All summer activities on Mt. Alyeska have ¡been cancelled this year due to the work that’s underway to expand snowmaking and upgrade the trail system. The Classic Alyeska Mountain Run and Blue Berry Festival held Aug. 11 have both been cancelled.“It’s for public safety,” said Jason Lott, Alyeska Resort spokesman.
Excavation has begun around the mountain starting with Chair 3 as new pipes are being laid down for snow making purposes. The goal is to have new snowmaking ready from the Tram on down, covering the majority of the mountain before the start of the ski season, said Lott.
Upgrading Chair 1 and Chair 3, two of the oldest chairs on the mountain, are also underway. It’s all part of the new ownership’s ambitious plans to overhaul the mountain with new lifts, snowmaking, and to widen and expand the trails for both winter and summer activities like mountain biking and hiking.
New resort owner, John Byrne, plans to unveil the master plan for the resort’s future development in September. There has been talk of a mountain village, new daylodge, tearing down the Sitzmark bar and building a new restaurant and bar, building new employee housing, and construction of new condominiums on the mountain. An underground parking lot near the Jade shop may also be in the planning stages, but it’s all preliminary as of this writing, and nothing has been confirmed by resort management or the owner.
The stages of development would likely include first renovating or building a new daylodge, tearing down the Sitzmark, and building new employee housing, which may be located near Our Lady’s of the Snow Church adjacent to The Hotel Alyeska overflow parking lot.
“Employee housing is a priority,” said Lott. “To preserve the best asset that we have, which is our people.”
There was speculation that the Nugget condominiums next to the Sitzmark, which the resort owns and are currently empty, may be renovated for employee housing, but Lott said that is not likely.
As for the mountain work currently going on, Lott said it is expected to continue into next summer, with more work on trails, lifts and snow making, which, he said, would cancel summer activities on the mountain for one more season.