June/July 2005
Anchorage Away
Get the most out of Alaska's staging ground.

It's become de rigueur for summer's Kenai-bound adventure buffs to turn up their noses at Anchorage. But don't let the urban sprawl fool you. Before you resign yourself to the doldrums of bunking at the Holiday Inn and dining at Denny's, we'll let you in on a few secrets: a hotel with character, the best breakfast in town, and the finest seafood north of the 60th parallel. With all of the bona fide wilderness options just outside city limits, you'll find yourself wishing for an extra day to explore one of America's last great frontier towns.

INN AND AROUND
Fuel up: Hungry hikers can get their breakfast fix at Snow City Cafe (www.snowcitycafe.com), where the java keeps flowing and the hefty Ship Creek Benedict—two poached eggs and grilled salmon cakes smothered with hollandaise and served on an English muffin ($10)—is sure to please.

Meet locals: Unwinding after a climb up Flattop Mountain? Head to the bar at Glacier Brewhouse (www.glacierbrewhouse.com) for the beer sampler: five four-ounce glasses of its staple microbrews ($5). Later, check out the nightly live music at Blues Central at Chef's Inn (907-272-1341).

Eat well: Like many Anchorage gems, Jens' Restaurant (www.jensrestaurant.com) resides in a colorless midtown strip mall. But once you've sampled chef Jens Haagen Hansen's vivid take on Kodiak scallops, pan-seared with a creamy roasted garlic sauce ($26), you'll be convinced that he (and his culinary creations) sprang god-like from the sea.

Bed down: The Historic Anchorage Hotel ($199; www.historicanchoragehotel.com) is a restored 1916 landmark with 26 Queen Ann-style rooms, entertaining period photos on the walls, and make-your-own Alaska-size waffle breakfast.

OUT AND ABOUT
A morning: Anchorage boasts one of the most extensive trail networks in the nation—250 miles that are perfect for wildlife-spotting. Rent a mountain bike at Downtown Bicycle Rental ($15 for three hours; www.alaska-bike-rentals.com) and be sure to obey all moose-crossing signs.

An afternoon: The city is flanked on the east by the Chugach Mountains, home to one of the state's most popular hikes: Flattop Mountain, a steep 1.5-mile ascent offering panoramas of the Alaska Range, Turnagain Arm, and the Anchorage skyline.

All day: During June's endless summer days, head 40 miles southeast to the mountain town of Girdwood to explore the Alyeska Glacier's dramatic crevasses and moraines. Guided midnight-sun glacier hikes are available through The Ascending Path ($139; www.theascending path.com). If you're up for a truly epic night, hit the Bird Ridge Trail—a one-and-a-half-mile ridge-top scramble with distant views into the Kenai Mountains—on your way back to town.

Resources: To gear up, stop by Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking (www.alaskamountaineering.com), a local mainstay since 1974, with a library of climbing resources and a wealth of expertise in owner Paul Denkewalter.