Turnagain Trails: Girdwood Nordic Ski Club Plans Solstice Light Ski Event on 5K Nordic Loop

By Haley Johnston

TNews Contributor

Perhaps you're reading this between bouts of snow shoveling, before a white knuckle drive into Anchorage or after a day on the mountain - all signs that we are in the throes of winter! Appropriate then to highlight a local trail built for winter use, but which actually shines year round - the Girdwood 5k Nordic Loop. 

Total distance: 3.5miles/5.5km; Total elevation gain: ~700’

Approved uses: Ski only in winter; bike and pedestrian in summer and fall

If you’ve moved to the area within the last decade, you may take this trail for granted, but “The 5k” - as it's known - is actually one of the newest trails in Girdwood Valley, completed in 2012. Located near Alyeska, one could be forgiven for thinking the trail system was a part of the resort, especially since Alyeska advertises cross country skiing on its website. However, The 5k sits on land managed by the Heritage Land Bank and is maintained by a local nonprofit, the Girdwood Nordic Ski Club, with no financial support from the resort. 

In the winter, The 5k is only open to skiers and is groomed by Girdwood Nordic Ski Club’s all-volunteer grooming crew. Last winter this group of super volunteers spent over 400 hours grooming not just The 5k for skiers, but also Moose Meadows and other multi-use trails for walkers, skiers, kick-sleders, fat bikers, dogs and more. They do it all on a miniscule budget, supported by individual donors, grants and locally owned small businesses. 

If you’re headed to The 5k for a ski, the nearest parking is at the end of Arlberg Ave. If that lot is full, additional parking can be found in the lot on Northface Road. This option gives you the bonus of getting to ski up the groomed Arlberg Ave sidewalk - a nice warm up before hills of The 5k! From the Arlberg Ave parking lot, head northeast into the forest on the obvious access trail. The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club does an excellent job of indicating which direction is open to dogs, walkers and bikers, and which direction is open only to skiers. Where the access trail meets the loop, you’ll see a large sign and map. From here, proceed in a counterclockwise direction on The 5k.  

After ascending the first hill, you’ll see a connection to the Winner Creek Trail on your right. Skiers can divert onto this trail but be advised that the tight tree canopy can make for thin snow and challenging ski conditions. Continuing on The 5k, your first cut off option will be on your left after a short downhill. This intersection is well signed and turning here will result in a total distance of 1.6 kilometers. If you continue up The 5k you’ll be rewarded with a long flat section and a spicy downhill labeled “Crescent Hill”. This section also offers additional connections to the Winner Creek Trail. At the bottom of Crescent Hill is your second cutoff option. If you take this turn you’ll skip one of the trail's most challenging downhills for a total distance of 4.1 kilometers. If you’re feeling brave and continue up The 5k you’ll have a chance to visit the not-so-secret viewpoint of the upper valley and test your downhill Nordic abilities on the twisting “Corkscrew” hill. If your legs are jello by this point, you can take the Blueberry Cut Through to connect with the meadows trails otherwise you’ll have one final climb ahead of you - “Uncalled Four” - before you glide back to the start of The 5k, where the only question that remains is: are you up for another lap? 

While The 5k is a special treat for Nordic skiers in the winter, in the summer and fall the trail is open to all non-motorized users. Hikers, bikers, parents pushing strollers, mushroom foragers, runners and dog walkers all converge on The 5k. The trail’s width - necessary for winter grooming and allowing skiers to pass one another - allows for bikes and pedestrians to travel side-by-side, making The 5k one of Girdwood valley’s most social and accessible trails. The generous sightlines on the trail make surprise wildlife encounters less likely, making it an ideal place to walk a dog in the summer or encourage a toddler to take their first self-propelled hike. Whether you’re testing your Nordic skiing prowess or taking a visitor for a stroll beneath towering Spruce and Hemlocks, The 5k offers something for a wide variety of users. 

Join in the magic of Girdwood’s 5k Nordic Loop this Thursday, December 21st for the Solstice Celebration from 6-8pm. More details can be found at skigirdwood.org

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About the Author: Haley Johnston is the Trails Initiative Manager at Alaska Trails, vice-chair of the Chugach State Park Citizen Advisory Board, co-chair of the Chugach Park Fund and owner/lead guide of Tundra Travels. She lives in Girdwood with her partner and dog where she enjoys using the local trails every day. 

This is the first in a recurring series of articles highlighting trails in Girdwood Valley and along Turnagain Arm. They are written with the trail user in mind - sharing what users can expect to find on the trail during different seasons, how user groups can best coexist on trails that are open to multiple uses and some background on the trail. For those new to, or visiting, Girdwood and the Turnagain Arm, these articles should help them discover area trails. For long-time residents, perhaps these articles will inspire them to revisit an old favorite trail.