Alaska continued from Page 31 Creamer’s Field, a marvelous park where you can ski over a sublimely picturesque footbridge in snowy woods, just like in a movie. Alyeska and Moose are joined in downhill distinction by Ski Land, north of Fairbanks, which is the northernmost lift-served downhill area in North America. The view from the top here literally encompasses the Arctic Circle about 50 miles away. East of Fairbanks, military staff and family members at Fort Wainwright take to their own on-base slope, Birch Hill … How cool is that? And Eaglecrest, near Juneau, has sensational mountain and sea views to match Alyeska, and shares with it the saltwater air found at virtually no other ski resorts on Earth. None of these places are crowded. Anchorage and Fairbanks are 4 hours by plane from Seattle, and farther still from anywhere else. You have to fly to Juneau — no road reaches Alaska’s capital. Theoretically, you can drive to Fairbanks and on to Anchorage on the Alaska Highway. Suffice to say that ski travelers who do come this far north will never risk being flattened by an L.A. hotshot going 90 mph whose 5 cans of Monster Nitro dissolved his brain at 9 a.m. But they can savor the sight, scent and sound of hoarfrost in birch woods on a 10 below morning — balmy for Fairbanks. They can take a last run, duck in the lodge for hot chocolate and come back out an hour later to scan for the Northern Lights. You may even see a moose at Moose Mountain. They’re not allowed on the school buses, though.
x
Photo courtesy Eaglecrest Ski Area/Travel Juneau
Eric Lucas is the author of the Michelin guide to Alaska. He lives on a small farm on San Juan Island, where he grows organic hay, garlic, apples and beans.
Parking continued from Page 12 ham, among other sources. The project will be completed by spring 2022. The second phase of the project wrapped at the end of November, reopening the original lot for the winter. The third phase is scheduled to begin March 2022. WMBC board president Bill Hasenjaeger said the project’s completion is dependent on temperature and when the construction contractor can lay asphalt. During the winter, a handful of small tasks will be done to prep the lot for the final phase. Ram Construction General Contractors will then lay asphalt in the spring when temperatures are right. “Laying asphalt will be the last thing done, which is weather dependent,” Hasenjaeger said. He also said Whatcom County will be installing a lighted crosswalk on Samish Way from the new parking lot to Galbraith Lane. This will connect the Lake Padden trails with Galbraith Mountain. At the time of publication, the county had yet to approve the crosswalk. “Recreation Northwest and WMBC have worked together over the years to help further our shared values as related to our complimentary mission statements,” Ellsworth said in the release. “When our Angel donor offered to help our friends get their parking lot to the finish line, we were ecstatic to be able to offer the gift.” For more information on the project, visit wmbcmtb.org/galbraithparking.
x
Plans for the new parking lot project. Courtesy WMBC (below) The project site on November 22, 2021. Ian Haupt photo
Recreation NW executive director Todd Elsworth presents WMBC with a $100,000 check at Shoot the Trails October 9, 2021. Photo courtesy Recreation NW
