Sign up to hike Alaska's most-frequently-climbed mountain. 3-mile round-trip hike. Elevation gain: 1,350' Elevation: 3,350' Great views. A scenic, safe, active and affordable 3.5-hour outdoor excursion suited to your individual needs. We take you 13-miles from downtown Anchorage to the trailhead. The drive takes 30 minutes. No guide is needed on this popular, easy to follow trail. On average, it takes one hour to hike from the trailhead to the summit. This allows 30 minutes to walk around the mountain's flat top and photograph the great views. It takes about 45 minutes to descend. On the way up, if you decide the hike is too strenuous or too steep, no worries, turn around wherever and whenever you want. A 26-mile tour of Anchorage and a hike above it for only $22.