Judd Lake: Chugach Adventure Guides provide both seasons in one package.

• Author: Knapp, Jody Ellis
• Position: EXECUTIVE GETAWAYS

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In August, most of us figure we've traded in our skis and snowboards for hiking boots. Skiing enthusiasts spend their time dreaming of hitting those slopes again, wishing they could still enjoy their winter fun within Alaska's summer. Now they can. Chugach Adventure Guides at Tordillo Mountain Lodge offers not only winter heli-skiing, but also popular summer events that can extend the ski season.

In business since 1997, Chugach Adventure Guides is a group effort with several partners including general manager and lifetime Alaskans Chris Owens, Mike Overcast, Dave Hamre and Olympians Tommy Moe and Jeremy Nobis.

"We provide personalized, guided access to larger-than-life locales in a safe and expert manner," Owens said. "Our goal is to provide high-end adventure experiences that simply can't be found anywhere else."

They have been running Tordillo Mountain Lodge for the last three years. Located 70 miles west of Anchorage, the lodge sits on Judd Lake, the headwaters of the Talachulitna River. With 1,000 feet of lake-front and 600 feet of river front property, as well as towering mountains and nearby, accessible glaciers, Tordillo offers a variety of both winter and summer activities. Wintertime operations include a full-service heli-skiing operation, while summer brings the popular "Kings and Corn" event that combines summer heli-skiing on corn snow and heli-fishing for king salmon. Six sessions are offered, one being a "Rainbows and Corn" event that takes place before the kings start running, with 16 spaces available. This is one of their most popular activities and sells out quite early, Owens said.

"We are about half-booked for the 2009 season right now," he said "and we are often booked up to two years in advance."

Other summer activities include rafting, hiking, glacier exploration, paddle boarding and climbing.

"We have fantastic fishing for five species...