Hiking Flattop Mountain
Anchorage, AK
There is a method to my madness, I swear.
The hike Kevin and I did to the top of Flattop Mountain last summer isn’t my normal blog post. But! If you are like me, and:
Appreciate personal recommendations for new adventures
Love the idea of a photo session in the mountains
Wish you were planning a kick ass trip somewhere rather than shoveling your driveway
Well, then…this one is for you.
After being on our destination list for ages, Kevin and I were able to spend just under two weeks in Alaska last June. As you know, I’m a big planner and organizer, so I had carefully researched and mapped out our primary plans and stops throughout the trip. We wanted to take a few hikes while we were there, so I headed over to AllTrails to find our best options. I used the free version of their site and was happy with the level of detail available for various locations around the Anchorage area, so I would recommend giving that a try before paying for a subscription.
I landed on Flattop Mountain for a few reasons:
AllTrails rated it as a “moderate” hike and I figured we should be able to handle it without endurance training ahead of time
There were numerous positive reviews from recent hikers (I love reviews - I can get pages deep before actually deciding to purchase a product on Amazon)
It is a fairly popular trail, which I hoped meant we wouldn’t need to use our bear spray
I ruled out other nearby options thanks to recent comments from fellow outdoor enthusiasts that warned me of deep snow and/or mud that was incredibly difficult to get through - neither of which were something I wanted to face at the beginning of our trip if I could help it.
While Kevin and I didn’t have a formal photo shoot while there, the Flattop Mountain trail (and peak) could be a perfect location for a couple looking for adventure!
Since the mountain is part of Chugach State Park, there was a small fee for parking. The trailhead was clearly marked and once we were sufficiently coated in sunscreen, we were off!
Considering it is one of the most popular hikes near Anchorage and that we were there on a beautiful Saturday at the height of summer, encounters with other hikers didn’t happen as often as I had expected. Spoiler alert: Even with a lot of time on our own in the Alaskan wilderness, I didn’t have to use the bear spray.
Thank goodness!
The dirt trail was easy to navigate and started to slowly wind upward, giving us the false sense of security that we absolutely had a handle on this and were going to crush the hike in less than the 3 hours AllTrails had estimated. However, about 1/3 of the way up, things started to get more interesting. The trail narrowed, contained more rocks, and we were faced with several sets of railroad tie steps that presented their own challenges. (Have you ever found a set of railroad tie steps that were evenly spaced? Because these definitely weren’t. ;)
We rounded a corner and finally saw the top of the mountain we were headed toward…and oof. It looked pretty high up there.
Fortunately, there are incredible views the entire length of the trail, so we pressed on, soaking in the sun and mountains around us. As we started to tire out more quickly between our snack and water breaks, people who passed us on their way back down confirmed that it was well-worth the effort. Yes, a boost of motivation!
The comments on AllTrails indicated we would need to “scramble over some rocks” to reach the top at the very end. That doesn’t sound too bad, right? I shouldn’t have believed it for a moment. The reviews should have stated, Amy, you’re going to have to learn to boulder on the fly and climb at what feels like a 75 degree angle to reach the top. Good luck.
I tried to channel my inner mountain goat as we climbed, but honestly, I have no idea how can they be so sure-footed when perched on the sides of giant rock faces. Those rocks were intimidating! At least we reached the top before my fear got the better of me. And I tell you what…
Dang. It was AMAZING up there.
There were views for days.
We were met with stunning vistas every time we turned our heads, and I could have easily stayed there the rest of the day to try and take it all in.
It was easy to understand how the mountain had gotten its name; it really was quite flat at the top and there was more than enough space for us to still feel like we had almost the whole place to ourselves, even with a small number of other hikers checking out other parts of the summit.
I loved it.
We ended up staying at the summit quite awhile before facing the path back down. Once we made it past the tricky bouldering part, things went smoothly. I mean, other than me tripping on the railroad ties and sliding partway down the side of a hill on my butt…but that was 100% due to my own clumsiness. Oops.
All ended well: since we were more confident on the return trip, having already traversed the path once that day, we noticed more spots to stop and appreciate the nature around us - Kevin even spotted a moose in the distance! Before long, we were back at the car and on our way to our AirBnB to grill and enjoy a drink; the perfect end to a wonderful day.
Originally posted January 30, 2023