Skeetawk lift repaired; ski area officials looking forward to summer events and the next winter ski season

On top of an already difficult winter season, Skeetawk Ski Area in Hatcher Pass recently finished repairs on their lift that had been inoperable since March 14.

A failure of the return terminal bull wheel assembly was the issue, according to Skeetawk General Manager Megan Justus. The repairs have since been completed as of April 17, but not before the end of the downhill ski season.

“We’ve been working really hard to get it repaired,” Justus said. “It is fully back up and operational as of yesterday.”

To fix the assembly, parts had to be sourced from all over the world. Manufacturing delays, coordinating parts delivery to Alaska and scheduling an out-of-state subcontracting company to complete the repairs all compounded on the delay. The repair itself was straightforward, according to Justus, and took two and a half days to complete.

Hilltop Ski Area and Alyeksa Resort both stepped up to support Skeetawk, offering season pass holders discounts to utilize their downhill areas while the lift was not operational.

“Thankfully, in the ski industry in Alaska, there’s a lot of collaboration and partnership,” Justus said. “It’s really a cool industry to be a part of.”

The backcountry areas accessible at Skeetawk remained open and cat-skiing was operational for additional days until snow conditions deteriorated at the beginning of April. The backcountry is still accessible and skiers are welcome to utilize Skeetawk’s uphill access points.

Summer trails at Skeetawk will melt out in early summer and hikers are encouraged to utilize the Skeetawk parking lot when enjoying Hatcher Pass according to Justus.

Skeetawk will be busy this summer, with multiple projects being put in place for next winter. A snow-making machine will be installed to provide “resilience” to low snow winters like the last one. The $2.5 million dollar project was made possible through donations from the Mat-Su Health Foundation and the Rasmuson Foundation.

“As an organization, we have a lot of capital projects coming down the pipe this upcoming summer,” Justus said. “It’s going to be a really busy construction season for us, which is a good problem to have. It means that we’ve got development going on and things are getting better.”

A surface lift will also be installed in the learning area for new skiers receiving lessons and Skeetawk will be constructing a new access road. All of the improvements are funded by local businesses, foundations and the community.

“It’s really a testament to the community that we have so much development coming down the pipe because that means that our community is investing in us and believing in what we are here to do,” Justus said.

The Recycle Revival will be held at Skeetawk Ski Area on June 1 in partnership with the Valley Community for Recycling Solutions. There will be live music, lift rides, a silent auction, beer garden and food trucks - something for the entire family to enjoy!

The Midnight Sun Charity Golf Classic on June 21 will be held at the Settlers Bay Golf Course to raise funds for Skeetawk Ski Area. Teams of four can register to participate in the tournament on the Skeetawk website.

Hatcher Romp will occur on July 11 and 12 this year, and will include multiple live bands, a beer garden and fun for the entire family at Skeetawk. The lift will be open for attendees and everyone is encouraged to attend.