Snapple has got it wrong, THIS place is made from the best stuff on earth !…read more Everything from the pingauzer ride, breathtaking views of the valley, sweet dogs and meeting Nick was the highlight of my Alaska trip! Now, prior to heading out to Girdwood and taking the trip, I read the description and thought "Eh, this sounds a bit campy." We did it regardless and do not regret it. Riding up a mountain, playing with puppers small and large, going on a ride in a cart pulled by aforementioned dogs.. sounds silly but it was more fun than watching a kitten chase a laser beam. Mother nature also graced us with a clear, 70 degree day as well. That helps! I've read about some blatant dog abuse that goes on with certain teams or kennels that are associated with the iditarod. Taking that into consideration, these pups did not appear to be mistreated in the slightest. In fact, you could tell Nick absolutely adores all of the dogs and isn't just putting on a show for the tourists. He talks about them as if they were his kids in a sly, goofy way that's rather hard to describe. The doggos, despite short leashes and funny looking houses seem as if they are quite well taken care of and are absolutely ecstatic about doing their job -- running! Shockingly enough, they're equally as estastic to meet strangers as well! If you're looking for a great way to spend an afternoon, check these folks (AND CUTE PUPS) out. Man, I'm a sucker for a cute furry face.

Nic and staff are all great. His office staff were very accommodating as we had scheduling issues…read more They provided us with several options and would have been happy to refund our fees. Fortunately we were able to make the tour. The ride to the kennel is a bit rough but you really get the feel for the area. Nic gives a interesting introduction and you are encouraged to interact with the dogs. He tells stories about himself and the dogs. You then learn how to harness the dogs and off you go in his cart. Taking turns through the sometimes dusty trail on a thrill ride. You finish the tour at the puppy pavilion, where you learn more about the racing and then PUPPIES!! We had enough time to ask questions and never felt rushed. A great day, and then Tyler recommended pizza at Chair 5 in the town of Girdwood, to die for pizza. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g31000-d8421789-r595086029-Girdwood_Mushing_Company-Girdwood_Anchorage_Alaska.html#

The tour was really enlightening on the how and why of mushing. Information on the Iditerod was…read moregreat! M Baker was really wonderful and answered all of our questions. We had a ln amazing discussion and his first hand experience added so much value. We also had a delightful time playing with on of the huskies, while conducting the Q&A. Hilda was so much fun and our family loved her.

About 90 minutes out from Anchorage, the Alaska Mushing School is a must see! A kennel visit and/or…read moredog sled ride can be reserved in advance via their website. The site includes a small gift shop and a private gravel parking lot. The kennel visit was $49/p, kennel visit + dog sled ride was $119/p. Matthew Failor, an actual competitor in Alaska's "Superbowl", owns this school along with his wife and 2 dog handlers. He includes a thorough history of Iditarod in the package. What I loved the most is that despite us only purchasing the kennel tour, we pretty much got as long as we wanted to play with each of the 30 or so champion hounds and 4 pups! The staff were so incredibly passionate, they knew each and every dog and their personalities! Tips: wear comfortable clothing, the dogs are huggers. If you go in the pen with the pups, don't wear anything that could attract teething :) be prepared to have your heart stolen!

Paddled Spencer Glacier with Chugach adventures in early June. We travelled by train to get there…read more Then by bus to the beach. They pretty much have thought of everything! All you need to do is paddle and bring a water bottle! They bring snacks, and homemade lunches that were amazing with homemade bread!! The view when you come around the corner is jaw dropping!! The staff were amazing and very personable!! We traveled by train for the second half of our journey to view multiple glaciers and animal sightings!! Moose, eagles, bear. There's an opportunity to get off the train and complete a short hike. This trip was the most expensive that we did, but we would do it again!!

Our group did the Glacier Blue Kayak and Grandview Tour which started with a trainride from…read moreGirdwood to Spencer Glacier. Then we had a quick kayak lesson, then paddled across the water to get up close to the glacier. Once we walked up close to admire the view, we did a meaningful meditation, took some pictures, then headed down for lunch. The box lunch was plentiful and fresh. Just enough to keep us satisfied as the train went up to Grandview to see a few more glaciers and some waterfalls that you can't get to by road. All in all, Ryan and Caroline provided us with a safe and fun day that was unforgettable. Definitely the highlight of our time in Alaska.

A word of caution: this trail is BRUTAL in the winter…read more I think it's because the people of Hope rarely hike it then. The final 3 miles were pure misery, non-stop post-holing. It took us nearly 7 hours RT, this shocked my climbing partner and I both. In the summer, I imagine it can comfortably be done in half that time. The trail is mostly flat, and 5 miles, one-way. At the 5 mile mark, there are some places to camp. This would be a great trip for a beginning backpacker. Most of South-central was socked in when we hiked it, so the views at the end were just OK. Already dreaming of a warm, summery, Corona-free hike in the future. Will re-review it then. As it stands now, it's high-effort, low-reward. You'd be better served by a higher elevation, but more frequently used trail in the winter. (like Flattop, Powerline Pass, Rabbit Creek, etc)

Gull Rock Trail, located in the Chugach National Forest, is a really excellent, moderately easy…read moretrail that has a lot to see and explore. Able bodied adults, children and seniors will enjoy this trail as long as they go prepared for some terrain changes and the misty rain that enevitably descends on hikers in this part of Alaska. To access Gull Rock Trail, take Hope Highway to the end and the entrance and parking lot are on the left. If you are camping at Porcupine Campground, you can access the trail from a 2ndary trail head there as well (which carves .5 miles off the one way distance of the hike.) There is no public parking in the Porcupine Campground to access the trail, so hikers are best off parking at the main trailhead (or camping at Porcupine... make reservations online or you'll NEVER get spot !) Unfortunately I jacked up my knee right before my vacation (argh!) so I was only able to hike about half the trail but it was very enjoyable but not terribly challenging. There's some elevation changes, but not more than about 500 feet elevation gain total. The terrain, however changes a lot. There's rainforest, birch forest, pine forests, talus (rockslidy areas), views of the inlet and the mountains. It's a nice bit of everything. There's some minimal berry picking as well, but nothing particularly exciting. There are some water sources about, so if you bring a water purifier along with you you'll stay well hydrated. There's also, unfortunately ample mosquitos. It's DEFINITELY a trail you want to be prepared for wildlife encounters (bear spray/gun), injuries (first aid pack), and basic survival stuff (a way to purify water, start a fire and a space blanket). Most of the trail has cell service since across the inlet is Seward Highway (which you can see in some spots). But there are dead spots and if you get hurt, no one's gonna find you for a while, so be prepared to hunker down. We had a bear scare on the trail because in some places the brush and shrubbery is flush with the trail. That always makes me a little squirrley. Especially if you take kids with you, be prepared for large animal encounters. There's not a lot of traffic on this trail past mile 2, so it's pretty secluded for some nice quiet time with nature. Enjoy!

Stopped here for the view of the Turnagain Arm, which was beautiful. We hiked a bit through the…read moreforest and past a pretty bridge, but turned around when we saw signs warning about mudslides. Still, a peaceful spot and worth a quick visit.

Yep 100 Challenge 2017 - #56/100…read more Haven't hiked this trail so this review is limited to the park itself. It's a nice little spot for a picnic with family and/or friends. Beautiful views of Cook Inlet and the creek. I saw three picnic tables and a barbecue grill and parking is adequate. Personally, I just come to snap a few photos of the views. One time. I had the misfortune of needing to use their porta-potty facilities. Do so at your own risk!

Take the helicopter glacier hike tour! You will not regret it!! My husband and I were second…read moreguessing such a big ticket item for our Alaska trip but we agree it was worth it! Our trip would not have been the same had we skipped this standout experience! Our guides Andy and Matt were amazing! We had a lot of fun with them and learned a lot too. Thank you guys for the memories! Until you see and walk on a glacier, you cannot understand the scale and size of one! There are hidden worlds when you get on the ice! Waterfalls into the abyss, hidden ice caves, lakes of deep aqua blue... and it goes on and on in every direction. Completely insane! Do yourself a favor and book this trip. The views from the helicopter alone are worth it, but exploring a glacier is priceless!

Did the spencer glacier kayak and hike, starting from the Alyeska Resort. $379pp (occasional…read morecoupons on their Facebook). This took about 9 hours, with about 5 hours being kayak + hike. The rest was transportation/waiting for train/etc. Prices are high, but the experience is pretty amazing. It's hard to do activities or get up close to glaciers without assistance/guides. The group to guide ratio is low so you're definitely safe. I love the energy from the guides. They know what they're doing and they are so enthusiastic about it. They definitely take care of you if you're a newb to all this. Amazing views. Amazing pictures. Would recommend!

This was an experience of a lifetime! They began by giving us a thorough training on what to…read moreexpect, so I went into it with confidence. Im convinced we had the best guide of all the groups, no one from our raft fell out! I'm hooked!

This was the highlight of my Anchorage trip! We started out with a safety swim where you swim…read moreperpendicular to the current across a river with fast water dragging you downstream. This was the hardest part of our trip; I was huffing afterwards from the freezing cold water and swimming as fast as I could to complete the task. Two people turned around after this and they weren't charged, which I think is nice. This was followed by the 3 canyons. The first canyon was the mildest, class III-IV, the second was moderately hard and more narrow, still class III-IV, and the third was mostly class V in rapid succession. The price was $129 for the first two and $200 total for all 3. About half of our group signed up for just 2 canyons, but by the end of those we decided to all do the third as well and settle the bill later. You can also duck out if you are overwhelmed by the first 2 and you aren't charged extra. Ara, our guide, did an amazing job safely navigating a bunch of rookies through these treacherous waters and not one person was lost from the boat at any point. We even went backwards down the "harder side" of the rapids sometimes and still came out unscathed. I was very impressed with the safety measures taken to ensure the passengers came out ok, as there were two cat boats near us ready to pick up passengers, ropes, and tour guides that constantly tell us what to do to stay safe. Not one boat overturned the afternoon we went (which was very high water as it rained all night) and not one person was separated from the boat. After we were done we were welcomed with hot tubs, warm showers, and hot chocolate/tea. You could also purchase photos afterwards. They also have a kitty named Allen who lives at the lodge who is very sweet and friendly. Huge shout out again to Ara for making this trip great!

Nice walk, bring bear spray, very long trails miles and better, I went late in the day, couldn't…read morestay long because it started to drizzle a little and it was getting dark, great for bicycling to. I met a gentleman walking with his two dogs and he aloud me to take his photo so the people seem friendly

This trailhead is halfway between a "city walking trail" and a "hiking trail"…read more This makes it hard to review, as it's hard to know what other trails I'm comparing it to. As a city trail, it's one of the best. There is lots of tree cover, and "babbling brooks" frequently interweave with it. As a hiking trail, it's kind of a snooze. You *might* see a moose, but you probably won't see a bear. There aren't really any mountain vistas, either. It's a great trail to walk your dog after work or to go for a quick run, though.