About Girdwood Backcountry Guides
Girdwood Backcountry Guides — formerly known as Sundog Ski Guides — is a professional backcountry ski and snowboard guiding service based in Girdwood, Alaska, at the foot of the Chugach Mountains. Founded by experienced local guides who live and ride these mountains year-round, the operation provides custom backcountry touring experiences in Turnagain Pass and the surrounding Chugach and Kenai ranges, widely regarded as some of North America's most consistently deep and uncrowded powder terrain.
Tour options range from half-day introductory sessions in the accessible Turnagain Pass zone to full-day deep-backcountry missions targeting more remote peaks and bowls. Guides assess group ability and fitness levels, current avalanche conditions, and weather windows to design each day's route for maximum safety and enjoyment. All tours include avalanche safety briefings and can incorporate beacon, shovel, and probe instruction for guests looking to build backcountry skills alongside the riding experience. Heli-drop options are available for groups wanting to access more remote terrain without the uphill effort.
What distinguishes Girdwood Backcountry Guides from other Alaska guiding operations is the hyper-local focus — these guides don't commute from Anchorage or rotate through multiple regions. They live in Girdwood, ski Turnagain Pass daily, and have an intimate understanding of how specific slopes behave in different snow and wind loading scenarios. That granular local knowledge translates directly into better line selection, safer decision-making, and consistently better snow for clients.
