JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- For many service members and their families, winters in Alaska bring new experiences. The Hillberg Ski Area at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson opened Dec. 3, and offers an affordable opportunity to get out of the house and have some fun in the snow.
Hillberg features slopes for beginners to intermediate skiers with a dual chairlift, sledding tow, and handle tow. To prepare for the skiers, snowboarders, and tubers of the JBER community, Hillberg staff started preparing weeks in advance.
“We [had] to blow snow with our snowguns to get a base laid on the hill; we started with our tubing run and main ski hill then moved to the outer areas,” said Trevor Bird, 673d Force Support Squadron Hillberg Ski Area manager. “We look to get about 12 inches of snow cover down before we open.”
Now that the Hillberg season has started, maintenance continues every day to keep customers safe.
“It is a huge task to keep the hill maintained during the winter,” Bird said. “We use a snowcat to groom the hill every day before we open. The machine will chop up the first six inches of the snow and smooth it out to take away skier marks from the previous day [and] also helps to keep the snow healthy by turning it over.”
Hillberg offers fun for all ages and level of experience with a main hill, two beginner hills, and a terrain park opening during Christmas break. Skiing and snowboarding lessons are offered to help those wishing to learn, and rental equipment is available.
“Hillberg is an awesome place to learn,” Bird said. “Our terrain is well suited to learn on and meets all abilities.”
Along with normal ski area operations, Hillberg offers dog sled rides once a month, terrain park competitions, ski races, and tubing days. It will also host the Winterfest holiday installation party on Dec. 22.
“I hope that everyone on base at some point will take the time to come to Hillberg and try skiing or snowboarding or bring the whole family tubing,” Bird said.
For more information on Hillberg call 552-4838.