Flattop Mountain Shuttle
In Anchorage, Alaska on 4th Ave between C & D
at Downtown Bicycle Rental
HIKE/BIKE COMBO

$17 + Cost of rental bike.

Description:

Rent a bike and put it on the back of the van (rack holds 5 bikes). After arriving at trailhead lock up bike then hike on your own schedule or omit hike and start biking back to town.  There are two reasons why people do the Combo:  One, to be on your own schedule and spend more (or less) time hiking in the mountains. Two, for the thrill of riding a bike downhill almost always on the new Hemlock Burn Trail and Jeff's Whoop Whoop Trail.  (Route with links explained below.) 

The Combo is not for everybody. The Combo is only for above average mountain bikers.  The Hemlock Burn Trail is an intermediate singletrack trail.  Jeff's Whoop Whoop is advanced.  Cautious riders could bike the Hemlock Burn Trail and then exit it at Prospect Heights Trailhead where a residential road will connect you to the mellow trail system to downtown.  If you're still on the fence but want to try it then rent a fat bike which is very stable so you're less likely to crash.  If you are uncertain about your ability to safely ride a fat bike from 2200 feet to sea level but you still want to go for a bike ride, then take the van back downtown and ride the Coastal Trail instead  We call this the BIKE/HIKE SPLIT. 

If you want to do the COMBO, check in at Downtown Bicycle Rental between 10 and 11 am so you have sufficient time to select the right bike and test it by riding it down and up the hill from Ship Creek.  If you select your bike by 9:30 am you'll have time to ride the Ship Creek Trail to the Fish Hatchery and back.  Just be sure to be back to the bike rental by 11:45 am (noon at the latest.)  Here's the Shuttle's schedule.

After hiking Flattop and biking back to the city return to DBR by 6 pm or pay $4, $3, $2, $1 extra hourly charge.  Bike rental shop closes at 10 pm.  You can also keep the bike overnight for its 24 hour price.

Driver maps return route at trailhead - Hike Anchorage, Alaska

Driver mapping out return route at trailhead.


Return Route 1 - Mountain Bike Route.  Length: About 18 miles.  Duration: 1 - 3 hours.

Hard tail, full suspension or fat bike required required.  Click Here to see DBR's mountain bikes.

Descent from Glen Alps Trailhead on Hemlock Burn Trail, to Gasline Trail, Jeff's Whoop Whoop.  For the mountain bike return route, before leaving for Flattop in the van, take a picture with your phone of the collage of laminated maps and pictures of the intersections you'll encounter on the return.  You do not need a guide.  Return at your own pace.

When done with descent you can either return downtown by retracing the route the van took on Abbott Road/Elmore then through the university where you'd ride around Goose Lake and bike the Chester Creek Trail.  Or, if you want to bike to the end of the Coastal Trail, instead of taking a right on Elmore, ride on the bike path buffered from Abbott until it becomes Dimond Blvd at Lake Otis Pkwy.  After that for the next two miles it's very heavy traffic and lots of retail/stores/restaurants so ride on the sidewalk until you get to King Steeet which is the second right after going underneath railroad bridge.  Left off of King Street onto Campbell Creek Trail.  Exit it at Northwood Drive.  Right on Jewell Lake, left on Raspberry to Coastal Trail.

Click here for a video of the descent.

Here's a link to the Anchorage Bike Map.


Other Return Routes


* Bike east on Powerline Trail and over the pass to Indian,  It's about six miles  (So much snow this winter that unless it's warmer than normal in June, it won't be doable until July.)  After a very steep ascent over the pass (most people walk and even carry their bike for a portion of it), there is a very steep descent to Indian Valley.  After connecting to gravel road it's a gradual downhill to the Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm.  Take a right.  This stretch of the Seward Hwy is spectacular but it is busy and the speed limit is 55 mph.  (There is a rumble strip that separates cars from the shoulder where bicyclists ride.)  From the Indian intersection it is about a 10 mile ride to the Old Seward Hwy exit on the east side of Potter Marsh.  About two miles to Rabbit Creek Road.  Take a left.  After crossing over Seward Hwy the road becomes Old Seward Hwy again.  (There's a Safeway and two bike shops near where it intersects Huffman.)  Left off of Old Seward onto Klatt Road.  At the roundabout either take C Street back downtown (there's a bike path buffered from the road the whole way.)  Or, stay on Klatt on a bike friendly road through a modern neighborhood with big houses to Dimond Rd.  Left on Dimond.  Right on Sand Lake Rd. Left on Raspberry (use bike path on south side of road) then ride the Coastal Trail back downtown.  Duration: 4 - 8 hours.  Distance:  About 35 miles for return on C St.  About 50 miles for return on Coastal Trail.  (Hardtail or full suspension mountain bike required.)

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* Ride downhill on road that van took to trailhead its last four miles then ride on new bike path buffered from O'Malley Road (past Zoo/maybe visit).  Right on the Old Seward Highway,  Left on E 100th Avenue.  Right on King Street.  (Past awesome baseball batting cage/maybe visit).  Pedal past Costco.  Cross Dimond Blvd.  Take a left off of King Street onto Campbell Creek Trail.  Exit trail at Northwood Drive.  Right on Jewell Lake Road.  Left on Raspberry Road.  (Tastee Freeze.)  Bike Raspberry Road about 4 miles to end of Coastal Trail which is another 11 miles back downtown. Duration: 3 - 6 hours. Length: About 25 miles.


Hairpin turn on Toilsome Drive about 1 mile below the trailhead parking lot.

Here is a link to Anchorage Bike Map.