Summer activities at Alyeska Resort begin May 11 with more outdoor adventures available to the guests on the mountain. The entire mountain will be open to hiking and biking except for the Chair 3 & 7 areas.
Alyeska will continue to expand its summer experience, with new opportunities for hiking on the North Face. A new switchback trail travels from the top of the tram down through the Autobahn connecting to the Winner Creek Trail. Completion of the North Face trail is scheduled for August.
New this season at the mountain station is the Roundhouse Museum open daily starting May 10th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information about the Roundhouse Museum please visit http://roundhouseatalyeska.org/. The Tram will be closed from April 28- May 9 for maintenance. Summer operating schedule is seven days a week starting at 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. beginning May 10 and tickets can be purchased at the Tram ticket office located on the second floor of the Hotel Alyeska.
This summer Alyeska Resort will replace Chair 3 with a new fixed grip quad chairlift equipped with a restraining device. The new chair 3 will realign at the top terminal moving slightly to the north. This will help to reduce the steepness of the terrain and improve the traffic allowing guests to flow more smoothly at the unloading station. Chair 7 will see a carpet loader installed at the base of the lift and a mid way off-loading station. The carpet loader will allow the lift to run at higher speeds and help beginners and children load the chair easier. A mid way station will create a transitional process for skiers and riders to access the beginner terrain that is more conducive for learning without having to travel all the way to the top of Chair 7.
Seven Glaciers Restaurant: Alaska’s only AAA four-diamond mountain top restaurant is now serving lunch Thursday – Sunday from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Seven Glaciers will have a special Mother’s Day seating on May 11th. The Seven Glaciers Restaurant will re-open on May 14 for summer dinner operations seven days a week.
Season Passes for 2008-2009 will go on sale beginning May 10. You can purchase a season pass online or by visiting the Tram Ticket Office. Season passholders who purchase their season pass in May can enjoy the mountain for two extra days of spring skiing and riding for free on Chair 6 during the upcoming weekend of May 31 & June 1, 2008 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lift tickets can be purchased for $35 for adults, $25 for high school, military, seniors over 60 years, $20 for children ages 8 to 13 years, and $10 for 7 & under/ over 70 years.
Alyeska Resort will host the Blueberry Festival, Alyeska Mountain Run, and Oktober Fest all taking place during the month of September. In October the entire mountain will be closed to hiking and biking in preparation for the 2008-2009 season and the start of snowmaking.
Alyeska announced April 28 that Michael Flynn has been selected as Food and Beverage Director of Alyeska Resort. Flynn has been working as a consultant to improve the overall hospitality service levels and will begin his new position as Food and Beverage Director immediately.
Flynn will oversee the Food and Beverage operations of multiple locations including the Four Diamond mountain-top Seven Glaciers Restaurant, Pond Café, Tramway Café, Glacier Express, Sitzmark Bar & Grill, Banquet services, Sakura Teppanyaki & Sushi Bar, and Room Service.
Flynn brings over 21 years of hospitality experience to Alyeska including the past 11 years owning The Bake Shop. He worked as an Executive Chef for many world class resorts including The Resort at Squaw Creek, The Hotel Captain Cook, Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, and The Hotel Bel Air. Flynn is professionally trained at California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, CA and has appeared as a guest Chef for Winter Wine Escape in Kona, Hawaii, Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand and as the Celebrity Chef at the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Culinary School.