Jim Creek (Nordic Skate)

Just about every outdoor activity in Alaska requires the right weather conditions, and probably none are more particular than for wild skating. Certain weather conditions are necessary--clear and cold, before it snows, or when warm spells melt the snow and then it refreezes as ice. During these often brief periods, Alaska’s lakes and rivers become a glimmering, meandering, magical superhighway for humans on skates.

Ice is remarkably fickle: It can surge into pressure ridges in rivers, get jammed in blocky piles from current, or pock marked from leaves that have drifted down and landed on the ice. The best ice for skating tends to form on the most placid water bodies: Small lakes and sloughs. Fortunately, there are many of these in the region, with the Jim Creek complex being the most popular.

Jim Creek is, in fact, a creek, but it also describes a larger area of lakes, creeks, and the banks of the Knik River just east of the Butte in the Mat Su Valley. To get there, turn right off the Glenn Highway onto the Old Glenn and follow it across the Knik River. Continue for a few miles north, then turn right on Maud Road and follow it all the way to the end, by the shore of Jim Lake. This lake, which is a few hundred yards in diameter, is a great place to get comfortable on your skates if you aren’t already. To explore further, skate to the fairly large foot trail directly across the lake from the parking lot. This is a fifteen foot walk to Jim Creek. Upstream, the creek leads to Mud Lake. Downstream, it meanders several miles to the Knik River. Jim Creek is dreamy skating. The creek is tight enough to feel fun, like a bladed version of single track. The stream’s meanders reveal ever-changing mountain panoramas of the Chugach on both the north and south sides of the Knik River. A dazzling array of leaves and bubbles and pressure ridges and cracks make the ice appear as delicately stained glass. It is entertaining to step and bump across the cracks and ridges, or double pole down the narrow portions of smooth ice.

You can bring skate ski poles nordic skating, if you’d like; they work quite well on the ice. The motion is very similar to skate skiing, as least if you’re using nordic ice skates. The nordic skates are convenient because they clip into skate ski boots just like your skate skis, which makes short walks easy crossing from one body of water to another. The nordic blades are much longer than hockey blades, making them stable on rougher ice. They pivot at the toe like the speed skating blades used by racers, providing for efficient and fast travel.

Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking sells the blades for $95 and up. Purchase a binding to match your skate ski boots, and the shop will mount them for a small fee. Total cost should be $150 or less. If you don’t want yet another piece of gear, Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking does rent skates for $10 per day, but that doesn’t work well if you want to go Sunday when the store doesn’t open till noon.

There are many other places to go wild skating--as many places as there are small lakes and rivers, really. Another popular destination is Nancy Lakes, following the popular summer trail route. This is an area the nordic set up has a huge advantage over hockey skates for the portages. Unfortunately, the snow machines ruin Nancy Lake for skating when snow falls, melts, and refreezes. This year, Nancy Lake and neighboring lakes are vast expanses of frozen ruts from snowmachines. If you want to ski Nancy Lakes, get out next year after it freezes but before it snows. The Swan Lakes and Moose River network on the Kenai Peninsula is another popular wild skating destination, which, like Nancy Lakes, can be made into a hut trip overnighter.

Wild skating has an unusual set of dangers and associated safety equipment. Falling into the ice with heavy metal blades on your feet is a horrifying prospect in deep water. It is advisable to have ice picks on you and accessible at all times. Paracord duct taped to screw drivers is a poor man’s version, or buy the commercial version at Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking. I also recommend that multiple people in each group carry a throw bag in case one person falls in. There are few other practical ways to rescue someone. Finally, each person should have a lighter with fire starter in a waterproof container, and an extra set of layers in a dry bag. The consequences of getting soaked in winter temperatures are severe, so take precautions.

The nice thing about wild skating is that it often is good when skiing is marginal, such as times when rain has mangled the snowpack and it hasn’t snowed down low. Relieve some stress: Buy some nordic skates and have them on hand when there isn’t powder and conditions demand another wilderness activity. Then you can find a river to skate away on, into the Alaskan wilderness.