Prince of Wales Island

My visit to Prince of Wales Island was as rewarding as it was difficult to arrange. This isolation is what has preserved its "naturalness" that has not been lost despite recent massive logging operations. There are few roads on the island but their length requires a vehicle to get around. The lack of services on the island made it necessary for me to bring a rental vehicle from Ketchikan. The round trip ferry transport and cost of a 4-wheel drive vehicle were also added burdens to my visit (4-wheel required by companies due to the roughness of the islands roads). Once past this obstacle it was important to get ferry reservations, they were maxed out every day that I was there, some people had to wait extra days to get off the island. Once there though, I felt like I was getting the first of my "true" Alaska experiences. Though fishing and hunting lodges are numerous, most of them are only accessible from additional boat or float plane access. Interesting hikes, ski tours, paddle routes both fresh and salt water, and even extensive cave exploration are all available. Despite the natural beauty the outstanding highlight of my visit were the historic totems and cedar lodges. Several communities on Prince of Wales have totem displays but they are there for the residents not as tourist attractions. I somehow found the unsigned trailhead to the Totems of Kasann. Hidden in the forest, surrounded by estuaries and tall trees this was the most special display of totems I had seen. Following a faint unmarked path beyond the cedar lodgehouse I eventually found an old cemetary with headstones nearly hidden in cloaks of flowers and low shrubs. Here also I found that the record snows of the previous winter limited the areas that I could access but this has given me wonderful excuses to return for a longer visit.