Page 135 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

SOUTHEAST ALASK A  133

In the 1930s, the Haida Chief
Sonihat built the Whale clan
house, and the various totems
around the village were trans-
ferred to the same site, form ing
the Kasaan Totem Park. A
15-minute trail through beach-
side woods leads to the park,
where the decaying poles and
clan house, almost swallowed
by the undergrowth and
unspoilt by commercial
Thorne Bay trap pings, lend an authentic
air to the picturesque scene.
El Capitan Cave
Students paddling a traditional Haida canoe that they have carved Mile 50, N Prince of Wales Rd. Tel 828-
3304. ~ Open mid-May–early Sep:
Hydaburg Survey in the 1880s. During Mon–Sat. & 8 mandatory, at 9am,
45 miles (72 km) SE of Craig. * 380. its hey day in the mid-20th noon, & 3pm: book 2 days in advance.
~ charter floatplane. century, Thorne Bay was North Sited northwest of Whale Pass,
As rural Alaskan towns go, the America’s largest logging El Capitan Cave is the largest
little Haida village of Hydaburg camp, but the mill closed and longest of the limestone
is as picturesque as it gets. in the 1990s and the economy caves dotted around the karst
Although the town was not now depends on fishing. region of northern Prince of
founded until 1912, when A popular visitor attraction Wales Island. In these caves,
the three villages of Sukkwan, here is the Honker River Canoe paleontologists have uncov-
Howkan and Klinkwan Route, which begins at Coffman ered human remains dating
combined, Haida peoples Cove Road and winds through back about 9,500 years, the
have occupied the area since a chain of lakes down to Thorne oldest found in the region.
the 18th century, when they Bay. The area also has several A 12,300-year-old brown
migrated from British Columbia. campsites, forest service cabins, bear skeleton was discovered
Today, the town has the largest hiking trails, and picnic areas. in El Capitan Cave, while a
Haida population in Alaska. more remote cave yielded a
Hydaburg’s Totem Park is Kasaan 45,000-year-old bear skeleton.
well worth a visit. Its collec tion 49 miles E of Craig. * 55. ~ charter Over 2 miles (3 km) of
of restored totems, with their floatplane. passageways in El Capitan
unique emphasis on pastel Deriving its name from the Cave have been surveyed.
colors, stands apart from others Tlingit word for “pretty town,” Guided tours using helmets
in the region. Kasaan does indeed have a and headlamps are offered.
lovely setting between forested Reservations must be made
Thorne Bay mountains and the sea. It was two days in advance, but
39 miles (63 km) NE of Craig. * 480. founded in 1892 when mining rare walk-ins are allowed.
~ floatplane from Ketchikan.  and fishing jobs attracted the Young children under 7 years
Nestled between rolling hills Haida here from the now- are not allowed in the cave.
and the sea, Thorne Bay was abandoned Old Kasaan. Today, The tour begins with a steep
named in honor of Frank most Kasaan residents depend climb up 367 steps, and
Manley Thorn, superintendent on their harvests of deer, fish, afair degree of physical
of the US Coast and Geodetic shrimp, and crab. fitness is required.

Forestry in Southeast Alaska
Since the late 19th century, forestry and forest prod-
ucts have been an economic factor in the Tongass
National Forest, and from the 1940s to 1990s, they
were the mainstay of Alaska’s economy. The prime
western hemlock and Sitka spruce of Southeast
Alaska were exported, while lower quality timber was
reduced to pulp for the paper industry. In the 1990s,
economic and environ mental pressures combined
with decreasing harvest limits caused the closure of
the Sitka and Ketchikan mills. Today the industry
plays only a minor role in Alaska’s economy. Worker adjusting truckload of logs for delivery

For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp243–4 and pp253–4

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