when they were open, they were the only real game in town - and a pretty darn good one at that. however, the owner became unable to maintain his level of activity due to health reasons and was forced to close the business and sell. the establishment is now an outdoor tour and rafting service.

I want to move to Girdwood one day. Small ski town, a few bars, and the resort is on point. The people are what make this place. The most friendly people you'll ever meet, and literally you are in paradise. The best views in Anchorage in my opinion.

They are closed on Mondays.... we didn't know that... We pulled into the drive and he came out and opened up and rented us a tandem. We rode it on the Bird to Gird Bike path. It was a nice ride!

So as a group of 4 not sure what to do in Girdwood in the winter since snowboarding isn't our thing we call Girdwood Ski and Cyclery. Its a Monday and there's no one there but the answering machine says leave a message because it is possible to schedule pick up on his off days. So on a whim I leave a message, I get a call back right away and Jim says oh you want to come in to rent some skis- no problem! We were thrilled he would come in on his off day just for us! It was great experience, he gave us tips on how to use cross country skiis, where to go(Portage Lake) and let us know we could drop them off whenever! What a great, trusting guy! We got our butts kicked by going on a multi mile trip to see a glacier but had a great time!!

Jim is the guy when it comes to bicycles and bike repairs in Girdwood. All the locals know him. Whether it's a rental (I rented a bike trailer for a weekend trip) or a repair (my wife got her yard-sale special bike tuned up), he's your guy. A bit overpriced, even for Alaskan standards, he will give you your money's worth in conversation if you stick around long enough. I wouldn't mention anything political if you don't have at least an hour to spare!