Skiing is a major draw to the Anchorage area, and there are many resorts in the region. Alpenglow is located in nearby Chugach State Park; Alyeska is about an hour away in Girdwood; Hilltop Ski Area is located in Anchorage itself. All offer multiple chair lifts and runs for all levels of experience. During the summer, when skiing is no longer possible, some resorts stay open and offer hiking and other activities. Alpenglow hosts the Arctic Valley Trail Run, a 6 kilometer race.

    Anchorage has three major sports teams: The Alaska Aces, the Anchorage Bucs, and the Anchorage Glacier Pilots. The Aces are a hockey team in the ECHL, the former East Coast Hockey League. Home games are played at Sullivan Arena. The Bucs and the Glacier Pilots are both baseball teams in the Alaska Baseball League, a summer amateur league comprised mostly of college students. While in Anchorage, they play at the Mulcahy Stadium.

    Another large event in Anchorage sports is the Great Alaska Shootout, an annual college basketball tournament that draws top-ranked teams from all over the country around Thanksgiving. Since the games are not played in the contiguous 48 states, they don't count towards regular season play, similar to Hawaii's Maui Invitational. Games are played at Sullivan Arena.