The Notch and A1 (Ski)

In good snow years, Chugach Powder Guides take clients cat skiing just a few miles from Girdwood, in the bowl between Notch Mountain and A1. At $375 per day, cat skiing is much cheaper than heli access. Or, if you don’t mind slogging, you can ski the same terrain for free, using human power.

The Notch is quite different from alpine runs that dominate Turnagain Pass. Both have thousand foot long gladed runs with sustained pitch, unlike the lumpy terrain at Tincan. Pillows and cliff bands add interest and, on good days, the risk of launching huge jumps accidentally while blinded by powder. Since the Notch and A1 have the same elevation as the highest portions of Alyeska resort, they are less afflicted by low elevation rain. You just need enough snow to trudge out the cat trail near sea level. The ski terrain is mostly between 1,500 and 3,000 feet. But....do the math. That also means you’ll be climbing nearly 1,500 feet just to get to the bottom of your ski runs.

A trip to the cat skiing zone begins at the end of Arlberg Road, which was recently extended about a half mile. Just keep driving past Alyeska resort and park at the end of the road. Joe Stock’s The Alaska Factor has a handy map of the area, including the cat trails. Finding the cat trail can be somewhat confusing if the cat isn’t running yet and nobody has broken trail. If it isn’t clear where to go, ski northeast on the large nordic trail for a couple hundred yards, where a large sign has a map of the nordic ski area. From here, look to your left. Across the groomed trail, and through about 15 feet of trees, is a cat trail. It passes through forest, then a meadow, and more forest before crossing Winner Creek on a substantial bridge. A ways past Winner Creek, it finally begins to gain elevation, and meanders up the mountain to a large meadow that is at the bottom of ski runs coming off the Notch and A1. At this point, you can turn left to ascend A1 or right to climb Notch Mountain. A cat trail goes in both directions, generally following the ridgeline.

Notch has better tree skiing, with moderate angle slopes that face north. There are a few thick groves of trees and alder patches to avoid, but far more open glades. From the meadow at the bottom of the run--which will have your skin track running through it--it is easy to make laps. The Notch’s north face varies in steepness from sub-30 degree slopes to steeper pitches with cliffs, so make sure you know where you’re going before diving in. Fun pillow lines abound, including in the small rock bands at the top of the run.

The cat track up A1 is a good option on a clear day if you want to get farther into the backcountry. It follows the ridge that continues climbing up to A1 proper, the mountain with a small glacier on its south face. Climbing A1 as part of a day trip is eminently doable in good weather, assuming stability in the snowpack. A1 does higher consequence avalanche terrain, as the upper part of its south facing bowl has a huge, open bowl above trees and cliffs. The Girdwood area does not have good avalanche forecasting, since Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center focuses much more on Turnagain and Summit Pass. The center’s website cnfaic.org is a good place to start gathering information, but following the weather closely before a trip to the Notch/A1, in addition to snowpack assessment using snowpits, is a good idea when venturing into avalanche terrain. Also be aware that, during cat skiing season, Chugach Powder Guides control for avalanches, so call ahead to check their schedule for avy control.

Since there’s no avy center focused on Girdwood, it is a little harder to assess snow conditions at the Notch and A1 compared to Turnagain Pass. Going during early season is risky, since you need several feet of snow to cover up the brush and downed trees. Look for at least three feet of snow depth at the Mt. Alyeska Snotel, which at 1,540 feet is similar in elevation to the base of Notch and A1 skiing.

The Notch and A1 have the best tree skiing that is accessible to human-powered skiers near Anchorage, but it isn’t exactly an easy trip. If breaking trail, plan on at least two hours from trailhead to the base of the ski runs, with an additional thousand feet or more of climbing to begin skiing. If the trail has been broken, the approach may be closer to an hour and a half. Plan ahead, and bring enough food and water to make multiple runs, and to make the long approach worth it. The egress is much quicker, but can break tired skiers’ spirits where it goes up and over small rises between Winner Creek and the trailhead. Resist the urge to put skins on: It is faster to sidestep up the small rises and then glide the rest of the way.

In the right conditions, the Notch provides ski movie-style glory shots, with deep powder, pillows, and trees that seemingly were arranged by the benevolent hand of a god who loved backcountry skiing. With a highway to the alpine, A1 provides the easiest, safest access to at least one of the high glaciers around Girdwood. If you are tired of being the 47th group to get to the Tincan parking lot, head to the Girdwood backcountry.