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Southcentral Alaska · Sources checked Oct 19, 2026
Backcountry trips: huts, passes, and ski zones
Classic Alaska hut-to-hut traverses, pass routes, and cabin trips, with who owns each hut, how to book it, and what can go wrong. Every fact links to the land manager, the hut owner, or the avalanche center.
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Bomber Traverse
Hut-to-hutSummerWinterHatcher Pass & TalkeetnasGlacier travelThree huts, several glaciers, and the bomber wreckage on Bomber Glacier, in the Talkeetna Mountains above Hatcher Pass.
Distance: Mint Hut is 9 mi from Gold Mint TH. No single published total.
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Eklutna Traverse
Hut-to-hutSummerWinterChugach State ParkGlacier travelA long glacier traverse across Chugach State Park, from Eklutna Lake to Eagle River or Girdwood, by way of three MCA huts.
Distance: About 29.5 mi of hut-to-hut legs (sum of MCA's figures), plus the exit
Trip details and sources → -
Resurrection Pass Trail
Pass route / through-hikeSummerWinterKenai Peninsula & TurnagainAbout 39 miles from Hope to Cooper Landing, with eight reservable Forest Service cabins along the way.
Distance: 38.4–39 mi one way
Trip details and sources → -
Crow Pass Trail
Pass route / through-hikeSummerChugach State ParkThe Iditarod-trail crossing from Girdwood to Eagle River, with glaciers, mine ruins, and a real river ford.
Distance: 21–23.1 mi one way (sources differ)
Trip details and sources → -
Johnson Pass Trail
Pass route / through-hikeSummerWinterKenai Peninsula & TurnagainA gentle 23-mile Iditarod National Historic Trail segment between Granite Creek and Upper Trail Lake.
Distance: 23 mi one way
Trip details and sources → -
Lost Lake and Primrose Trails
Pass route / through-hikeSummerWinterKenai Peninsula & TurnagainAn alpine-lake through-hike above Seward: up Lost Lake Trail, down Primrose to Kenai Lake.
Distance: 7.3 mi + 7.5 mi, or a 14.8 mi through-hike
Trip details and sources → -
Eklutna Lake cabins (Chugach State Park)
CabinsSummerWinterChugach State ParkFive reservable State Parks cabins and a hut along Eklutna Lake, from drive-up to a 12-mile ski in.
Distance: From drive-up to 12 mi in
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Hatcher Pass ski touring
Ski tour zoneWinterHatcher Pass & TalkeetnasRoad-accessible alpine ski terrain above Palmer: Microdot, Marmot, Hatch Peak, and more.
Distance: Varies by tour
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Turnagain Pass and Summit Lake ski touring
Ski tour zoneWinterKenai Peninsula & TurnagainCNFAC's longest-running forecast zone, with Tincan, Sunburst, and Eddies on the non-motorized side of the pass.
Distance: Varies by tour
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Harding Icefield Trail
Day hike / approachSummerKenai Peninsula & TurnagainA steep climb above Exit Glacier near Seward to a view across the Harding Icefield.
Distance: 7.8 mi round trip
Trip details and sources → -
Thompson Pass ski touring
Ski tour zoneWinterValdez & Thompson PassRoadside ski terrain north of Valdez. Read the Valdez Avalanche Center first.
Distance: Varies by tour
Trip details and sources →
No trips match those filters.
How hut booking works in Southcentral
MCA huts
The Mountaineering Club of Alaska huts on the Bomber and Eklutna traverses can't be reserved and are first come, first served. MCA requires a signed waiver on file, and you can get one by joining MCA. Always carry a tent and stove.
Mountaineering Club of Alaska: hut inventory and current needs
Forest Service cabins
Chugach National Forest cabins, like those on Resurrection Pass and at Crow Pass, are reservation-only on Recreation.gov, up to 180 days ahead. The cabin pages we checked list $75/night plus a service fee.
State Parks cabins
Alaska State Parks cabins book at reservealaskastateparks.com up to 90 days ahead, plus a $4.50 fee. The system is new as of Oct 1, 2026, and so are its cancellation rules.
Avalanche forecasts for these trips
See today's danger ratings for Hatcher Pass, Turnagain, Summit Lake, Chugach State Park, and Valdez on our avalanche conditions page, then read the full forecast from HPAC, CNFAC, or the Valdez Avalanche Center. For packing lists, see our gear kits.