Here’s where Mat-Su residents can find fresh air and good company this winter

What you need to know:

• Despite the season’s cold and dark conditions, Mat-Su residents have access to a wide range of outdoor activities — including free community hikes, runs and events — that encourage staying active and socially connected during winter.
• Organizations like Revel Treks + Tours and AKtive Soles host inclusive, low-cost or free events such as weekly runs, themed hikes, speaker series and seasonal outings to promote fitness and community bonding, especially for women, older adults and newcomers.
• Other seasonal offerings include the Mat-Su Ski Club’s Holiday Tree Tour, the Easter-themed “SkiSter,” informational clinics and a monthly “Jog and Jabber” meetup, blending outdoor recreation with education and social connection.

For many outdoorsy Alaskans, winter’s chill can often mean Netflix and treadmill — or even semi-hibernation. But with plenty of free meetups and events planned for the coming months, cabin fever doesn’t have to be the default setting for Mat-Su residents.

From weekly running events to community explorations of local trails, there are plenty of ways to get outside and get some exercise in the long, dark months ahead.

“In Alaska, you have to stay active during the wintertime,” said Anne Thomas, whose company AKtive Soles hosts weekly runs in Palmer and a monthly run in Wasilla.

Group events also help foster connection during a time of year when people may be more inclined to hunker down indoors. Revel Treks + Tours owner Kierre Childers said that’s one of the big reasons her company hosts regular outdoor outings for local residents.

“There is so much value in adventure buddies,” Childers said.

Meet friends and find local flavor

Childers’ company books specialized tours for Outside tourists looking for a custom Alaskan adventure. But another part of her business is focused less on profit than on positive connections.

Revel hosts a variety of community hiking and other events year-round across the greater Mat-Su area to help meet that need, plus a series of community gatherings created with the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation.

Those include speaker series in Wasilla and Palmer on topics like trail safety and astronomy, paired with free field events designed to help attendees gain firsthand experience. January events will focus on backcountry skiing and snowmachining, while a late February pairing will focus on sun and space weather and include a free guided stargazing night at Independence Mine.

The company’s offerings also include free community hikes, “50ish and Older” hikes, and ladies-only hikes. The monthly community hikes are free, but Revel charges $12 for subsequent outings. However, Childers said the company offers “Adventure Club” discounts for a monthly membership and noted that first-time participants are also free.

Upcoming outings include a 4-mile ladies-only hike on Dec. 6 on the Rail Trail in Palmer and an Over-50 hike Dec. 16 on the Gold Mint Trail. For a complete list of outings, Childers said folks can check out reveltreksandtours.com.

Childers said events are limited to 10 participants. They usually fill up quickly in summer, but “in winter we average five to eight.” She said the meetups are a great way to meet new people and gain valuable outdoor skills in a laid-back environment.

“We do such a good job as an industry showing people who come up for two weeks the best of Alaska,” she said.

But sometimes folks who live here need help getting out there.

“The longer I’m here, the more it feels clear locals really want that same attention,” she said.

Meeting other outdoorsy locals can break down barriers to getting outside.

“If you don’t have the skills or adventure buddies, it can be really intimidating to get outdoors, so that was a driver to me.”

Peek at Government Peak

The snow has been slow to fall this winter, but that’s not keeping the Mat-Su Ski Club from hoping for a successful Holiday Tree Tour on Dec. 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Government Peak Recreation Area near Hatcher Pass.

The family-friendly evening will feature cross-country skiing, walking or biking for the public on the trails’ one-mile, lighted Pioneer Loop, along with “warm drinks, community cheer and a welcoming environment.”

Later this winter, the club will host a similar event at the trails when it invites the community for “SkiSter,” an Easter-themed gathering that will include egg hunts, a snow box derby and plenty of outdoor cheer.

The club will also sponsor a free backcountry bike and ski clinic on Dec. 9 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Backcountry Bike and Ski in Palmer (132 W. Arctic Ave.). While the event will be held indoors, it will cover ski basics like what to wear and what equipment to use in preparation for planned adult ski lessons later this winter.

Run (or walk) for fun

Folks looking for a fun and healthy night out may want to check out the weekly “Happy Run” events hosted by AKtive Soles in Palmer. Thomas said the fun runs often attract 30 to 60 runners. And they’re as regular as the mail.

“Whether it’s windy or cold, raining or dark, we do it,” she said.

The runs start at 6 p.m. every Monday at the shoe store at 642 S. Alaska St. and alternate each week between routes heading out toward the airport and another that goes out Springer Loop. Both routes end at the Palmer Alehouse (320 E. Dahlia Ave.), where runners, joggers and walkers can reunite for pizza and a raffle. In the summer, those gatherings are outside near the patio; in the winter, the group meets in the upstairs room.

Thomas said folks who connect with others will find it easier to continue getting out and staying active.

“If you can get out with people, it’s more likely to happen,” she said.

For a more cerebral experience, AKtive Soles is also hosting a monthly “Jog and Jabber” fun run at the Wasilla location (984 N. Meridian Place) on the first Monday of each month. The “short, frequently timed” runs are held at 6 p.m. and finish with a discussion about running. The runs are free and open to all. For more information, check out the store’s website at aktivesoles.com.

Matt Tunseth is a freelance writer from Southcentral Alaska. Write to him at matthew.tunseth@gmail.com.