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Ski tour zone · Kenai Peninsula & Turnagain
Turnagain Pass and Summit Lake ski touring
CNFAC's longest-running forecast zone, with Tincan, Sunburst, and Eddies on the non-motorized side of the pass.
- Season
- Winter and spring. The motorized side opens the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, if there's enough snow (USFS).
- Distance
- Varies by tour. Use CNFAC's placenames maps.
- Elevation
- Varies, so check the source.
- Huts
- None
- Fees
- No USFS fee is listed for Center Ridge on the pages we checked, so check USFS.
- Avalanche center
- CNFAC daily forecasts for Girdwood/Turnagain and Summit Lake
Overview
Turnagain Pass sits on the Seward Highway in Chugach National Forest. In winter the highway splits it in two. The west side is open to snowmachines, and the east side, home to popular ski zones like Tincan, Sunburst, and Eddies, is non-motorized.
CNFAC has forecast Turnagain for more than 20 years. In 2024–25 it started daily forecasts for the Summit Lake and Seward/Lost Lake zones too. CNFAC publishes separate placenames maps for the motorized side, the non-motorized side, and Summit Lake.
Rules, permits, and etiquette
- Turnagain Pass is open to winter motorized use from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through April 30, snow permitting, but only on the motorized (west) side. The Turnagain Pass Trail itself is closed to over-snow motorized use.
- USFS issues emergency closure orders during the season and posts them at trailheads. Check the USFS winter page.
Access, trailheads, and fees
- Center Ridge parking and rest area: East side of the highway at milepost 68.5 (USFS). The lot is often crowded in season.
- Other pullouts: Mile 72.5 (north end of the Turnagain Pass Trail) and Johnson Pass North Trailhead at mile 64 (USFS). CNFAC's non-motorized placenames map shows where the ski zones are.
Hazards
- Avalanche terrain. The terrain here is big, deep-snow, and maritime. Read the CNFAC forecast daily, and use CNFAC's ATES map to pick terrain.
- Roadside traffic. Pullouts along the Seward Highway are busy, so park legally and watch for traffic.
- Summit Lake snowpack. Summit Lake is a separate forecast zone, so read its forecast instead of assuming it matches Turnagain.
Avalanche: before any snow-season trip, check our avalanche conditions page and the full CNFAC forecast.
Skills you need
- Avalanche training and companion rescue
- Ski touring in deep snow
- Reading CNFAC forecasts and ATES ratings
Gear
Every person needs a beacon, shovel, and probe, and should practice with them.
Our lists: Avalanche gear and ski-touring kit
Map: huts, cabins, and trailheads
Only the Johnson Pass North Trailhead is plotted, because USFS publishes no coordinates for the Turnagain pullouts. For the ski zones, use CNFAC's placenames maps. Basemap: USGS The National Map. Don't navigate with this map.
- Johnson Pass North Trailhead (USFS): 60.72430, -149.27771 source