The Alyeska Climbathon is a multi-lap, all day event held on the North Face Trail (NFT) at Alyeska Ski Resort. Climbers run/speed hike/walk up the approximately 2.2 mile hiking trail ascending 2,000 vertical feet from the Hotel Alyeska to the top terminal of the Alyeska aerial tram.

A lap begins at the tram base, climbs the North Face Trail and is counted at the top of the tram. Participants descend the tram and repeat over and over.

Over the course of 10 hours, climbers lap the trail as many times as physically possible. The event starts at 9am at the base of the tram and finishes at 7pm at the top of the tram. The winner of the Climbathon makes the most up the North Face Trail before 7pm. At the 2019 Climbathon, Mikey Connelly crushed the long standing vertical record by climbing 13 laps up the North Face! Mikey churned out 26,325 vertical and 28.6 miles of running. This is the equivalent of climbing Annapurna in a day! The 2019 field of 325 climbers made a combined 1,160 laps, 2,349,000 vertical and 2,552miles on the trail while raising over $90K for GYN cancer programs. Seven climbers in the field made 10 laps or more; Denali in a day!

Basic Information:

Event registration will be limited to the first 400 climbers that register.

All Alyeska Climber registrations are $50 and are non-refundable.

Online registration closes when the field is full.

Registration transfers and / or “bib swaps” are not permitted.

NOTE: Climbers will need to present a completed liability release form at bib pick-up. This form can be downloaded on the Climbathon website Register and Event Info pages (and will be available at bib pick-up). If you want to save yourself some time, please feel free to print, fill out, sign, and bring this form with you to bib pick-up. Parents and/or legal guardians can use a single form for themselves and their children.

Official start time is 9:00 am. The Climbathon is a rain or shine event. You must pass through the timing station at the top of the mountain to be officially scored.

Official finish time is 7pm. Laps completed after 7pm will not be counted. No partial laps will be counted. You are expected to notify event staff when you are done lapping the North Face. Results will be announced directly after the event. We recognize:

     Men’s and Women’s individual vertical accomplishments

     Individual and Team fundraising accomplishments

The Alyeska tram will depart the terminal at 10 minute intervals throughout the event.

The tram will be running at winter speed so the trip time will be approximately 3 1/2 minutes. The tram will begin each trip at the top of the hour, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50.

In order for the tram to depart on schedule, the doors must be closed (so the system can initiate a trip) at least 30 seconds before the trip begins. Once the trip has been initiated, there is no option to open the doors.

During the course of the event, it may be necessary for the tram to make an unscheduled trip to take down garbage. It is Alyeska Resort policy that only staff is allowed to ride the tram when there is a garbage run. In most instances, the departure schedule will be maintained (that is, the trash might head down at 4 minutes after, but the normally scheduled tram will be available for departure at the 0).

The trail sweep will begin at approximately 6:15 pm from the base of the tram and go up the NFT. If you are not completing laps in under an hour, we will respectfully request that you do not start another lap after 6pm, as it will not be counted unless you are at the top by 7pm.

Please leave your dogs at home!

Hiking poles are allowed. 

What to Expect:

This is a mountain event in Girdwood in September. The event venue ranges from the valley floor to the high Alpine – enough said!

There will be hydration and food options at the top of the climb on the Sundeck of the Bore Tide Deli.

The Alyeska Climbathon supports sustainable event practices. There will be no single serving cups for hydration. Each climber is expected to carry and use their own water bottle.

There are restrooms at the top of the tram. They are available throughout the event.

What to Bring:

As many dry shirts (plus 1) as the number of laps you intend to complete.

A pair of pants and a coat for after the event.

BYOB. Bring your own water bottle(s)! We discourage the use of single serve vessels as they contribute to waste. Having your own bottle will reduce the waste generated at this event.