Just 40 miles south of Anchorage in the jewel-box mountain town of Girdwood, the Alyeska Resort Aerial Tram glides 2,025 vertical feet up the face of Mount Alyeska in a

breathtaking seven-minute ride. The climb drops jaws on the way up, with an ever-widening view of the Turnagain Arm's silver mudflats and tidal bore far below. From the

2,300-foot Glacier Terminal at the top, clear days deliver the money shot — seven hanging glaciers draped across the emerald Chugach peaks in a single panorama you'll

struggle to fit in one photo, no matter how wide your lens.

The summit is a destination in its own right. Seven Glaciers Restaurant serves white-tablecloth fine dining at 2,300 feet; the Bore Tide Deli & Bar is perfect for a mountain-top

beer and burger with a view. Ambitious hikers can climb the North Face trail from the valley floor and earn a FREE ride down. The Alyeska Tram runs year-round (closed only

for brief maintenance in late April and October-November), so it's one of the few Alaska attractions you can enjoy in every season —wildflowers in summer, crimson tundra in fall,

world-class skiing in winter. Pair it with a summit meal for a half day on the mountain.