Anchorage Outdoor Activities

Having adopted the nickname of Alaskan aviation innovator Bob Reeve, the Anchorage Glacier Pilots have had the state's history in their lifeblood since they first took the field in 1969. Over the years, the Pilots' rising collegiate stars have won the National Baseball Congress World Series—held in Wichita, Kansas—five times. Each game, up to 5,300 baseball fans can pack the stands at Mulcahy Stadium, which was built back in 1953 when every American was legally obligated to eat a whole apple pie during the seventh-inning stretch.

Outfitting patrons with brand-name gear from Gary Loomis and Lefty Kreh, Alaska Tackle Rental supplies equipment for fishing excursions throughout the state. Fly-rod and spinning setups abet clientele in catching salmon and trout, and tackle, licenses, and hip boots help procure fish in murky town-square fountains. The in-house experts also dispense advice on prime fishing spots with take-away info sheets. During off-hours, clairvoyant staffers can rendezvous with clients for gear deliveries to their hotel or van down by the creek.

Alaska Fighting Championship pits some of the state’s toughest combatants against each other in cards packed with intense mixed martial arts matches. Season after season, AFC sets the stage for homegrown fighters to showcase their skills. From lightweight to super heavyweight, AFC events feature bruisers of all makes and models, each vying to climb the ranks and become a champion in their weight class. All AFC matches unfold at George M. Sullivan Sports Arena, where fans can sit close enough to the action to hear punches land and feed the fighters handfuls of candy between rounds.

In 1937, the nonprofit Anchorage Ski Club coalesced with the aim of preserving the Arctic Valley, which is surrounded by 320 acres of snow-dusted peaks that loom up to 4,000 feet high. The valley encompasses the 6-mile Arctic Valley Road as it weaves through sites for seasonal fun. During warm months, visitors chow down at the trailhead's picnic tables before hiking the 4-mile Rendezvous Peak trail, an easy path that overlooks the Anchorage Bowl, Cook Inlet, and other scenery that inspires awe and spontaneous poetry slams. As the sun sets on summer, wintry activities such as tubing and skiing take center stage. Ski routes range in difficulty, but each powdery course exudes the calm and isolation of backcountry with the safety features of a resort. Kids who are too young to surf the slopes can mold snow into forts, sled, or relax at Alpenglow Lodge. The sunny lodge lures in both youngsters and parents with two floors lofted over panoramic views of Anchorage.

Under the expansive white arc of Tanglewood Lakes Golf Dome, bright lights illume 40 indoor driving stalls split between two levels, as well as a PGA Tour golf simulator. Within each stall, golfers swing their own clubs or a set of complimentary loaners as they aim for targets posted at both short and long ranges. The green beneath the targets doubles as an athletic field, which patrons can reserve for soccer, softball, or grazing placid herds of cocker spaniels.

In a steady procession, waves rear up to 4 feet high before collapsing and delighting waders with blasts of spray. Unlike ocean waves, these aren’t governed by the moon, and they don’t crash against a beach. Instead, they rhythmically rise and fall in the wave pool at H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark, which stays open year-round and is the state’s only indoor water park.

Outside of the wave pool, park visitors can find watery solace floating down the 575-foot lazy river with its gentle current. For a higher-octane experience, the Master Blaster water coaster rockets riders through a splash-filled adventure much safer than riding a scooter into the shower. And when it comes to entertaining the younger set, the four cannons on the park’s pirate ship evoke intrigue on its waters, and the placid children’s lagoon gives tentative youngsters a haven for safe play.