Alyeska Resort Announces New Executive Chef and
Expanded Summer 2026 Adventure Experiences
What is Alyeska Resort announcing for 2026?
Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, has announced the appointment of Chef Chris McCracken as its new Executive Chef, along with an expanded lineup of mountain adventure experiences for the 2026 summer season.
The announcement highlights two major areas of growth for the resort: an elevated culinary direction across its eight dining venues and expanded outdoor activities in the Chugach Mountains.
Who is Alyeska Resort’s new Executive Chef?
Chef Chris McCracken is the new Executive Chef at Alyeska Resort. He brings more than eight years of culinary leadership experience, with a background in destination ski resorts and high-volume hospitality.
At Alyeska, McCracken will focus on ingredient-driven menus, local sourcing, sustainable Alaskan seafood, and dining experiences that reflect the region’s landscape, culture, and seasonal ingredients.
How will Alyeska’s dining program evolve?
Under McCracken’s leadership, Alyeska’s culinary program will place greater emphasis on:
Sustainable Alaskan seafood
Regional produce and wild ingredients
Local craft beer, wine, and spirits pairings
Seasonal techniques
Elevated but approachable dining
Seven Glaciers, the resort’s AAA Four Diamond Award restaurant, will return to its signature “Land, Air, Sea” menu concept, with a focus on regional ingredients and panoramic views of seven hanging glaciers.
What summer adventure activities are available at Alyeska in 2026?
Alyeska Resort is expanding its summer programming with activities designed for travelers seeking adventure, scenery, and guided exploration in Alaska.
Key experiences include:
Veilbreaker Skybridges
Alyeska Bike Park
Guided North Face Hike
Guided Winner Creek Hike
Guided eBike tours
Alyeska Aerial Tram
Nordic Spa wellness experiences
What are the Veilbreaker Skybridges?
The Veilbreaker Skybridges return from July to September 2026. Suspended 2,500 feet above the valley floor and spanning 410 feet, the experience connects the ridgeline of Mt. Alyeska and offers views of Turnagain Arm, hanging glaciers, and the Chugach boreal forest.
The activity lasts approximately 2 to 3 hours and is designed for a range of skill levels.
What is new at Alyeska Bike Park?
Alyeska Bike Park, Alaska’s premier lift-accessed downhill biking destination, reopens on June 13, 2026.
For the 2026 season, Alyeska renews its historic partnership with Kona Bicycles and updates its eBike fleet with Kona’s full-suspension bikes designed for steep Alaskan terrain.
What guided hikes are offered?
Alyeska offers guided hikes for guests seeking deeper access to the Chugach Mountains.
Guided North Face Hike: A challenging route ascending more than 2,000 vertical feet, with views of iconic ski terrain including Christmas Chute and the Knuckles.
Guided Winner Creek Hike: A scenic 5-mile hike through Girdwood’s boreal rainforest, one of the northernmost temperate rainforests in the world.
What eBike tours are available in 2026?
Alyeska’s expanded eBike tours include:
The Bird to Gird Tour: A guided 20-mile beginner-friendly route following the Historic Iditarod Trail and the coastal path along Turnagain Arm.
The Chair 3 Challenger: A more technical guided ride using Kona Remote X eBikes across lower mountain flow trails and turns.
What wellness experiences does Alyeska offer?
Alyeska Resort’s 50,000-square-foot Nordic Spa offers hot and cold hydrotherapy pools, aromatherapy steam rooms, a Finnish sauna, an exfoliation cabin with Alaskan sea salt, and a Halotherapy Signature sauna.
The spa provides a restorative counterpoint to the resort’s summer adventure programming.
Why visit Alyeska Resort in summer 2026?
Alyeska Resort offers a combination of elevated dining, mountain adventure, scenic access, and wellness in one year-round Alaska destination. With a new Executive Chef, expanded biking and hiking programs, aerial tram access, skybridge experiences, and Nordic Spa recovery, the resort gives travelers multiple ways to experience the Chugach Mountains in summer.
Black Diamond Club
Alyeska Resort’s Black Diamond Club, is a luxury offering of premium accommodations, services, and exclusive amenities. The Black Diamond Club takes over the resort’s top floor, accessible only to guests with keycard access, offering privacy and exclusivity. The 36 newly appointed rooms offer styles ranging from the 325 sq. ft. club rooms to a 1,971 sq. ft. glacier presidential suite, each outfitted with a 50-inch smart screen television, Nespresso machine, Dyson hair dryer, luxury jersey robes and slippers, bathroom amenities by Bamford, luxury linens and a pillow menu to cater to individual sleep style. Exclusive to Black Diamond guests, the Black Diamond Club offers the resort’s most premium views with vistas of its surrounding glaciers and Chugach mountains. Black Diamond Club guests have a VIP Ski Valet in the winter and a private host to assist with curating their stay who can arrange daily activities on and off the property. A dedicated lounge offers daily complimentary breakfast and afternoon après service, where cocktails and refreshments are available exclusively for Black Diamond Club guests. Prices for the Black Diamond Club for the 2026 summer season start at $619 for a club room and $5,499 for the presidential suite.
For more information on summer bookings, dining reservations, or the 2026 summer schedule, please visit alyeskaresort.com.
About Alyeska Resort:
Alyeska Resort is Alaska’s premier year-round destination featuring 299 rooms, a 40-passenger aerial scenic tram, an indoor saltwater pool, a 50,000 sq. ft. Nordic Spa and eight dining options, including Seven Glaciers, the resort’s AAA Four Diamond Award restaurant with unparalleled views overlooking seven hanging glaciers. First opened in 1994, the property was acquired in 2018 by Pomeroy Lodging, a Canadian hospitality company that also operates the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge and Kananaskis Nordic Spa in the Canadian Rockies. In 2023, Alyeska became the first and only mountain in Alaska on the Ikon Pass and in 2024 they launched its Black Diamond Club offering premium accommodations, services, and amenities exclusive to the resort’s 8th-floor guests. With 1,610 skiable acres, 76 named trails, and over 600 inches of snow annually, the resort is truly a playground for all levels of skiers and riders. A gateway to the Chugach Mountains, the resort seamlessly entwines luxury accommodations with convenient access to nature. Their summertime experience offers a peek into the vast wilderness of this breathtaking mountain range that is home to numerous wildlife and flora species. Alyeska Resort was also honored in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards in both 2024 and 2025, further cementing its reputation as a top global destination. To learn more, visit alyeskaresort.com.
For Media Inquiries:
Julie Leventhal
REYA Communications
