Alaska Vacation FAQs

We’re so happy you’re considering visiting us here at Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. Here’s how you can book a trip:

1. Review our package options and availability calendar.
2. Use our contact form to tell us more about the dates you would like to visit, activities you’re interested in, and the number of people in your group.
3. A reservations specialist will be in touch with you shortly to answer any questions, confirm your reservation, and process an initial 50% deposit.

If you have questions at any point, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can reach us by email at info@tordrillo.com or by phone at 907-569-5588.

Winter guests are met at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and transferred to The Hotel Captain Cook for the night. On the morning of their trip’s start date, guests are met by TML staff at the hotel, driven to the ski plane site, and flown into the lodge. At the end of the week, clients are dropped off at the airport or their hotel after returning to Anchorage mid-day. Summer guests are met for their trip in downtown Anchorage by TML staff on their arrival day and transferred the float plane site, where they depart for the lodge. Guests then depart from the lodge in the morning of their departure day and arrive back in Anchorage mid morning.

We will help you get to the lodge in the event of changed or delayed flights. Additional unscheduled flights to the lodge from Anchorage may be charged to guests.

The Eurocopter AS 350-B3 (A-Star) helicopter, known for its power, speed, and agility, is the foundation of our air fleet. For transportation between the lodge and Anchorage, we use DeHavilland Beavers, and for remote scouting a Piper Super Cub is available. Learn more about our fleet.

Winter guests will be booked into the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage the night prior to departure to the lodge (included in their package). If guests arrive earlier or want to book a stay afterward, we can reserve additional nights at the Hotel Captain Cook (pending availability).

An initial deposit of 50% is required to make a reservation. The balance is due 120 days prior to the start of your trip. If the reservation is made less than 120 days before the start date, the full amount must be paid. If you do not pay the balance when due, we may cancel your reservation and forfeit the deposit.

You may change the date of your trip if space is available in another session, up to 180 days from the start date. We reserve the right to cancel sessions or request that you change the date of your trip if there are not enough skiers for the session, or for any other reason. If we cancel, you will be given a refund, or the option of applying the money on the account to another trip the following year, subject to possible price increases.

If you cancel more than 180 days before the start of your trip, your deposit will be refunded, less a cancellation fee of $1,000. If you cancel between 180 days and 90 days before the start of your trip, no refund will be given, but your deposit may be carried forward to another trip the following season, subject to possible price increases. If you cancel less than 90 days before the start date, no refund will be given, and your deposit will be forfeited.

If it is necessary for you to cancel your trip and you find another person to replace you, your deposit and the balance may be transferred to that person, once they complete their own registration and client contract forms. It is up to you to find a replacement.

Any cancellation notice must be sent in writing, by mail, fax, or email. No refunds are given for funds carried forward from a prior season.

12 guests can stay comfortably in our main lodge. Learn about our other lodges.

All rooms have private baths and are double occupancy.

• High speed microwave internet
• Satellite phone
• Hot tub & sauna
• Yoga and fitness classes
• Sporting clay shooting range experience
• Winter: cross-country ski equipment, snowshoes, fat tire bikes
• Summer: fishing equipment, stand up paddleboards, canoes, e-foil boards, lawn games

Absolutely! We love hosting families at Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. Summer is the best season for families, as there is something for everyone. Learn more about our activities for families.

We do not have age restrictions, but all guests who are minors require management approval.

Hobbs hours are tracked on the helicopter’s meter and time incurred is applied to each heli group of four. Ski plane hours are applied to Hobbs totals by formula at market rates. Guides track hours during the week and keep guests up to speed with management of remaining time.

Tordrillo Mountain Lodge is tucked in the Alaskan backcountry, 60 miles northwest of Anchorage, and only accessible by seaplane.

Global Rescue Introduction Brochure can be found here.

Global Rescue Introduction to Skiing can be found here.

Click here for more info.

The winter season runs from February through April. Our Kings and Corn season is June, and the summer season runs from July through September. Learn more about our dates and rates.

We don’t operate during any “off-season” dates. Each week of the heli-ski season could be the best snow conditions of the whole year. The main difference between early dates (February & early March) and late season dates (late March & April), is the amount of daylight available. Shorter days in the early season generally mean that slopes are less affected by the sun—combine that with mid-winter’s consistent colder temperatures, and generally, there is more terrain with good snow available to ski.

The later season offers more daylight which gives us the ability to mobilize later in the day and still get a full day of skiing. This is useful in avoiding weather events and hitting the good conditions window. However, more daylight can affect certain slope faces and generally we have less aspects that provide good skiing. Less terrain, but more time to access it. These late season weeks are some of our most popular, mostly due to other ski areas closing for the season in the lower 48.

All of our winter heli ski trips are 7 days and 7 nights.

Tordrillo Mountain Lodge is the most experienced Alaska heli skiing operator in the Tordrillo Mountains. Our expertise and service are unmatched in the industry, and our location experiences stable weather with clearer skies and more fly-able conditions than the rest of Alaska. Come experience a truly boutique operation where the guests are truly number one.

Our heli ski guides are certified in medical and avalanche protocols. Please take the time to look at each guide’s bio, and you will understand that they are career guides who have dedicated about 20 years in the industry. We pride ourselves as being state-of-the-art in all aspects of our business.

We provide guests with:

• skis
• snowboards
• ski poles
• avalanche transceivers
• ABS balloon packs
• shovels
• probes
• harness

The daily routine starts around 7 a.m., and activities vary according to weather conditions. Guides determine the day’s itinerary, including departure times for skiing. On flyable days, guests leave the lodge by heli or ski plane and are in the field all day, where lunch is served, including hot beverages, soup, sandwiches, and snacks. After skiing, guests return to the lodge with time to enjoy spa services, a massage, or après ski before dinner.

The lodges that are available for winter are the Main Lodge and Private Cabins, Judd Lake Lodge, and Winterlake Lodge.

Winter down days include the option to cross country ski with 10k of groomed trails for both skate and classic technique, sporting clay shooting range experience, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, yoga classes, cold plunge in the lake, massage therapy, sauna and hot tub.

Winter conditions are powder and corn snow. Weather is variable and temps average 10 to 25 F. For Kings & Corn sessions in June, we time skiing for soft corn snow and weather is typically stable.

There are three groups with four clients each. Guests are grouped by ability and most are advanced to expert skiers. You will be grouped with the friends you are traveling with.

You are required to pay for the entire package price.

The terrain is appropriate for most abilities. The website photo gallery is representative of the look and pitch of the terrain in the Tordrillo area. Learn more about our terrain.

You can mail your ski bags to us and our greeters will bring them to you upon your arrival: 3705 Arctic Boulevard, #429, Anchorage, AK 99503.

Winter Policy: Reservations, Changes, Cancellations and Refunds An initial deposit of 50% of the total package price is required to make a reservation. The full balance is due 120 days prior to the start of your trip. If the reservation is made less than 120 days before the start date, the full amount due for all guests must be paid. If you do not pay the total package price on time, your reservation will be cancelled and the entire deposit for all guests in the group will be forfeited. Up to 180 days from start date, you may change the date of your trip if space is available in another session. We reserve the right to cancel sessions, or request that you change the date of your trip, if there are not enough skiers for the session, or for any other reason. If you cancel more than 180 days before the start of your trip, your deposit will be refunded, less a cancellation fee of $1,000. If you cancel between 180 days and 120 days before the start of your trip, no refund will be given, but your deposit may be carried forward to another trip the following season, subject to possible price increases. If you cancel less than 120 days before the start date, no refund will be given, and your entire deposit will be forfeited. If it is necessary for you to cancel your trip and you find another person to replace you, your deposit and the balance may be transferred to that person, once they complete their own registration and client contract forms. It is up to you to find a replacement. Any cancellation notice must be sent in writing, by mail, fax or email. No refunds are given for funds carried forward from a prior season.

The summer season runs from July through September. Our winter season is February through April, and our Kings and Corn season is June. Learn more about our dates and rates.

Summer ski conditions are corn snow and weather is typically stable. Temperatures vary between 40 and 60 degrees F. Learn more about snow and terrain at Tordrillo Mountain Lodge.

Guests are picked up in downtown Anchorage on the morning of their arrival and driven to the float plane base. From there, they load up in our Turbine Otter floatplane and take a 35 minute flight to Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. Then, guests receive helicopter safety briefing and property orientation with the lodge manager and head out into the field for their first day of adventure! We fish both in the morning and the evenings, depending on the weather conditions of the day. Afternoon activities include massage, spa, water sports and après fish. Meals are served at the lodge in the morning and evenings each day.

Expect long days and little sleep as the fun never stops under the midnight sun! After activities, guests return to the lodge, where there is time for spa services, a massage, and après fish before dinner. On the morning of their departure date, guests are flown back to Lake Hood, where guests are transferred to the Anchorage International Airport or an Anchorage location of their choice.

During summer, daytime temperatures in Alaska can range from 60°F – 80°F. Nighttime lows can dip to 40°F – 50°F. It’s important to note that in May and September temperatures can be 5°- 10° cooler.

The lodges that are available for summer are the Main Lodge.

Kings & Corns is a one-of-a-kind experience offered in the month of June. During this time of year, the Tordrillos still have snow—corn snow, which is made up of large-grained, rounded crystals formed from repeated melting and freezing—and king salmon are in season. June is also the month of the midnight sun, which means we get up to 22 daylight hours to maximize our time in the backcountry. The long days allow visitors to ski in the morning and fish in the afternoon with plenty of daylight to spare—a win-win-win. Learn more about Kings & Corn.

There is no such thing as a summer down day! If the weather does not allow for flying, guests can fish on Judd Lake, experience our sporting clay shooting range, participate in a yoga class, enjoy the sauna and hot tub, and learn to e-foil board, wake surf, waterski or wake surf on the lake. Learn more about our summer activities.

Summer Policy: Reservations, Changes, Cancellations and Refunds An initial deposit of 50% is required to make a reservation. The balance is due 90 days prior to the start of your trip. If the reservation is made less than 90 days before the start date, the full amount must be paid. If you do not pay deposits on time, your reservation will be cancelled and your deposits on account will be forfeited. You may change the date of your trip if space is available, up to 120 days from start date. We reserve the right to cancel, or request that you change the date of your trip. If we cancel, you will be given a refund, or the option of applying the money on account to another trip the following year, subject to possible price increases. If you cancel more than 120 days before the start of your trip, your deposit will be refunded, less a cancellation fee of $1,000. If you cancel between 120 days and 90 days before the start of your trip, no refund will be given, but your deposit may be carried forward to another trip the following season, subject to possible price increases. If you cancel less than 90 days before the start date, no refund will be given, and your deposit will be forfeited. Any cancellation notice must be sent in writing, by mail, fax or email.