Yukla Peak is one of the best! The views of Anchorage, the Sleeping Lady, and the Tordrillos behind them are from an angle rarely seen. We went up on the last day of January for the sunset, and it was brutally cold. We skipped summit beers, but we did get some stunning summit photos!

This is a point to point hike, that for the average hiker takes several days. I'm a serious slow…read morepoke, so I always out and back the first couple miles. The hike is fairly steep, that in the summer doesn' require cleats, but walking poles or a stick is nice, especially if your knees are garbage like mine. You definitely want to being a well equipped pack and plan for everything, since this location is somewhat remote, and if something goes sideways you want to be prepared. Animal encounters are a real possibility. The weather and temperature fluctuates in typical Alaskan style as well. If you go far enough, you'll have to cross a creek, which depending on the time of day, can be unpassable. In fall the colors are absolutely stunning. I highly recommend this trail for adults. Leave the kids and pets home.

Great hike in Girdwood, more exciting and less crowded than the "other" trail in Girdwood…read more You'll pass old mining debris and wander up a hill. As things get steeper watch out for Mountain Goats! I saw a Nanny and a Billy last time I was here. Eventually, you'll get pretty close to some assorted waterfalls and then top out on the pass proper. At the top is a lovely A-frame hut (reservation only, don't mess with the people in there, give 'em some privacy!). If you continue onward you'll see great views of the Raven Glacier. We brought some ice tools and crampons so we could play around on it. It was a great time! Most people turn around here. But, if you're well-equipped, you can continue almost 20 miles, all the way to Eagle River. Definitely a must-hike in the Girdwood area. If you get back in time, I recommend dinner at Jack Sprat!

Oh my goodness…read more Unlike most people, when I'm super-excited, I don't cuss. I use granny phrases like "Heavens!". I'm so excited about this trail, I can't believe I'm just now hiking it. Bird Ridge starts at a big trailhead with blasted-out rockwalls from when the Seward Highway was widened. It has bathrooms at the parking lot and then another (emergency?) bathroom about 1,000 ft up the trail. After the second bathroom, you start going up! And up! And up! There's a lot of gain here in a short amount of time. If you do it in the winter, micro-spikes (choose your favorite brand) are pretty much mandatory (it gets mighty slippery). I'd also HIGHLY recommend a pole of some sort. An ice axe would even be handy for the upper reaches. I'd also recommend you STAY OFF THE CORNICES, people have DIED. But, if you stay off the corniced ridges, this trail is still decently safe to do in the winter. You're on a ridge which is, by definition, one of the safest places to be in avalanche terrain. You'll get amazing views of Penguin Peak (which I recommend NEVER doing in the winter, it is VERY avalanche-prone) to the east and of Indianhouse South Suicide North Suicide Homicide Avalanche Mountain to the West. To the north, you can keep taking this ridge for miles, although it looks like it gets increasingly gnarly. I can't comment on what it's like in the summer, but I've heard it's beautiful. This is a great place to get above the clouds in the winter. You'll have sun on your face while everyone at lower elevations ferments in the gloom! As a bonus, the trailhead is plowed.

Drive south on AK1. pass Indian Valley meats on your left, and you will see a sign for "Bird Ridge"…read moretrail parking lot. (Sign will be on your Right, but the parking lot is on your left when you head south on AK1.) $5 for parking or use your park pass. uphill work out with a fantastic view once you climb up over 3000 feet. If you are fit, you can ascend in less than 2 hours to the top. The trail continues behind along the ridge towards girdwood possibly. Also often times you can spot eagle soaring when you look back towards Turnigan Arm/Inlet. Everything becomes so small when you are up at the peak. It's challenge but you will be rewarded with the view.

This is a great hike near Eagle River that I was surprised I hadn't heard much about…read more You start at a trailhead on a winding road (see my photo for exact Google Maps location), you switchback up through the trees and eventually make your way to a ridge line. You ride the ridge line, up and down, until you finally reach the proper summit of Mt Magnificent. Be advised, there are many false summits on the way. You'll think you're about to summit the mountain numerous times, then reach the "top" only to see a larger summit in front of you, in the distance. (it can be rather heart-breaking) I'd imagine this hike can go quicker in the summer/fall (the website I read said it was casually done in less than 3 hours, RT), but it takes a decent amount of time to do in the winter/spring (microspikes and a pole are a must). I think it took us maybe 4.5 hrs. There was a bit of route finding and some side-hilling you have to do because it's difficult to scramble on the rocks when they are covered in slippery snow. There are event some flat spots on here that would be great for camping in the summer. I look forward to exploring the Eagle River hiking scene. This one is a pretty big step up from Mt Baldy. Give it a shot!

To climb this mountain, you gotta start at the South Fork Eagle River Trail:…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/south-fork-eagle-river-trail-anchorage Once you get to the lakes, you go climber's left and skirt the south flanks of Eagle Lake. This takes you into a peaceful valley area with multiple small streams criss-crossing over riverbed pebbles. You keep riding this valley up and trending left till you reach the south face of Eagle Peak, then the climbing begins. I chose to do this peak in non-ideal weather because I'm tired of all the rain and overcast weather in Anchorage...instead of putzing around online being butthurt that it wasn't "climbing weather", I decided to just go. Eagle Peak is about 22ish miles R/T. Most of it is pretty flat until the very end. Trailhead is at 2,000 ft. Summit is at ~6,900 ft. The mileage is what really makes doing it in a single day a doozy. It's a class 2/3 hike (a "scramble") in the summer, allegedly. That's not how I would've characterized it on Sunday (5/20). The south face was a mess of wet crusty, ball-busting snow and frosted, verglass-glazed rocks. I roughly followed the beta from summitpost and peakbagger, making my own adjustments for the wintery conditions. Despite it being cloudy and windy, snow/rain was only occasionally falling down. And temps were pretty warm for the most part. I never even had to get out my belay jacket. My feet though, were soaked. Even with gaiters, the wet snow was building up in and around them, and in my boots. I did something I never do anymore: I took a second pair of socks because I heard the approach can get wet (thanks to low flow on the streams and snow bridges, it wasn't!) I ended up using them anyway because my mountaineering boots were filled with water. I took a small iceaxe (the old, short hammer-design of the Petzl Sum'tec) and a whipper. I used the whippet for 99% of the ascent. I got the axe out for a short, very steep constriction that was filled with some water ice. However, the water ice was too rotten to trust (at least for someone of my risk tolerance), so I ended up down-climbing and finding another way around, and up. I took aluminum crampons because of all the mileage, they worked fine. Even with tons of clouds, gusts of wind, and scattered rain/snow showers...the summit was a sight to behold! Well worth the effort. I'm glad I got to scale it while it still has a snowy coat!

In the summer, this is a fun (kind of long) summit scramble…read more In the winter: use EXTREME CAUTION and bring crampons/ice axe. I took a nasty fall here, after deciding to turn around when my microspikes weren't getting much purchase on the ridge (I climbed it in early fall, I'd been up a neighboring peak "The Ramp" a week earlier and the snow as not at all icy...which is why I didn't bring "real" crampons for this. Big mistake.). 5 minutes later one of my feet started to slip, and next thing I know I was summersaulting down the slope, unable to stop. I dug my ice axe (more precisely, my whippet) into the slope and it couldn't stop me. I eventually lost it. I can to a stop some 500 ft down the south side of the mountain. I had one microspike. I tried to self-rescue, but my injuries and only one spike, and no axe meant I was moving at about 100 ft/hr. With 5% battery left, I called 9-1-1. My phone died talking to the sheriff. 2 hours later, I heard a helicopter overhead and was pulled of the mountain. I was sure I had cracked multiple ribs, but after I was examined and scanned: I did not sustain any major injuries. Physically, I\'m better now. Mentally, snowy slopes kind of freak me out...in a way they never did before. Anyway, do it in the summer, when it's dry and it's warm and the days are long. You start at the Powerline Pass trail: https://www.yelp.com/biz/powerline-pass-trail-anchorage It's about 6 miles to the base of the mountain. You can make it much more fun (and quick) if you bring a mountain or fat bike.

You may not know the name of this mountain but, she knows you…read more.. if you've driven through the Arm more than a couple times, you've definitely seen it. If you're driving back into Anchorage, it's visible as you're approaching the small village of "Indian" (home to one of the best restaurants in the state: Froth & Forage, https://www.yelp.com/biz/froth-and-forage-coffeehouse-and-eatery-anchorage) It's flanked by two official trails: Falls Creek Trail: on the "Anchorage side" (west) https://www.yelp.com/biz/falls-creek-trail-anchorage Indian Valley Trail: on the "Indian, AK side" (east) https://www.yelp.com/biz/indian-valley-trail-anchorage The trail that goes up to Indianhouse is not an "official trail". Because of this, I was always leery about climbing Indianhouse Mountain. I'm not super-thrilled about bushwhacking, and I thought getting to the mountain proper would require a ton of it. Oh, how wrong I was! The trail that goes up here is actually shockingly well maintained. No 'schwacking at all! It is, however, incredibly steep. Probably steepest trail I've been on in the Chugach State Park area (maybe that's why it's not "official"). Anyway, for the first (steep) mile, it's a very steep hike. You'll eventually top out on nice, wide prairie-like area. From here, casual hikers should probably turn around. You'll know you're at the turnaround point because the trail will start to become faint and eventually disappear into a ridge that leads to the much larger ridge of Indianhouse Mountain. To summit Indianhouse, DO NOT ride this ridge up to ridge of Indianhouse and then try to take that to the summit! This is a tempting move to make but the rock that lies ahead for you is of very poor quality and the moves are very much 5th-class! (e.g. you'll need a rope) Go partially up the ridge, but, before you connect with the summit ridge traverse right. And keep traversing right. This...can be kinda bushwhacky, but you're largely on tundra (and/or garbage snow). I'd say this is probably the crux of the hike/climb. You're looking for a large couloir (narrow gully) that leads up to the summit. It usually has snow in it until later in the summer. You might want to bring an ice axe and crampons or, at the very least, a trekking pole and some microspikes. The summit is exposed and complex, with incredible views in all directions. Views of the nearby Suicide Peaks are one-of-a-kind!