Probably the most popular hike around Nome, the trek up Anvil Mountain is steep but affords a stunning view of the area. At the top, you’ll also found the White Alice antennas, the last remnants of a Cold War-era communication system the spanned the western parts of Alaska.
Races up Anvil Mountain are popular with the local running crowd and there are at least two or three organized runs each year. Running up and down the mountain can be done in 22 minutes, as proven by the local cross-country team. You may want to take it a little slower, to give yourself good footing on the scree, and to enjoy tundra flowers, wildlife and to look for the geocache hidden here!
Anvil Mountain Hikes
Difficulty
Easy
Getting There
Coordinates
Latitude: 64.563333Longitude: -165.3736747
There are a few ways to get to the top of Anvil Mountain.
- From Nome, take Bering Street, which turns into the Teller Road. At Mile 2.8, take a right onto Dexter Bypass Road. After about half a mile, you’ll find the Anvil Mountain Road climbing up the hillside. Distance from downtown Nome and back is 17 Kilometers (about 10 miles) round trip. Elevation gain is 1,062 feet.
- Distance from the bottom of Anvil Mountain access road is 3 miles round-trip. Elevation gain is 800 feet.
- Another recommended route: From Nome, take Bering Street/Teller Road, past the Dexter Bypass Road. At about mile marker 4, turn right onto Old Glacier Creek Road. When the road veers to the left, look for a parking spot. 1 mile round-trip, 600 foot elevation gain.