Lazy Mountain

"Up on Lazy Mountain," says Gary Becker, a native Alaskan and Realtor with Keller Williams since 2014, "you get these gorgeous sunrises that we call alpenglow, where the whole sky turns pink. But the best thing about living in Lazy Mountain is that it's also in a wind shadow, which protects you from the wind tunnel that can blow across Palmer. You're tucked up against the mountain, so it's very peaceful and calming."

In residential Palmer, forested streetscapes and large private lots are surrounded by spectacular venues, ranches and trails that knit through some of Alaska's highest peaks. "The whole Palmer area where you find Lazy Mountain," adds Becker, who has been featured on HGTV's Living Alaska, "is appealing because it feels down-home and less commercialized. Other neighborhoods just don't have the same charm. It's amazing how many military families get stationed here, have to leave, and then years later come back — because Alaska just gets in your blood."

Homes in Lazy Mountain can range from a two-bedroom A-frame cabin on 2 acres for around $250,000 to a 2,000-square-foot stone and log house on 20 acres on the south side of Lazy Mountain for $900,000. A rambling 4,000-square-foot two-story home with expansive porches or a 2020 three-bedroom hillside ranch-style with a detached unit and basement can ask around $550,000. For around $800,000, you could find a 5,000-square-foot beauty with bay windows and spacious decking for viewing the northern lights. Becker adds, "Lazy Mountain is still more affordable than comparable homes closer to Anchorage."

Living in Lazy Mountain, the terrain is your wonderland. You can host unforgettable events at Lazy Mountain Acres and explore horse-riding tours and dude ranch adventure packages at Sunderland Ranch. Their newly opened Alaska Zipline Adventure Park is Alaska's only all-tandem course offering aerial bridges and six ziplines over a salmon creek and treetops. Says Becker, "The whole area is just crazy green. And when you're hiking, you get up close to peaks over 6,000 feet high. It's truly in-your-face awe. One of the coolest experiences is the annual Crazy Lazy Mountain Race to the top of Lazy Mountain and back." In 2023, more than 300 racers of all ages and abilities accepted the challenge, and the winner completed the race in just over an hour. Not far from Lazy Mountain in Hatcher Pass, you'll find the valley's newest recreation attraction, Skeetawk, featuring a triple chair lift. Becker adds, "It's a misconception that if you're in the Palmer area, you're way up high like in Colorado. But really, you're living in valleys. So, Hatcher Pass is where you can actually drive way up into the mountains, giving you the feeling that you're in the Alps."

Public schools are within the Matanuska-Sustina Borough School District, which earns an A-minus grade from Niche. Elementary-age students can begin at Butte Elementary and move on to Palmer Middle School, both earning a B grade from Niche. Older students head to Palmer High School, which boasts a standout track and field program and earns a B grade from Niche.

Says Becker, "Lazy Mountain is really a residential area. No one shops right within Lazy Mountain; you just go straight to Palmer. It's considered a suburb of Palmer on the other side of Matanuska River." Locals make the several-mile trip across the river on East Arctic Avenue to stock up at Carr's in Palmer. Or, stop by Bushes Bunches Produce Stand or a local farm for the freshest fare. When dining out, Turkey Red in Palmer is a favorite spot to order hearty soups for lunch or indulge in colorful Mediterranean entrees for romantic date nights. You can also enjoy lattes, pastries and healthy sandwiches at Vagabond Blues.

Says Becker, "This is a big, beautiful land. And when you respect it, you get a lot back. You're rewarded with a quality of life that's so different because it's wild and natural, which makes it a great place to raise kids. People come up here as a bucket list, and they come back to stay for good."

Written By

Lia Girard

Photography Contributed By

Chad Jackson

Video By

Mallory Nolte