HIKE/BIKE COMBO - $35.
Rent a bike and put it on the back of the Flattop Mountain Shuttle van. (Rack holds 4 bikes.)
Hike as fast and as far or as slow and as little as you like. Instead of returning in van, bike back downtown. Choose one of the following three routes.
RETURN ROUTE 1 - POWERLINE TRAIL
Description: 13 miles. Time it takes to bike back downtown: 1 - 2 hours. This route is steep, technical and for experienced riders only. Trail is obstructed by ruts, roots and rocks. Trail runs through Bicentennial Park where there are bears. (Ask for loaner bear spray.) Choose this route if you're an adrenaline junky.
Directions: From Flattop Mountain trailhead, bike to Powerline Trail and take a left. At intersection with "Wolverine Trail," stay left -- "Upper Gasline Trail." At intersection of "South Gasline Trail," choose betwen the many mountain bike trails in Far North Bicentennial Park, or returning more directly to downtown. If latter, take a right on South Gasline Trail. Ride 1/2 mile to "Bivouac Trail Head" at Campbell Airstrip Road and take a left. This road will take you to Tudor Road. Perhaps check out the Alaska Botanical Gardens on the right just before Tudor. Left on Tudor. This is a busy road; use the bike path. Right on Elmore. Left on Providence. Right on UAA Dr. Just before Northern Lights Blvd., right on Goose Lake Drive. Left out of parking lot onto bike path. Quick left onto long pedestrian bridge over N. Lights. Now you are on the Chester Creek Greenbelt bike path. Left at roundabout intersection. Trail follows the creek. Exit trail at Valley of the Moon Park (rocket ship playground slide) and return downtown on Arctic/E St." Alternatively, ride to Westchester Lagoon and take a right on Coastal Trail which returns downtown.
Click here for (slow to download) map.
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RETURN ROUTE 2 - ELMORE RD ➔ UNIVERSITY
Description: 13 miles. Time it takes to bike back downtown: 1 - 2 hours. Simple & scenic.
Directions
From Flattop Mountain trailhead, retrace route van took its last four miles. Right on Toilsome, left on upper Huffman, right on Hillside. At O'Malley, take a right. After road curves left it becomes Abbott. Down hill, right on Elmore Road. Cross Tudor intersection. Left on Providence. Right on UAA Dr. Just before Northern Lights Blvd., take a right into the Goose Lake parking lot. Exit parking lot on left. Quick left onto long pedestrian over N. Lights. Now you are on the Chester Creek Greenbelt bike path. Left at roundabout intersection. Trail follows the Chester Creek which connects to Coastal Trail and returns downtown.
RETURN ROUTE 3 - BATTING CAGE ➔ MIDTOWN BIKE PATH or COASTAL TRAIL
Description: 13 -26 miles. Time it takes to bike back downtown: 1.5 -4 hours. Return time depends mostly on how long you spend at batting cage, how long you break to eat and whether you return through midtown or Coastal Trail.
Directions: Retrace route van took to trailhead to O'Malley Rd. Left. Ride past zoo. Bike under Seward Hwy. Right on Old Seward. Left on E 100. Right on King. Stop at Baseball Batting Cage. Continue on King past Costco. Cross Dimond. Left into Taku Lake Park where you enter the Campbell Creek Trail. When you get to fishhook lamp under C. St. bridge, either "Pull the Plug" and return directly to downtown on Midtown Bike Trail, or pedal to Kincaid Park and return downtown via Coastal Trail. (Shuttle driver will explain how.)
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More than 1,600 moose live in Anchorage. This one was photographed near the university on Route 2.
"The Cage" King St. & 100th |
| Return to Downtown Bicycle Rental by 6:30 pm. $4 extra until 8 pm. Evening HIKE/BIKE return next day by 9 am. Hourly - 24-hour rates thereafter. |
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POWERLINE PASS TRAIL. LEFT PHOTO: From the north flank of Flattop, the trail ascends east into the Chugach. Eventually, if you ride over the pass, you will descend into "Indian" along Turnagain Arm. From there, it's another 25 miles back to Anchorage. RIGHT PHOTO: Upper right corner of photo shows Powerline trail descending into Anchorage bowl.
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