Celebrating the Summer Solstice at Alyeska

GIRDWOOD, Alaska (KTUU) – For a beautiful Summer Solstice day, there is no better feeling than checking out a nice view or sipping a glass of ice-cold water. If you require either of those, then you won’t need to travel far from Anchorage, as just down the Seward Highway in Girdwood lies an area of pure summer bliss… Alyeska.

The iconic resort is known for its winter activities, such as snowboarding and skiing, but during the summer, a completely different Alyeska emerges.

Just as winter melts away, spring begins to bloom, turning the mountains from an icy white to a medley of colors from flowers, trees, and nature’s critters. There is always something interesting to see and do.

While at Alyeska, Alaska’s News Source took the tram to the top of the mountain, which housed a sight that shocked the eyes… snow.

The area where the tram drops you off isn’t particularly cold, but it wasn’t particularly hot either. The nice breeze would sometimes give you a shiver, but you would be perfectly comfortable in jeans and a polo shirt.

While atop the mountain, we caught up with some visitors of the resort to see how they were enjoying the summer solstice.

Tyler Rush was visiting Alyeska for a wedding, and he’s enjoying the sunshine while it lasts.

“It’s the last day that we’re gaining sunlight, so you got to embrace it because it’s all downhill after this,” Rush said.

“Embrace everything.”

Beyond sitting on the deck and soaking in the sun, Alyeska offers a plethora of activities.

“There’s all kinds of festivals that happen around here. Go hiking, mountain biking,” Evelyn Juliussen said.

“You have to do it, right? This is once in a lifetime.”

Some made a trip out of it.

“We came up from Homer today, this morning, but we have grandparents that live in Anchorage, and we’re just doing all the sights,” Jodi Hubert said.

Everyone has their reason to celebrate the solstice at Alyeska, marking the longest day of the year at a truly magical place.

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