Winter at Government Peak

The civilized side of the Valley

It’s a sunny winter day in the Mat-Su Valley, and long rays of light stream over the top of Pioneer Peak. They drench the south-facing hillsides below Hatcher Pass, and hoar frost left from the night before scatters light in all directions, where it illuminates the snow draped trees, a blanket of snow over the Little Susitna River, and striding nordic skiers. Government Peak Recreation Area is a bucolic, sun-kissed place for winter skiing and fat biking, a civilized outpost of groomed trails and public infrastructure in the Mat-Su Valley.

Nordic skiing and snow bike trails have only come recently to the 8,000 acre Government Peak Recreation Area. Starting in 2012, the Mat-Su Borough and local community groups have built more than six kilometers of trails at Government Peak. Bill Spencer, a ski racer in the 1988 Olympics, is the nordic trails’ designer. There are three primary loops: Pioneer is to the east of the chalet, while Matanuska and Susitna loops are to the west. Together, Matanuska Loop and Susitna Loop look like a deflated figure eight, so skiers who decide that the moderate hills are too challenging can easily turn around and head back to the lodge. Matanuska and Susitna Loop are ski-only, while Pioneer Loop is designed for multiple uses.

In addition to broad, groomed ski trails, single track mountain bike trails at Government Peak are often rideable in the winter on fat bikes. These are new trails, completed by Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers in 2015. The South Loop is near the perimeter of Matanuska and Susitna Loops. It climbs and descends short, easy grades, with wide bridges over most creeks. Steeper trails ascend the southern flanks of Government Peak on the North Loop, but may not be ridable in deep snow or ice since they are significantly steeper. While signs indicate that fat biking Pioneer Loop is allowed, most riders will prefer the single track. When the trails are packed, it is easy to make multiple loops of the primary single track trails. Check snowio.com for status reports on both nordic and fat bike trails: Government Peak trail users generally provide frequent trail condition updates. If you drive out to Hatcher Pass and the trails aren’t ready, it is only a few minutes up to Gold Mint trail, the first few miles of which often are bikeable. Alternatively, the Archangel Road is heavily used and groomed frequently for multiple uses, non-motorized only for the first couple miles.

In decent weather, it can take less than an hour to drive to Government Peak from Anchorage. Rather than taking the old way through Palmer, stay on the Parks Highway past the Glenn/Parks interchange and take the first exit right onto Trunk Road. It continues through several roundabouts and traffic lights before hitting Wasilla-Fishhook at a T intersection. Turn left on Wasilla-Fishook, left on Edgerton Parks, and right on Mountain Trails Road to get to the Government Peak chalet and parking area.

For families and anyone else who wants to hang out for a while, the Government Peak chalet is a lovely building, and in addition to its daytime uses can be scheduled for evening events. The recreation area also serves as a base for community events such as Mat-Su Ski for Women on February 5th. Former Borough assembly member Jim Colver and many other Valley residents have worked for years to build both the chalet and surrounding trails. Improvements continue, with lights getting installed for some of the ski loops this year.

Beyond nordic skiing and fat biking on designated trails, there is a popular sledding area near the lodge, and many locals take off on snowshoes and cross country skis through the birch and spruce forests nearby. Government Peak’s forests and meadows, which seem much more hospitable than the alpine terrain just a few miles away in Hatcher Pass, are a idyllic place to spend a few hours on winter afternoons or spring evening.