HIKE/BIKE COMBO - $35.
Rent a bike and put it on the back of the shuttle van (rack holds 4 bikes), then, after locking bike up at trailhead -- hike. When you're done hiking, return to your bike, unlock it, and ride it (mostly downhill) back into the city.
There are two reasons to consider the Combo. First, to experience the speed and adrenaline that riding a bike from a mountain trailhead provides. Second, to have control over your hike and return time. With the Combo, because you won't need to meet back at the van when it leaves at 4 pm, you can go on a much longer/higher hike. You can also choose to not hike at all and begin biking back into the city as soon as the van arrives at the trailhead.
The Combo is not for everybody. You must be a confident, seasoned cyclist. With rare exceptions and only under the supervision of their parents, cyclists 15 and under should not bike back to the city. If you are uncertain about your ability to safely ride a bike down a steep mountain road or trail, do not sign up for the combo. Instead, take the shuttle in both directions. You can still go for a bike ride, just do it on one of Anchorage's many bike trails (like the Coastal Trail) before or after your shuttle-enabled hike. We call that the "The Split."
If you're sure you won't be in over your head with the Combo, consider the following return routes from the trailhead.
RETURN ROUTE 1 - POWERLINE/GASLINE TRAIL
Description: 13 miles. Time it takes to bike back downtown: 1 - 2 hours. This route is steep, technical and for experienced riders only. Click here to view five pictures of the trail. When descent ends, you're in Far North Bicentennial Park. This massive park is famous for its great single track. Riders occassionally encounter bears. (Before van departs for Flattop, ask to borrow free loaner bear spray .) We'll provide you with multiple maps of the route's various stages along with a printout of the written directions below.
Directions: From Flattop Mountain trailhead, bike to Powerline Trail and take a left. At intersection with "Wolverine Trail," stay left -- "Upper Gasline Trail." At intersection of "South Gasline Trail," choose between the many mountain bike trails in Far North Bicentennial Park, or returning more directly to downtown. If latter, take a right on South Gasline Trail. Ride 1/2 mile to "Bivouac Trail Head" at Campbell Airstrip Road and take a left. This road will take you to Tudor Road. Perhaps check out the Alaska Botanical Gardens on the right just before Tudor. Left on Tudor. This is a busy road; use the bike path. Right on Elmore. Left on Providence. Right on UAA Dr. Just before Northern Lights Blvd., right on Goose Lake Drive. Left out of parking lot onto bike path. Quick left onto long pedestrian bridge over N. Lights. Now you are on the Chester Creek Greenbelt bike path. Left at roundabout intersection. Trail follows the creek. Exit trail at Valley of the Moon Park (rocket ship playground slide) and return downtown on Arctic/E St." Alternatively, ride to Westchester Lagoon and take a right on Coastal Trail which returns downtown.
Click here for (slow to download) map.
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RETURN ROUTE 2 - ELMORE RD/UNIVERSITY
Description: 13 miles. Time it takes to bike back downtown: 1 - 2 hours.
Directions
From Flattop Mountain trailhead, retrace route van took its last four miles. Right on Toilsome, left on upper Huffman, right on Hillside. At O'Malley, take a right. Road curves left, becomes Hillside again, then after descent and curve to left, becomes Abbott. (If you have a mountain bike, consider taking a right at Hilltop ski area and riding the many single-track trails in Bicentennial Park.) If you don't want to mountain bike in the park (or after you're done), continue on Abbott past Service High School to Elmore Road. Take a right on Elmore. Elmore is a beautiful 4-mile parkway with four bike trails to choose from. Where Elmore intersects Tudor cross into U-Med district. Left off Elmore onto Providence Drive. Right into parking lot in front of UAA Library. Right onto bike path that goes around Goose Lake. Directly across from beach house, exit parking lot onto bike path. Quick left onto long pedestrian over N. Lights. Now you are on the Chester Creek Greenbelt bike path. Left at roundabout intersections. Trail follows the Chester Creek which connects to Coastal Trail and returns downtown. If you're hungry, go to Sagaya's City Market before returning bike. To get to Sagaya's, instead of riding to Coastal Trail, exit Chester Creek Trail at Valley of the Moon Park. (Playground equipment shaped like rocket ship.) Ride on Arctic up hill. Cross 15th Avenue. Left on 13th to I. Sagaya's is an up-scale neighborhood supermarket in a nice neighborhood that serves buffet style, healthy food at a reasonable price and you can sit outside in the sun.
RETURN ROUTE 3 - ZOO/BATTING CAGE ROUTE TO MIDTOWN BIKE PATH OR COASTAL TRAIL
Description: 13 -26 miles. Time it takes to bike back downtown: 1.5 -4 hours. Return time depends on whether you want to visit the Alaska Zoo or a really good baseball batting cage. There is also the option of taking a longer but more scenic and pleasant route that passes the Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary. The directions for the route past the zoo and batting cage are below. If you prefer the longer route, the driver will explain it at the bike rental or at the trailhead.
Zoo/Batting Cage Route Directions: Retrace route van took to trailhead to O'Malley Rd. Left. Ride past zoo. Bike under Seward Hwy. Right on Old Seward. Left on E 100. Right on King. Stop at Baseball Batting Cage. Continue on King past Costco. Cross Dimond. Left into Taku Lake Park where you enter the Campbell Creek Trail. When you get to fishhook lamp under C. St. bridge, either "Pull the Plug" and return directly to downtown on Midtown Bike Trail, or pedal to Kincaid Park and return downtown via Coastal Trail. (Shuttle driver will explain how.)
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More than 1,600 moose live in Anchorage. This one was photographed near the university on Route 2.
"The Cage" King St. & 100th |
| Return to Downtown Bicycle Rental by 6:30 pm. $4 extra until 8 pm. Evening HIKE/BIKE return next day by 9 am. Hourly - 24-hour rates thereafter. |
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POWERLINE PASS TRAIL. LEFT PHOTO: From the north flank of Flattop, the trail ascends east into the Chugach. Eventually, if you ride over the pass, you will descend into "Indian" along Turnagain Arm. From there, it's another 25 miles back to Anchorage. RIGHT PHOTO: Upper right corner of photo shows Powerline trail descending into Anchorage bowl.
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