yakutat

sustainable outdoor

recreation action plan

FINAL PLAN

OCTOBER 2012 IDIQ Contract # AG-02NV-C-09-004 Task Order # AG-344V-D-10-0023

prepared by AGNEW::BECK CONSULTING

resources for community
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan Situation Assessment INTRODUCTION 1

Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action 

Plan

IDIQ Contract # AG-02NV-C-09-004, Task Order # AG-344V-D-10-0023

Table of Contents

1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 4

2: Community Context.................................................................................................................................. 6

3: Goals and Sustainability Criteria..........................................................................................................23

4: Priority Projects and Action Plan.........................................................................................................27

5 : Evaluation Criteria : Measuring Our Success..................................................................................36

Appendices

Appendix A: Inventory of Existing Facilities, Programs, and Services ............................................38

Appendix B: Inventory of Proposed Projects ......................................................................................42

Appendix C: Summary of Past Plans....................................................................................................50

Appendix D: Sources................................................................................................................................53

Agnew::Beck Consulting, LLC prepared this report under subcontract to CHM Government 

Services under Task Order AG-344V-D-10-0023 in direct support of an CHM Government 

Services IDIQ Contract AG-02NV-C-09-004.
2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This plan represents the hard work and knowledge of the Yakutat community. Special thanks to 

the members of the Steering Committee who met throughout the process to shape the plan, and 

who will serve as project champions and partners as the plan is implemented:

 Bill Lucey, Salmon Board, Marine Science Learning Center

 Brian Marston, Alaska Department of Fish & Game

 Casey Havens, Yak Tat Kwaan

 Cindy Bremner, Yak Tat Kwaan

 Cynthia Peterson, Yak Tat Kwaan

 Daryl James, USDA Forest Service Yakutat Ranger District

 Dave Stone, Mayor of Yakutat

 Gloria Benson, Yakutat Healthy Community Coalition YTT, Big Brothers/Big Sisters

 Jim Capra, National Park Service

 Jason Stancil, USDA Forest Service Yakutat Ranger District

 Larry Powell, Mooring Lodge and Mallott’s grocery store owner

 Jack Endicott, Surf Shop owner

 Lee Benson, USDA Forest Service Yakutat Ranger District

 Mary Ann Porter, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, Alaska Native Sisterhood 

 Nate Catterson, USDA Forest Service Yakutat Ranger District

 Teresa Hunt, USDA Forest Service Yakutat Ranger District

 Tina Ryman, City and Borough of Yakutat, Yakutat School Board 

 Victoria Demmert, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, Alaska Native Sisterhood

 Walter Porter, Yakutat Chamber of Commerce

 Susan Oehlers, USDA Forest Service Yakutat Ranger District

 Russell Wicka, USDA Forest Service Yakutat Ranger District

 Martin Sensmeier, Sealaska

 Skip Ryman, City and Borough of Yakutat
SIGNATURE PAGE

The Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Plan is the product of more than a year of active,

community-wide planning. The plan builds from a spectrum of community perspectives,

including:

• views expressed in resident and visitor surveys

• interviews with individuals, businesses and organizations

• a series of community workshops

The plan presents two main products: a comprehensive set of potential outdoor recreation

projects, and a subset of this full list identifying thirteen priority projects to enhance recreation's

contribution to sustainability in Yakutat and on surrounding National Forest lands. While the

process was sponsored by the US Forest Service, the final implementation of the plan rests with

the plan partners and the public. Support for this plan does not establish a rigid obligation to

carry out these projects, but the signatures do indicate support for the plan and the intent to

work in good faith to implement these projects. By agreeing to continue to work together, these

parties are expanding the community's capability to implement projects, and helping Yakutat to

be a better place to live, visit, work and play.

National Park Service

Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan SIGNATURE PAGE 3
4 INTRODUCTION Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan 

1: INTRODUCTION

Project Overview

The Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan is part of a national U.S. Forest 

Service (USFS) recreation program, the Framework for Sustainable Recreation, which is guided by the 

following principles:

 Connecting people with their natural and cultural heritage

 Promoting healthy lifestyles

 Balancing societal, economic and environmental needs

 Cultivating community engagement

 Managing national forests as part of a larger landscape

 Integrating recreation more deeply into the Forest Service mission

This Outdoor Recreation Action plan is intended to celebrate culture and heritage, improve 

community health and quality of life, strengthen the local economy, and foster environmental 

stewardship by improving Yakutat’s system of recreation and visitor amenities. It will do this by 

providing a guide for improvements to Yakutat’s recreation:

 Facilities: trails, campgrounds, boat launches, interpretive signs and kiosks, etc.

 Programs: tours, classes, recreational events, etc., and 

 Informational Services: brochures, video guides, community event listings, etc.

This plan is a community plan: the USFS is the convener, but not the leader. Through the planning 

process, the Yakutat community and project partners identified a shared community vision, 

agreed upon a set of priority projects with action steps, and through the signatures in this 

document, are committed to making a good faith effort towards implementing the plan. 

Through this process, the plan demonstrates community support to prospective funders and sets 

the stage for successful project partnerships. This document is a living document that will 

continue to grow and change as needed.

Key Steps in the Project Process

Situation Assessment

The Yakutat Plan builds on a strong foundation of past and ongoing recreation and tourism 

actions and plans. Key previous plans consulted in the process are listed in Appendix C. A 

complete list of source material is included in Appendix D. Other research methods included a 

youth survey and interviews with stakeholders, such as: Yak Tat Kwaan (then-) President Casey 

Havens, lodge owner Annette Harding, Burt Adams Sr. (Alaska Native Brotherhood), Burt 

Adams Jr. (Yakutat Tribe Manager), and Jim Capra (National Park Service).

Join Together

Early in the process, potential partners were identified and recruited for inclusion on the project 

steering committee. The steering committee guided the development of the plan, including

setting goals, determining priorities, and identifying responsible entities to carry out priorities. 
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan INTRODUCTION 5

Steering committee members also take the lead on implementing the plan. The steering 

committee is intended to be representative of the full community and engage neighbors in the 

process. Members were upfront about the need to engage local decision-makers in the process, 

and to understand the needs and desires of the full community, including what might prove to 

be a silent majority. 

Community Vision and Benefits

The Yakutat community articulated an overall community vision in the 2006 Yakutat Action 

Plan, which they decided to carry over as the community vision for this recreation plan (page 

26). Project ideas were identified through steering committee meetings, two public workshops, 

focus groups targeting businesses, and surveys targeting business owners, youth, visitors and 

other community members. 

Collective Actions

Through additional steering committee work sessions, plan partners agreed upon a set of priority 

projects, then identified initial implementation actions and assigned responsibilities for each 

priority project. 

Program Alignment and Funding Model

By adding their signatures to this plan, partners confirm responsibilities and make a formal 

commitment to continue efforts toward realizing the plan vision. Because plan priorities can 

change over time, this step is intended to secure a general commitment toward plan 

implementation, rather than a commitment to dedicate specific financial or human resources to 

specific projects. 

Multi-Party Monitoring

As the priority projects are carried out, partners will use an agreed-upon set of evaluation 

indicators to assess whether or not the plan is successful.

Plan Structure

The plan is organized into the following chapters: 

 Community Context: provides an overview of the Yakutat community, population and 

economic trends, a summary of relevant existing plans, local recreation and tourism 

trends. 

 Goals and Sustainability Criteria: describes community vision and goals for the 

recreation plan, as well as a community definition of sustainability and key criteria used 

to determine priority projects. 

 Priority Projects and Action Plan: summarizes prioritization process, priority projects, 

responsibilities, sustainability criteria met, action steps to be taken, and evaluation 

criteria. 
6 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

2: COMMUNITY CONTEXT

Yakutat Community Snapshot

Yakutat has a long cross-cultural history

among Native Athabaskan, Eyak, and Tlingit 

cultures, as well as European and American 

cultures more recently. As one of the few 

protected bays along the northern edge of the 

Gulf of Alaska, it has always been a 

crossroads for people traveling between Southeast Alaska and northwestern parts of the state, or 

toward the coast from inland. Today it is the only cross-gulf stop for ships and jets.

Unusually varied for an Alaskan locale, Yakutat’s geography includes beaches, fresh- and saltwater bodies, mountains, rivers, glaciers, forests, and marshes. Like many small Southeast Alaska 

communities, Yakutat’s economy has been based on its abundant natural resources: fishing, 

timber and to some extent mining and oil exploration. Commercial fishing and seafood 

processing are an important source of local employment. Sport fishing is another important 

component in the local economy, with approximately 10000 visitors coming in each year to fish 

for salmon, steelhead, halibut and others.

In 2007, 16 percent of the community’s average annual employment was directly related to 

seafood processing, and 137 local permit holders (20 percent of Yakutat’s population) 

commercially fished. There are some possible mining prospects, but no significant mining 

activity currently or projected. Subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering are important parts of 

life in Yakutat. There are 10 ocean guides and 25 sport fishing guides in and around Yakutat and 

approximately 28 fishing lodges. Big game hunting and guiding brings about 12 additional 

visitors to Yakutat each year.

Yakutat Population, 1880-2010

Source: US Census Bureau

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

18801890190019101920193019401950196019701980199020002010

Population

“The world is changing around us, and 

changing Yakutat too, whether we like it 

or not. We can’t stand still. It will take 

action to keep Yakutat the kind of place 

where we want to live.”
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 7

Yakutat Population Pyramid, 2010

Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development Research and Analysis Division 2010 Census

After reaching a high around 2000, Yakutat’s population has declined in recent years (this 

decline is consistent with population trends in most other small Southeast Alaska communities 

in the past decade). Yakutat has a relatively large proportion of elders and youth, with generally 

more men than women. The total number of jobs in Yakutat has also declined over the last 15 

years, mainly from the closure of the Icy Bay Logging Camp in 2000. This is reflected in the 

local industry pie charts, which show a much larger share of jobs in agriculture, forestry, fishing, 

hunting and mining (31 percent) in 2000 than in more recent years (only 15 percent for the 

2005-2009 US Census American Community Survey) and a corresponding increase in the 

proportion of public administration jobs, which rose from seven percent of Yakutat’s 

employment base in 2000 to 25 percent in 2005-2009 (page 8). In 2010, 55 percent of Yakutat’s 

employed residents were in the private sector, and 45 percent were in federal, state or local 

government (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis 

Section).

Employment is an important concern for the Yakutat community. In 2010, 63 percent of 

Yakutat’s workforce (residents age 16 and over) were employed; 15 percent claimed 

unemployment insurance. Because government spending is an uncertain economic base, 

Yakutat’s economic development efforts focus on developing other local industry sectors, such 

as natural resource extraction, fishing and tourism. The Alaska Department of Labor reports 

that only 57 percent of Yakutat’s employed residents were employed year-round. Seasonal jobs 

can be lucrative enough to offer a lifestyle of intense seasonal work balanced with long periods 

with little or no paid work, or they can represent chronic underemployment if seasonal earnings 

cannot carry household expenses through the year. This is an important consideration when 

promoting industries like tourism and fishing, which often offer seasonal employment.

Current local economic development proposals include Yak-Tat Kwaan’s sand and gravel 

excavation, oyster farm, a biomass project, and a retrofit of the Kwaan’s seafood processing 

plant to produce value-added smoked product. The Chamber of Commerce continues to 

promote tourism and recreation (discussed in detail later in this chapter). 

50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30

Under 5 years

5 to 9 years

10 to 14 years

15 to 19 years

20 to 24 years

25 to 29 years

30 to 34 years

35 to 39 years

40 to 44 years

45 to 49 years

50 to 54 years

55 to 59 years

60 to 64 years

65 to 69 years

70 to 74 years

75 to 79 years

80 to 84 years

85 years and over

Population

Age

Female

Male
8 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Employment by Industry in Yakutat, 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Decennial Census

Employment by Industry in Yakutat, 2005-2009

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2005-2009 Five-year estimates

 Agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, 

hunting, mining

31%

 Construction

7%

 Manufacturing

6%

 Wholesale trade

0% Retail trade

5%

 Transportation, 

warehousing, utilities

14%

 Information

1%

 Finance, 

insurance, real 

estate, rental + 

leasing

2%

 Professional, 

scientific, 

management, 

administrative, waste 

management services

0%

 Educational, health 

+ social services

14%

 Arts, entertainment, 

recreation, 

accommodation + 

food services

10%

 Other services 

3%

 Public 

administration

7%

 Agriculture, 

forestry, fishing, 

hunting, mining

15% Construction

5%

 Manufacturing

4%

 Wholesale trade

4%

 Retail trade

8%

 Transportation, 

warehousing, utilities

8%

 Professional, 

scientific, 

management, 

administrative, waste 

management services

5%

 Educational, health 

+ social services

16%

 Arts, entertainment, 

recreation, 

accommodation + 

food services

8%

 Other services

2%

 Public 

administration

25%
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 9

Existing Plans

The project team reviewed several previous planning documents that include outdoor recreation 

and tourism elements: 

 Access and Travel Management on the Yakutat Ranger District Environmental 

Assessment and Record of Decision, August 2009, United States Forest Service.

 City and Borough of Yakutat Comprehensive Plan, April 2010, Yakutat community with 

assistance from Sheinberg Associates.

 Situk River Watershed Annual Action Plan, 2006 and 2007, Situk River Partners (City 

and Borough of Yakutat, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, State of Alaska, and the U.S. Forest 

Service, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency).

 Tongass Monitoring and Evaluation Report, 2007, United States Forest Service.

 Yakutat Coastal Management Program, October 2006, City and Borough of Yakutat with 

assistance from Sheinberg Associates.

 Yakutat Community Action Plan, September 2006, Yakutat Action Team. 

 Yakutat Tourism Development Plan, July 1995, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe and Yak-Tat 

Kwaan, Inc. Prepared by: McDowell Group

Key issues, goals and strategies from these plans served as a starting point for developing the 

goals and list of projects included in this Sustainable Outdoor Recreation plan. The Sustainable 

Outdoor Recreation planning process revealed that some of the recommendations from earlier 

plans have been implemented since the plans were written, demonstrating the Yakutat 

community’s established track record of collaborating and carrying out plans. A full summary of 

existing plans is included in Appendix C. 

Recreation and Tourism Trends

Recreation in Yakutat

Yakutat has a wealth of recreational opportunities for 

residents and visitors. The motivations to live in 

Yakutat for most residents are the area’s natural 

beauty and access to the outdoor world. Most

residents subsistence fish, hunt and/or berry pick. 

Sport fishing is one of the primary draws for visitors.

Yakutat also has an international reputation for 

surfing.Rafting, kayaking, walking, hiking, 

beachcombing, and photography are also popular.

Historic canoe routes exist in the area. 2011 marked 

the first annual Yakutat Tern Festival with 200 

participants, of which 60 came from out of town. 

Birders look for over 200 species of birds around 

Ocean Cape, Strawberry Point, Ankau River, and 

Harlequin Lake. Organizers expect the festival to continue for many years.
10 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Yakutat residents also enjoy opportunities for recreation in town, and have several playgrounds, 

facilities, and trails connecting parts of town. Cannon Beach is a popular spot for picnicking and 

day trips by residents, and has a surf break used by both locals and out of town surfers.

Residents enjoy Yakutat’s recreational opportunities and easy access to natural resources (e.g., 

hunting, fishing and subsistence availability), and believe that commercial and recreational use of 

natural resources should not infringe on subsistence and recreational use of the land. The 

shorter term residents (average 15 years) tend to use the Situk fisheries for recreation, while the 

longer term residents (average 30 years) tend to use the fisheries for subsistence.1 Residents 

would like to coordinate public access points to areas that are used for subsistence, recreational 

and commercial uses. Many agree that there needs to be a unified policy on fishing and hunting 

camps in the area.

Source: Yakutat Community Opinions Survey, 2005

Residents desire amenities that assist them in their everyday life. Based on the 2005 Yakutat 

Resident Opinion Survey of desired recreation improvements, residents appreciate amenities 

that also assist in other areas of their life, like transportation and hunting. The most popular 

improvements were making more trails for biking, walking and hiking; a shooting range was the 

third most popular item. 

It is important to the community to be able to adequately maintain the recreational facilities they 

currently have as well as any future facilities. It is also important to plan for the maintenance and 

projected use of facilities given Yakutat’s recent population trends (Yakutat Population, p6). 

 1 Christensen et al. Relationships to Place in Wildland Resources Management: Developing an Effective Research 

Approach. U.S. Forest Service. 2007

Scenery, natural beauty 

Natural resources

Recreational 

opportunities 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Scenery, natural beauty

Natural resources

Small community

Great people

Tourism

Location

Seclusion/privacy/remoteness

Unique culture/lifestyle

Accessibility

Community

growth/economy/education

Abundant wildlife

Recreational opportunities

No need to drive

Growing popularity + population

None

Other

Don't know/not sure

Total Comments

The Best Thing About Yakutat Is...
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 11

Most Desired Recreation Improvement by Yakutat Residents, 2005

Trails 26%

Improve Existing Recreational Spaces 16%

Shooting Range 14%

Winter Sport Trails/Facilities 12%

Community Multi-Sport Facility 9%

Golf Course 8%

Youth Center 3%

Fishing/Boating Facilities 3%

Off Road Trails: Motorcycle/ATV 2%

Skateboard Park 1%

Bowling Alley 1%

Theatre/Movie House 0%

None 1%

Other 4%

Source: Yakutat Community Opinion Survey of 207 Yakutat residents. 2005.

Tourism in Yakutat

Nestled among the Tongass National Forest, Wrangell St. Elias and Glacier Bay National Parks, 

Yakutat’s primary attractions are sport fishing, hunting, and outdoor adventure travel. Yakutat 

has varied and dramatic scenery that includes glaciers, beaches, forests, rivers, mountains, and 

wetlands. The Hubbard Glacier is a notable attraction: it is the largest tidewater glacier in North 

America. Many opportunities exist for glacier viewing, from land, sea, and air, in addition to the 

Hubbard Glacier; other popular glaciers include Yakutat Glacier, the Malaspina Glacier, Nunatak 

Glacier, Fassett Glacier, Alsek Glacier, and many more. 

Wildlife, Fishing and Hunting

Yakutat’s rich wilderness means that visitors and residents have ample opportunities to view, 

fish and hunt wildlife, on land and on the water. Sea otters, bears, marine mammals and fish can 

be seen in the water and on shore. Birding enthusiasts can view a variety of shorebirds, raptors 

and waterfowl in Yakutat. Shorebirds can be seen from various locations throughout the 

community, including the Ahrnklin/Situk Estuary, Ankau, and Akwe Rivers. Yakutat (like the 

Copper River Delta) is a major stopping point on the Pacific flyway, the major north-south route 

of travel for migratory birds in America that extends from Alaska to Patagonia. Over 100,000 

shorebirds can be seen at one time during the peak migration at the Ahrnklin/Situk Estuary, 

when low tide exposes vast mudflats where large flocks of shorebirds feed.

Yakutat is home to a variety of salt and freshwater fish, valued for both sport and commercial 

fishing. These include King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Chum 

Salmon, Herring, Eulachon, Rainbow trout & Steelhead, Cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden Char, 

Northern Pike in the fresh water and Halibut, Ling Cod, variety of Rockfish, Black Cod 

(sablefish), Pollock, Pacific cod. The steelhead fishing on the Situk River has an international 

reputation. Moose and bear hunting are also favored activities by some locals and visitors, 

particularly in regions of the Borough farther from town (e.g., Ankhlin River). According to 

local residents, Yakutat is seeing an increase in salt water fishing, possibly because of reduced 

catch limits further south. Lodges have reported a recent decrease in the number of fishing 

guests. Local residents report that this decrease is offset somewhat by an increase in the number 
12 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

of independent anglers, who learn when the fish are in in different areas of town (e.g., the 

Cannon Beach Bridge) and go on their own, rather than hiring a guide. Lodges also report that 

visiting sport fishermen are increasingly bringing their families and 

looking for a wider range of activities in Yakutat that will appeal to the 

whole family. Local businesses report that the sport fishermen are big 

souvenir buyers.

Outdoor Adventure

Yakutat offers a wealth of opportunities for outdoor adventure, from 

beachcombing and sightseeing around town to active and extreme hiking, 

kayaking, rafting, biking, and surfing adventures. Flightseeing charters 

allow access to more remote off-road areas. Yakutat is one of the few

places in Alaska that provides four distinct recreation environments in a 

single destination: open ocean coastline with surf and sandy beaches; 

protected interior fiords, upland forests and wetlands, and stunning, glacier covered mountains.

Notably, Yakutat is a novelty destination for surfers from around the world, and a more local 

surfing destination for surfers living in Southeast and Southcentral Alaska communities. The 

Surf Shop estimates that about 100-200 surfers visit Yakutat each year, staying for an average of 

four days. About 60 percent of these are Alaska travelers and about 40 percent come from out 

of state. Some are budget travelers, who might camp at Cannon Beach rather than stay at a 

lodge. Others spend more; if they have a corporate sponsorship, their lodging is generally paid 

for by the sponsor. Most surfers visit Yakutat during the fall: in early August, the water might be 

about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, by mid-September, the water cools down but generates larger 

waves. As a unique and novel surf destination, Yakutat has potential to attract more surfers, 

even though the cost of getting to Yakutat is high relative to many other destinations.

Cruise Ships, Yachts, and Sailboats

Yakutat does not receive enough visitors to register

in the Alaska Visitor Statistics Program. Though 

quite a few Alaska cruise ships pass by the area, 

traveling up Yakutat Bay to view Hubbard Glacier

(residents estimate that about 170 cruise ships 

passed through the area each year), they do not stop 

at Yakutat or anchor offshore. In the mid 1990’s, 

cruise ships occasionally lightered in to Sandy 

Beach, where a community-organized tour would 

meet visitors with a bus and take them to Cannon 

Beach, the old World War II hangar, and other local 

attractions. 

Small cruise ships, yachts and sailboats also pass 

through the area, sometimes stopping at Yakutat 

harbor. Though smaller volume, these independent 

maritime travelers typically spend more money per 

person than large cruise ship passengers, and have 

fewer impacts on local communities. These visitors

travel in smaller groups and tend to prefer more authentic and off-the-beaten path experiences

(ISER Southeast Alaska Nature-based Tourism Study, March 2008).
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 13

Impact on Local Economy

The visitor industry currently represents about ten percent of Yakutat’s employment base (page 

8). The percent of jobs in Yakutat’s hospitality and leisure sector went from nine percent in 1997 

to 17 percent in 2009.2 Glacier Bear Lodge employed 16 people in 2007, making it the seventh 

largest employer in town. Growth in the percentage of local jobs in the leisure and hospitality 

sector reflects a combination of growth, albeit slowly, in this sector coupled with declines in 

other sectors. As the figure below shows, the visitor industry in Yakutat employs both residents 

and seasonal non-residents. 

Residency Status in Yakutat’s Leisure and Hospitality Industry, 2005-2009

Source: State of Alaska Workforce and Development, Research and Analysis. 

The visitor industry brings money into the Yakutat economy, both in direct spending and 

through tax revenues. Sport fishing lodges in the Yakutat area generate around $1.5 million in 

annual gross receipts.3 Guided hunting and recreation trips (e.g., sightseeing, kayaking and 

rafting)

4 are also offered in the area. Visitors to Yakutat generate bed and car rental tax revenues, 

as well as a portion of sales tax revenues. Together, these three taxes make up nearly 70 percent 

of Yakutat’s tax base. Tourism also generates secondary economic benefits, in everything from 

construction and maintenance of tourism facilities and equipment, to fuel sales and local 

recreation-related jobs in state and federal agencies.

 

2 City and Borough of Yakutat Comprehensive Plan 2010. Alaska Department of Labor. 3 City and Borough of Yakutat Comprehensive Plan 2010, p37. 4 Rafting and kayaking excursions typically cost around $2,500 for a ten day trip. Guided rafting trips are offered 

down the Alsek River. Alsek Air transports visitors from Dry Bay to Haines Junction, so that people coming down 

the Alsek River do not come into Yakutat at all. A few different operators offer kayaking excursions in Yakutat. 

Spirit Walkers will offer a Yakutat trip this year (2012) for the first time in several years. Discovery offers kayaking 

trips, but has not come to Yakutat in several years. Both these companies bring all their gear in and out; they do not 

put much into the local economy. Locally, Bob Miller leads a trip every two or three years, and the Yakutat Lodge 

advertises kayaking excursions, but has yet to book any trips. If the Hubbard Glacier closes off, then there is greater 

potential for sea kayaking trips. Improvements to Yakutat’s in-town attractions, signage and marketing could 

significantly open up this market and increase the economic impact of these activities.

Non-Local, Alaska resident

Non-Alaskan Resident

Yakutat Resident
14 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Tax Revenues in Yakutat, 2006 -2010

Source: State of Alaska Workforce and Development, Research and Analysis. 

Opportunities for Developing Tourism in Yakutat

The community’s views regarding tourism in Yakutat area varied. Support is widespread for 

business travel, and non-consumptive activities (“ecotourism” activities like wildlife viewing, 

kayaking, hiking, surfing and camping). Views about hunting and fishing are split, with more 

people opposed than supporting growth in these categories. Overall, according to the 2005 

Yakutat Community Opinions Study, 68 percent of residents support or strongly support the 

growth of the visitor industry.

Desired visitor industry trends by Yakutat residents.

Source: Yakutat Community Opinions Study, 2005

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Revenue

Year

Sales Tax Revenues (4%)

Bed and Car Rental Tax

Revenues (8%)
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 15

The figure below gives a general picture of the current mix of visitors to Yakutat. This 

information, while based on estimates rather than hard data, nonetheless gives a helpful 

reference point for thinking about options to increase visitation. 

Estimated visitation to Yakutat, 2011

Source: Yakutat community members. The acronym VFR means visiting friends and relatives.

While opinions among Yakutat residents about sport fishing are clearly divided, there is general 

agreement about the desire to grow other types of tourism. One of the key proposals to come 

out of this planning process was the recommendation to accept that sportfishing would remain a 

major reason to travel to Yakutat, but to take active steps to draw in other types of visitors. The 

result would be a new larger pie than the chart shown above, where the amount of fishing 

visitors is about the same as today, but drops as a percentage of all travelers. Reaching this goal 

will require new investments that help expand the value of Yakutat’s other visitor attractions. 

Broadening Yakutat’s visitor base can strengthen the local economy and at the same time 

provide new recreational opportunities for residents. Promising opportunities include: 

 Adventure Travel: The adventure travel market (biking, hiking, camping and viewing 

wildlife) is large and growing worldwide and in Alaska, but developed to only a limited 

degree in Yakutat. Outdoor recreation activities that could please residents such as 

cabins to support multi-night kayaking or hiking trips, accessible trails, and better 

information about camping and hiking on nearby islands could increase visitation by this 

group. 

 Wildlife Viewing: As the success of the Anan Observatory near Wrangell shows,5 bear 

and other wildlife viewing are very popular visitor attractions. Yakutat has potential to 

create similar attractions, for example, with installation of wildlife viewing platforms, 

trails and interpretive information in the Humpy Creek area or other areas. Land in the 

Humpy Creek area is owned by the Yak-Tat Kwaan Inc; consequently, any 

improvements in this area will require a cooperative effort. 

 5 The Anan Bear and Wildlife Observatory in Wrangell, Alaska is open six weeks each year. According to the U.S. 

Forest Service, the observatory is fully booked every day that it is open.

Fishing

Hunting

Business

VFR + misc.

Surfers

"Eco-tourism"
16 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

 Special Purpose Travelers: Business, Business & Pleasure, and Visiting Friends 

and Relatives (VFRs): VFRs and business travelers are very important categories of 

travelers in Alaska, particularly in smaller communities. Communities can take actions to 

expand the positive economic impact of such visitors, through providing better 

information and more attractions. Yakutat attracts visitors who come to the area for 

business or to conduct research (e.g., glacier studies). Researchers whose work depends 

on weather conditions can get weathered in for days. Yakutat also attracts visitors 

combining business and pleasure. One example is a group of veterinarians from the 

Lower 48 who have made Yakutat the destination for their annual educational 

conference for the past 15 years. This professional group includes about 25 veterinarians, 

plus another 35 family members. The organization values Yakutat for its seclusion and 

the variety of activities that the families can participate in while the conference is going 

on. This group (and similar organizations) could create even more economic impact with 

a better small conference facility and improved local programs and marketing materials 

that encourage such travelers to sample a wider range of local activities, and best of all, 

to spend more time than originally planned in the community.

 History, Culture and Mild Outdoor 

Activity: The largest group of Alaskan 

visitors is interested in activities like short 

strolls, sightseeing and museums. This group 

typically is interested in outdoor activities that 

are rewarding, but also convenient, safe, 

accessible and not too physically demanding. 

Yakutat has attractions that could appeal to 

these interests, including a unique collection 

of historical and cultural attractions, including:

historical artifacts from World War II and 

20th Century fishing and logging activities, 

historical and contemporary Native art and 

artifacts. Yakutat is also home to the Mount 

Saint Elias Dancers and the historic ANB 

(Alaska Native Brotherhood) Hall. The 

Yakutat Tern Festival celebrates Yakutat’s 

community, culture, and rich natural 

environment. Yakutat has excellent potential 

to provide and expanded array of outdoor 

recreation activities. Investments are needed, however, to provide the short trails, day 

use facilities, viewing platforms, cabins and other facilities that provide more ways to 

experience “Wild Alaska” in formats that meet the expectations of this category of 

travelers.

 Access: Accessible only by airline or boat, it takes extra effort to get to Yakutat from 

major population centers. Small cruise and private yachts are a possible market for 

Yakutat. The best strategy for these markets is direct contact to better understand their 

specific needs, which commonly focus on improvements to waterfront services and 

activities. For those without a private boat, Yakutat has daily jet service by Alaska 

Airlines, which is an unusual advantage given the city’s small size and remote location. 

Yakutat also has a deep water port and ferry service. One frequent complaint is Yakutat’s 
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 17

lack of regular, frequent ferry service; currently the ferry stops in Yakutat a few times 

thought the winter months and once or twice a month during summer. With more 

frequent and predictable ferry service, Yakutat would see greater numbers of visitors 

(especially RVs and other independent travelers) and increased economic activity from 

local businesses transporting goods in and out of the community via ferry. 

Successful Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Examples

The world is a laboratory of tourism experiments. Some are planned, others are more accidental, 

but all these places and programs provide helpful reference points for considering strategies in 

Yakutat. These models illustrate how other places, particularly small towns, have worked to 

bring real local benefits from tourism, while at the same time avoiding damaging the qualities 

that make a town a good place to live and visit. Several relevant examples are described below: 

Community “Branding” 

When it comes to attracting visitors, it is clearly advantageous for a destination to have a distinct, 

memorable image. In some instance this objective leads to a contrived character that is not 

convincing or ultimately satisfying for visitors. The most successful community brands are those

that resonate with resident values and community life. Examples are described below:

Santa Barbara California – Inspired by the 1915 San Diego Panama-California Exposition, which 

featured Spanish colonial revival style architecture, the Chamber of Commerce of Santa Barbara 

shortly thereafter launched a program urging local builders to use red tile roofs, plaster walls, 

outdoor patios, cast iron railings and other revival features. The initiative flourished. Residents 

liked the look and found it worked well with the local climate and setting. A hundred years later 

this style is now codified as a requirement for most public and commercial structures, but is 

readily followed without mandates by most builders. The result is a town with a distinctive, 

unified character that draws visitors from around the world. What is striking about this distant 

example is that is shows how a distinct brand can be perceived as real and authentic, even if 

created by design, if that character is embraced by residents and woven into the fabric of the 

built environment. Yakutat, for example, could better bring out its history as a seaside trading 

village going back thousands of years. 

Cordova and Sitka – Both these communities have attractive, identifiable reputations, which 

evolved through a combination of organic growth and conscious effort. In Cordova this image is 

based around fish, science, art and the lack of road access. In Sitka, the character is tied to 

Russian and Native history, music and theater, and an enthusiasm for conversation and debate. 

Neither of these Alaska towns set out to create a brand in the way that happened in Santa 

Barbara. But both have invested significant effort and public resources in celebrating and 

strengthening their brands, for example, with interpretive information, festivals, public facilities 

and marketing materials.

Creative Packaging 

Texas bird trails – One very successful approach to creating tourism demand is illustrated by the 

“Texas Bird Trail” system. The southern coast of Texas can experience the sudden arrival of 

massive collections of migrating birds, who show up exhausted after flying non-stop across the 

Caribbean. This phenomenon has always attracted handfuls of birders, but it took a creative 

partnership among the state and a group of communities and businesses to create a genuine 

tourism market. The key to success was a marketing campaign, featuring a set of maps, 
18 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

guidebooks and websites. This was coupled with the resolve of tourism businesses, to stitch 

together a set of previously disparate destinations into a multi-day experience. 

Cooperative Marketing

The cliché about real estate is location, location, location; the comparable reality in tourism is 

marketing, marketing, marketing. Particularly in a destination like Alaska, where visitors do not 

arrive by accident, getting the word out about a specific destination or a specific business is

often the crux of success. Tourism is unusual in that marketing is frequently carried out by 

groups of competing businesses, who recognize that if they work together to sell a community 

or region they will all ultimately benefit. Two specific examples:

Alaska Destination Marketing Organizations – Virtually all the most visited destinations in Alaska are 

involved in some form of cooperative marketing. Most commonly these entities correspond to a 

local government boundary, such as a borough or municipality. Funding sources commonly, but 

not universally, come from local government tourism-related taxes (e.g. a bed tax) and from 

tourism businesses. These “DMO’s” have a very good track record in Alaska, producing 

products and programs like familiarization trips, cooperatively operated websites, shared 

expenses for trade shows, and shared expenses for hardcopy promotional materials. 

Montverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica – This is an exotic, but interesting and relevant example 

of a tourism success, blending the strategy of cooperative marketing, niche tourism and 

branding. The cloud forests of central Costa Rica support some of the richest and most diverse 

plant, animal and bird populations of the western hemisphere. But these areas are out of the 

way, hard to reach and until relatively recently, little known. A group of private landowners, 

most of whom were expatriate Quaker dairy farmers, created this now internationally known 

destination. The unique feature of this area is that while the “Reserve” experience is comparable 

to a national park, in reality all the land is a mix of ownerships, and originally was most private 

land. The owners saw the potential value of preserving odd parcels of primary forest, combined 

with marginal grazing land returned to natural vegetation, to create what is in effect a private 

national park. Coupled with some good marketing, an article in National Geographic, and two 

decades of patience, this area is now a tourism hot spot, with many dozens of small, locally 

owned lodges, inns, restaurants, shops, zip lines and guide services.
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 19

Existing Facilities, Information Resources, Programs and Events

Yakutat has a number of recreation facilities, information sources, programs and events. 

Facilities include numerous trails, parks and playgrounds, athletic facilities, cabins and 

campgrounds. These are somewhat dispersed, such that the community desires to use future 

recreation investments to improve and connect existing facilities. Physical facilities are shown on 

maps (pages 20-22).

The Yakutat Chamber of Commerce has been working to develop alternative tourism options 

for Yakutat. The initial program is the Yakutat Tern Festival. The first 2011 Tern Festival was a 

successful event, inspiring the community to build upon its success. Additional programs could 

draw more tourists to the community, such as expanding Fairweather Day Festival, developing 

small cruise ship visits, and promoting cultural tourism, among other ideas. Community 

recreation and outdoor education programs exist and are being expanded by the Forest Service, 

the Yakutat Schools, and the Yakutat Healthy Community Coalition. Information resources 

mainly consist of websites describing Yakutat’s visitor and recreation amenities. There is a need 

to develop better signage in the community of Yakutat and within the Tongass National Forest. 

There is also a need to develop better methods for getting information out to the community, 

such as developing a local radio station or perhaps an electronic community bulletin board. A

full inventory of facilities, programs, events and information sources is included in Appendix A.
20 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan COMMUNITY CONTEXT 21
22 COMMUNITY CONTEXT Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN 23

3: GOALS AND SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA

The goals and guiding vision for Yakutat’s tourism and 

recreation are based on past plans and the ideas expressed by 

community members during the planning process. 

Overarching Vision

The 2006 Yakutat Community Action Plan includes a vision statement that includes outdoor 

recreation and tourism as elements of economic development, quality of life, and environmental 

conservation (page 26). This vision provides the foundation for setting the goals, defining and 

achieving sustainability in planning for future improvements to Yakutat’s system of outdoor 

recreation facilities, programs and information sources. 

Because Yakutat’s residents value the existing character and quality of life they enjoy in Yakutat, 

this plan’s priority actions must focus on improvements that will directly benefit residents. At 

the same time, trends in Yakutat’s population and economy indicate that some economic 

development actions will be necessary if Yakutat is to remain a viable community. The actions in 

this plan can further Yakutat’s economic development by providing amenities that will keep 

residents in the community. They can also diversify and strengthen economy by attracting

manageable numbers of the right kind of visitors. As one resident said, “Let us aim to grow 

slow, grow smart, and hold on to what makes this place special.”

The 1995 Yakutat Tourism Development Plan indicates that adventure tourism, cultural/historic 

tourism and small cruise ship tourism hold the most promise for Yakutat, both in terms of the 

type and level of tourism supported by the community and the market opportunities with the 

most potential for success in Yakutat. To the extent possible, the recreation projects in this plan

must also be realistic in terms of the scale of improvements the community can afford to 

construct and maintain. Community members voiced the importance of being able to maintain 

whatever facilities are constructed, whatever programs are started, and whatever informational 

resources are created. 

Goals

The community identified the 

following goals for the Yakutat 

Sustainable Outdoor Recreation 

Action Plan. 

 Recreation: Expand and 

enhance Yakutat’s system of 

recreation opportunities.

 Environment: Foster 

environmental stewardship.

 Economy: Expand and sustain 

businesses and employment opportunities.

 Tourism: Attract and maintain a manageable level of smaller-scale non-consumptive 

tourism (ecotourism).

“Do what’s good for us first, 

what’s good for our kids and 

grandkids.”
24 PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

 Experience: Enhance the quality of life for residents and the quality of experience for 

visitors. Respect local culture and lifestyle. 

 Community Health: Improve community health and quality of life.

 Youth: Get kids outdoors. Foster environmental stewardship and leadership skills.

 Capacity: Bring people and organizations together. Establish a core group that will 

work to get the plan implemented once it is written (“keepers of the plan”).

 Education: Educate visitors about Yakutat’s natural and cultural attractions, how to 

access them, how to be safe and have an enjoyable experience. Explain to everyone why 

land is designated and managed the way it is.

Criteria for prioritizing projects

Through steering committee meetings and public workshops, community members agreed upon 

a working definition of sustainability and a set of sustainability criteria that were later used to 

choose and evaluate priority projects. To the residents of Yakutat, the most meaningful 

definition of sustainability encompasses the idea of durability, of the ability to meet ongoing 

costs and to commit to maintaining the facilities, programs and informational resources created 

as a result of this plan.

Social sustainability: 

 Projects benefit both locals and 

visitors.

 Projects create or enhance 

outdoor recreation opportunities 

that don’t require a lot of money 

to do. 

 Projects create or enhance 

outdoor recreation opportunities 

for residents of different ages and 

skill sets.

 Projects increase the ability of 

users to physically access 

recreation areas and opportunities.

 Projects have at least one 

champion to commit resources 

toward the project, keep it going 

through completion, and take 

credit for it (e.g., businesses, 

“friends of” group).

 Projects respect local lifestyles and culture.

Environmental sustainability: 

 Projects create or enhance outdoor recreation opportunities that have low environmental 

impact.
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN 25

 Projects support land management policies to maintain habitat and wildlife for hunting, 

fishing, gathering, and other community needs. 

 Projects foster environmental stewardship. 

Economic sustainability: 

 Projects create or enhance outdoor recreation opportunities that can be enjoyed by 

residents and/or visitors year-round.

 Projects are durable and will be used for years to come. 

 Project partner(s) are able to finance or get funding for the project. 

 Projects are within the capacity of the community to maintain and have the commitment 

of at least one partner to maintain the facility/program/information resource once it has 

been established.
26 GOALS AND GUIDING VISION Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

2006 Yakutat Community Action Plan Vision Statement

In 1998, several community organizations and citizens came together to help define a 

community vision and action plan. Borrowing from the various plans that Yakutat already has in 

place, approximately 60 citizens participated in 4 meetings to help define the following vision 

statement:

"The vision for our community is to prosper and survive on our resource rich lands, while 

preserving the traditional Tlingit culture and benefiting from the modern world. We recognize 

this delicate balance between traditional Tlingit culture and the modern world may conflict in 

various ways over time, therefore our goal is to constantly strive for balance between the two in 

all aspects of life including family values, housing, recreation and the harvesting of natural 

resources. The Yakutat community is committed to ongoing, respectful communication between 

various community groups in the pursuit of this balance, which is our common future.

Yakutat community members underscore the importance of achieving healthy, productive, 

peaceful individuals, families and agencies. We recognize the need to continue to provide 

adequate schools and support educational and personal growth opportunities which will develop 

capable leaders and productive citizens.

The community of Yakutat desires to establish and maintain a diverse and sustainable economy 

which provides long-term year-round employment opportunities for our citizens, while 

maintaining our quality of life. We agree that economic development efforts must include the 

commitment to maintain and protect cultural and historical sites, structures and objects as well 

as promote cultural traditions, language and history.

We agree that economic development must also include the commitment to maintain and 

protect the quality of our natural environment. Recognizing the value of both, our community's 

rich native culture and high quality natural environment we now enjoy, we therefore desire to 

take advantage of the opportunity to expand non-consumptive tourism and provide more 

services to the existing level of visitors. We believe this development effort will be sensitive to 

these important community attributes and enhance local recreational opportunities.

Further, the community supports the harvest of our area's natural resources on a sustainable 

basis to ensure the creation of long-term jobs, productivity and preservation of these resources. 

Every effort will be made to safeguard priority access for Borough residents to use the land and 

waters in and near the Yakutat Borough, for traditional subsistence and commercial uses. We 

desire to increase local management of value-added processing of our natural resources, 

including limited local production of wood products and expanded fish processing.

The community members of Yakutat recognize the importance of making available affordable 

land for development. We strongly support and encourage Borough elected officials to guide 

development in an orderly and efficient manner to ensure the provision of an adequate mix of 

land for commercial, industrial, residential, recreational and conservation purposes."
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN 27

4:: PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN

Recommended Projects

Based on surveys, past plans, community and steering committee meetings, etc., the planning 

team compiled a complete list of recreation project ideas, then applied the sustainability criteria 

listed in Chapter 3 to determine a set of higher-priority projects. The steering committee 

completed a prioritization exercise to determine an overall set of highest priority projects, which 

are listed on the following pages, in order from highest priority down to the thirteen highest 

priority. 

For each project, a lead partner (“champion”) was identified, along with a description of how the 

project meets the sustainability criteria, and initial action step(s) to move forward on the project. 

Priority projects are presented in the following chart and on the accompanying maps. 
28 PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Project Description Sustainability Lead + 

Partners

Action

Ankau - Dry 

Bay historic 

canoe route 

Adventurous, multi-day coastal canoe trip, 

preferably hut-to-hut. Requires 5-mile portage, 

paddling up a few slow moving streams. 

Logistically challenging.

• Use NPS airstrip in Dry Bay (rather than 

fly from beach). Could extend from Dry 

Bay all the way to the Dome River 

(location of last of villages on the 

Forelands). Need larger planes to 

transport canoes. 

• USFS has wildlife viewing information 

developed for this trail by sections; needs 

to be made into a formal brochure, posted 

on-line, etc.

• As an alternate historic canoe trail route 

or as part of this project, establish a canoe 

trail route on the Ahrnklin River.

• Celebrates local 

history/culture.

• Outfitter guiding and safety

• It would attract visitors. 

Lead: Brian 

Marston

Partners: Bert 

Adams Sr., 

Teresa Hunt, 

USFS

• Mark the trail and install 

interpretive signage.
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN 29

Dangerous 

River - Italio 

River ATV 

trail

This trail would allow an ATV to travel from 

Yakutat all the way to Dry Bay. • It would benefit commercial 

fishing; with increasing 

airfare it would allow for the 

small business owner to 

continue to be economical. 

• Outfitter guiding and safety. 

• Many people would use it 

• Note: This trail will be very 

expensive to build and 

maintain. 

Lead: Forest 

Service

Partners: Tribe

• Find funds

• Improve the ATV trail that exists 

to the Middle Dangerous River 

Trail to support increased numbers 

of ATVs on that trail and prevent 

altering natural water flow patterns.

• Conduct NEPA and get public 

comment

• Survey the trail and consider water 

drainage and LUD II land 

designation

• Engineer and build trail

• Maintain trail after it is built

Coast Guard 

Beach -

Cannon 

Beach -

Tawah Creek 

loop trail and 

wildlife 

viewing area

Connect three tent platforms between Coast 

Guard Beach and Cannon Beach with Tawah 

Creek to create a loop trail. This project would 

construct a wildlife viewing area and 

interpretive trail in a high use visitation area on 

the Yakutat Ranger District. This location is 

ideal because the wetland creates immense bird 

and wildlife watching opportunities and 

provides access to Cannon Beach. Eventually,

build wildlife viewing platforms with 

interpretive signs and extend the trail all the 

way to the southeast end of Summit Lake with 

spurs to each of the three tent platforms along 

cannon beach.

• Attraction for tourists and 

locals. 

• Fosters environmental 

stewardship + learning 

(through interpretation).

Lead: Susan 

Oehlers

Partners: Forest 

Service

• Find Funds

• NEPA 

• Survey and Design

• Build to specifications

• Create information

• Maintain trail and viewing 

platforms
30 PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Redfield 

Lakes canoe 

trails

Develop a Redfield Lakes canoe trail system. It 

could be used as a snow mobile route in 

winter.

• It will provide better access 

to hunting, fishing and 

sightseeing areas. 

• Attraction for outfitter 

guides, tourists, and locals. 

• Relatively inexpensive to 

build and maintain.

Lead: Brian 

Marston / Forest 

Service

Partners: Kwaan, 

Tribe

• Find Funds

• NEPA

• Survey and Design

• Mark portages and build trails 

connecting lakes

• Create information for this trail to 

hand out to interested users.

• Maintain Trails

Russell Fiord

trail 

improvements

Improve trail to Russell Fiord to accommodate 

boat access. Follow restrictions of the Federal 

Wilderness designation of the area.

• It will provide better access 

to hunting, fishing and 

sightseeing areas. 

• Attraction for outfitter 

guides, tourists, and locals. 

• Note: It could be expensive; 

there are several wetlands 

that people have to cross to 

access this area. 

Lead: Teresa 

Hunt, Forest 

Service

Partners: Tribe

• Find Funds

• NEPA

• Survey and Design

• build trails to specifications

• Create information for this trail to 

hand out to interested users.

• Maintain Trails

Sea Otter 

Cabin

Install Sea Otter Cabin. Possible locations 

include: the mouth of the Ahrnklin, Kriwoi 

Island, Cannon Beach, and Square Bay. This 

cabin is already built (by high school class). It 

needs a place to be set out on the Forest. It 

will need to be brought up to code (the roof is 

not built up to standards, etc.).

• Fairly easy to do. 

• Relatively low-cost, high 

“bang for the buck”.

• Would enhance recreation 

for residents and visitors. 

Lead: Forest 

Service

• Find Funds

• NEPA with assistance determining 

location

• Survey and Design

• Build Cabin to increased 

specifications

• Create information and place it on 

the web

• Maintain cabin
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN 31

Cannon 

Beach 

Pavilion 

Renovation

Renovate the Cannon Beach Pavilion. This site 

is a major attraction in Yakutat. The current 

condition and facility does not reflect the 

significance of this site. The interpretation 

opportunities have never been capitalized on.

• This project would eliminate 

$199,250 in non-critical 

deferred maintenance.

• It would make the site fully 

accessible.

• It would resolve a growing 

health and safety issue.

• It would supply a much 

needed venue for both 

community events and for 

recreation visitors from 

outside the community. 

Lead: Lee 

Benson, Forest 

Service

• Find Funds

• NEPA 

• Survey and Design

• Build Cabin to increased 

specifications

• Create information and place it on 

the web 

• Maintain cabin

School 

recreation 

facility 

improvements

Improve school recreation facilities. In 

particular, improve/maintain basketball courts, 

multi-purpose sports field (e.g., soccer, 

football), build running/ski track.

• It would provide a place and 

something for local youth to 

do in the summer. 

• It would be a place where the 

town could hold 

competitions (e.g., softball 

tournament). 

Lead: School

Partners: City

• Find Funds

• NEPA 

• Survey and Design

• Build to specifications

• Create information

• Maintain

Cultural 

Center

Build a cultural center/museum to house 

historical collections + contemporary local art. 

Provide a place to house and display artifacts 

found in this area.

• Celebrates local 

history/culture.

• It would supply a much 

needed venue for both 

community events and for 

visitors from outside the 

community. 

Lead: Tribe

Partners: Kwaan, 

USFS, City and 

Borough

• Find Funds

• NEPA 

• Survey and Design

• Build to specifications

• Create information

• Maintain
32 PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Yakutat 

visitor 

information 

improvements

and 

marketing 

development

Improve information about Yakutat to visitors, 

including: web-based information providing 

more complete and compelling info on 

ecotourism and recreation attractions (e.g., trail 

locations and distances, links to local service 

providers and rentals), a printed map, and onthe-ground orientation signage.

• Would bring more visitors to 

Yakutat.

• Relatively low-cost, high 

“bang for the buck”.

• Easy to maintain.

Lead: Chamber

Partners: USFS, Kwaan,

City 

• Update and link visitor 

information websites (e.g., 

USFS, ADF&G, USFWS, 

Chamber, Lodges). (in 

progress)

• Design and install signs to 

provide directions and 

etiquette information for 

existing attractions.

• Install a visitor information 

kiosk or office.

• Build an information kiosk 

at nine-mile bridge and 

lower landing of the Situk 

for fishermen. (in progress)

• Create a Yakutat trail map 

and guide for area trails.

• Make a visitor brochure 

about bears, resources (fish, 

berries, hunting), and 

opportunities (hiking, 

canoeing, kayaking, 

camping).

Culture Camp Start the culture camp back up for local kids. 

(in progress)

• This camp will teach young 

adults skills needed to live 

and recreate comfortably in 

Yakutat and the surrounding 

outdoor areas. 

Lead: Tribe

Partners: Forest Service,

Kwaan

• Funds

• Determine Location

• Determine time

• Select teachers and 

chaperones

• Select lessons and itinerary 

(food etc.)

• Implement project
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN 33

Dangerous 

River Boat 

Launch

Smooth out existing boat launch and harden to 

prevent erosion. 

• Provide access to moose 

hunters and commercial 

fishing

• Outfitter guiding and safety 

• It would attract visitors.

Lead: Jack Endicott

Partners: Alex James, 

YTT and Teresa Hunt, 

USFS 

• Funds

• NEPA 

• Survey and Design

• Build to specifications

• Create information

• Maintain

Local Trail 

system

Improve historic local trails around town 

center (see page 42)

• It would attract visitors.

• Celebrates local 

history/culture. 

Lead: Bill Luecy

Partners: City 

• build trails to specifications

• Create information for this 

trail to hand out to 

interested users.

• Maintain Trails 
34 PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN 35
36 PRIORITY PROJECTS AND ACTION PLAN Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan EVALUATION CRITERIA 37

5:: EVALUATION CRITERIA: MEASURING OUR SUCCESS

This plan identifies a set of priority 

projects, intended to help Yakutat

move ahead in the sustainability goals 

outlined in this plan. These projects 

are designed to: 

 Strengthen the local economy;

 Benefit the environment, or at 

least be environmentally 

compatible;

 Be publically supported, and 

help improve quality of life;

 Be practical and affordable to 

build and maintain.

While not always easy, the community should strive to measure the impacts on these goals of the 

plan and the projects it identifies. Measurement is a way to refine and test strategies, and to 

demonstrate to funders, agencies and the general public that investments are producing tangible 

results.

Below is an initial start at identifying criteria that can be used to help in this evaluation process. 

Criteria are shown in two broad categories. First is measurement of “output”. To use the goal of 

learning as an example, an output measure might be the number of schools built, or numbers of 

children attending class. The second category is “outcome”. Staying with this example, an 

outcome measure would aim to evaluate actual learning, for example, through test scores, or 

even success in later life. Outputs can typically be measured relatively easily; outcomes require 

more time and investment, to allow measurement over a longer time frame. 

“We’ve talked about some of these ecotourism ideas for 15 years or longer. The biggest 

challenge is getting the community to work together. If we do that, we can accomplish a 

lot.”
38 EVALUATION CRITERIA Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Outputs Outcomes

Strengthen the local economy.

- New facilities developed (trails, cabins, 

campsites).

- Number of travelers visiting town.

- Changes in local government bed tax, sales tax.

- Net increase in number of new businesses in town.

- Changes in number of local residents receiving 

government support (e.g., number of kids classified 

as coming from low income families in local 

schools).

Benefit the environment, or at least be environmentally compatible.

- Characteristics of facilities developed (e.g., 

use of recycled materials, LEED certified 

buildings, energy use, locations chosen).

- Measures of environmental health: this is a difficult

category, as many factors impact this topic. 

Options for measurement focus on the before and 

after characteristics of conditions in the affected 

vicinity of a project, e.g., soil erosion, change in fish 

and wildlife population, changes in visual character.

Publically supported.

- New facilities developed.

- Funding raised for construction.

- Level of volunteer activities.

- Indications of the overall health of civic life in a 

community, e.g. voter turnout.

- Perhaps this doesn’t have outcomes distinct from 

outputs?

Help improve quality of life.

- Number of programs offered.

- New facilities developed.

- New outdoor recreation opportunities 

developed (without requiring facilities).

- Change in population; change in school enrollment 

(with growth suggesting that quality of life may be a 

factor driving increases).

- Changes in number of retirees moving into 

community.

- Indications of health and fitness; this is hard to 

measure. Options include percentage of kids who 

participate in team sports, or who pass the 

standardized fitness tests offered at some schools; 

another option is to do engage in a longitudinal 

study of a small group of kids who participated and 

who did not participate in programs, and compare 

their life paths, and health.

Be practical and affordable to build and maintain.

On the cost side:

- Changes in per unit operations costs of 

different types of facilities, e.g., cost per 

100 feet of trails, or per acre of park.

- Changes construction.

On the revenue side:

- Changes in the availability of funding to 

maintain facilities.

- Overall operating budgets of agencies, local 

government.

- Expansion/changes in support for programs and 

facilities by new partners, non-profits, volunteers.

- Net fiscal health of agencies, local government.
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX A: INVENTORY OF EXISTING RESOURCES 39

APPENDIX A:: INVENTORY OF EXISTING RESOURCES

The following tables contain an inventory of Yakutat’s outdoor recreation facilities, programs, 

and information resources. Facilities are also referenced on the Existing Recreation 

Infrastructure maps, p20-22.

Facilities

Trails 

Facility Run by

Lagoon Trail to new Totem Park Yakutat Salmon Board

Fish Train Trail Yakutat Salmon Board

Historic Canoe Trail Ankau Lagoon to Dry Bay Yakutat Salmon Board, Forest 

Service

Totem Trail (Old CCC Trail) Yakutat Salmon Board

Trail from ASHA to Harbor (Yakutat Parks and 

Recreation Department is getting money to blaze 

the trail)

Yakutat Salmon Board

Harlequin Lake trail system Forest Service

Cross-country ski trails: People currently ski on the 

railroad trail, Cannon Beach bridge, along Tawah

Creek, Summit Lake, and the Colorado Road 

groomed trail.

Yakutat Salmon Board, Forest 

Service, Tribe

Upper Ophir Creek Trail Yakutat Salmon Board

Vonderheide Trail Forest Service

Situk Lake/Mountain Lake Trail Forest Service

Italio River Cabin Trail Forest Service

Lower Situk River Trailhead Forest Service, Private Land
40 APPENDIX A: INVENTORY OF EXISTING RESOURCES Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Boat access points

Facility Run by

Nine-mile bridge on Situk River Forest Service

Situk Lower Landing Forest Service

Parks and Playgrounds

Facility Run by

ASHA Subdivision Playground ASHA, CYB

School Playground and Small Covered Area Yakutat School District

Motherlode Mine Playground CYB

Sunrise Apartments Playground / YTT Apartments 

Park

Train Park Playground CYB

Sandy Beach Covered Picnic Area CYB

Lakeside Park

Cannon Beach Pavilion and Upgrades Forest Service

Winter Park (sledding hill) CYB

Fisherman’s Memorial CYB

Old Village Park CYB

Athletic Facilities

Facility Run by

Indoor Recreation Facilities

2 Baseball/Softball Diamonds Yakutat School District

Tennis Court (is not being used; needs to be 

improved and possibly covered)

Yakutat School District

Basketball Court Yakutat School District
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX A: INVENTORY OF EXISTING RESOURCES 41

Lodges, Cabins or Campgrounds

Facility Run by

Three camp sites between Cannon Beach and 

Coast Guard Beach a picnic table fire ring, and 

toilet at each site. 

Forest Service

Alsek River Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Eagle (Middle Situk N) Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Italio River Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Middle Dangerous Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Raven (Middle Situk S) Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Situk Lake Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Tanis Mesa North Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Tanis Mesa South Public Use Cabin Forest Service

Harlequin Lake North Public Use Shelter Forest Service

Harlequin Lake South Public Use Shelter Forest Service

East Alsek Public Use Cabin NPS

Esker Stream Public Use Cabin NPS

Private Lodges Lodge owners

Programs and Events

Program/Event Run by

Yakutat Tern Festival The Yakutat Chamber of 

Commerce, the National Park 

Service, the Yakutat Ranger 

District, many community 

members,

Fairweather Day(s) The Yakutat Chamber of 

Commerce

Recreation programs School, Tribe, City, Forest Service

Outdoor education programs USFS
42 APPENDIX A: INVENTORY OF EXISTING RESOURCES Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

Information

Information Resource Run by

Website: www.yakutat.net the corporation that owns the 

Monti Bay Lodge

Website with interactive 

maps: www.yakutatalaska.net

the Yakutat Chamber of 

Commerce

Various Park and Tongass National Forest maps USFS, National Park Service

Downtown Yakutat visitor map Chamber

Welcome to Yakutat Sign (at Four Corners) City

Forest Service websites USFS
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PROPOSED PROJECTS 43

APPENDIX B:: INVENTORY OF PROPOSED PROJECTS

This section lists outdoor recreation projects proposed during the Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor 

Recreation Action Planning process and included in previous planning efforts related to outdoor 

recreation and the visitor industry in the Yakutat area. These include facilities, programs and 

information resources. When appropriate, projects are grouped geographically by Center of 

Town, Vicinity and Borough, corresponding to the Initial Recreation Project Proposal maps, 

p33-35.

FACILITIES – YAKUTAT CENTER OF TOWN

Trails and Canoe Routes

 Harbor Trail: Build a trail from ASHA to the harbor

 Puget Cove: Develop trails, canoe trails and fishing sites.

 Totem Trail/CCC Trail: Extend the trail (Yakutat Ave. Second St. Trail and stairway . 

Replace the upper part of Second St. ROW that connects High St. and Yakutat Ave. 

with the trail and stairs. Develop the SE end of Yakutat Ave. ROW (connects with Max 

Italio Dr.) as a trail with stairs . Install/improve trailhead/signage/kiosk.

 Complete the Ophir Creek Loop Trail, avoiding views of gravel pits. 

 Old Cannery Trail (from Sandy Beach to the new Senior Center): Install/improve 

trailhead signage/kiosk.

 Old Village Park: Develop trail connection to Old Village Park.

 Provide well-marked, one- to two-hour loop hiking trail(s) from the ferry terminal.

 Repair the railroad trail to the airport from the Lower Landing on the Situk River. 

 Plow the Dangerous River, in the winter, to the 9-mile bridge and the Lower Landing 

road to the Lower Landing providing year round fishing. 

Other Outdoor Facilities and Infrastructure

 Create a winter park with a sledding hill and ice skating rink.

 Improve school recreation facilities. In particular, improve/maintain basketball courts, 

multi-purpose sports field (e.g., soccer, football), build running/ski track.

 Small boat harbor: Upgrade the small boat harbor. Build restrooms and a small boat lift 

to allow boats to be taken out of the water. (in progress)

 Ferry Dock/Sandy Beach: Build public restroom at Sandy Beach. Connect the ferry dock 

with the proposed Ankau Coastal Trail

 Seafood plant: Install a tourist facility at the seafood plant.

 ANB Hall: Renovate the ANB Hall. (in progress)

 Glacier Park: Build the Glacier Park.
44 APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PRPOSED PROJECTS Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

 Fisherman’s Memorial: Install a shrine and develop Fisherman’s Memorial Park. (in 

progress)

 School Recreation and Athletic Facilities: Fix the tennis courts, basketball courts and 

softball fields

 Lakeside Park: Brush out and up-keep the Lakeside Park; re-establish the gardens that 

were put in several years ago.

 Increase outdoor recreation opportunities near school.

 Expand totem park

FACILITIES-YAKUTAT VICINITY

Trails and Canoe Routes

 Designate a Historic Canoe route from Ankau to Dry Bay. Adventurous, multi-day 

coastal canoe trip, preferably hut-to-hut. Requires 5 mile portage, paddling up a few slow 

moving streams. Logistically challenging. 

- Tie into NPS facilities; NPS has larger airstrip, in Dry Bay, rather than fly things off 

the beach. Could extend from Dry Bay all the way to the Dome River (location of 

last of villages on the Forelands). Need larger planes to transport canoes. 

- USFS has wildlife viewing information developed for this trail by sections; needs to 

be made into a formal brochure, posted on-line, etc.

- Establish a canoe trail route on the Ahrnklin River. (Could provide an alternate 

historic canoe trail route or be included as part of this project.)

 Build an ATV trail along the Dangerous River (on the east side of the river) to the 

Mouth of the Italio River.

 Connect three tent platforms between Coast Guard Beach and Cannon Beach with 

Tawah creek to create a loop trail. Build a wildlife viewing area at Tawah (platforms, 

trails, board walk interpretive signs). (in progress; USFS has written proposals, but need 

funds)

 Develop a Redfield Lakes canoe trail system. It could be used as a snow mobile route or 

cross country ski/snowshoe route in winter.

 Improve the trail to Russell Fiord to accommodate boat access. Follow restrictions of 

the Federal Wilderness designation of the area.

 Develop a Humpy Creek wildlife viewing platform. This is an excellent area for bear, 

moose, deer, and bird viewing.

 Extend the Vonderheide Trail up into the mountains.

 Develop Historic trail along the base of the mountains.

 Trail along Disenchantment Bay 

 Extend the Fish Train Park Trail to from the airport approximately four miles to the 

lower Situk River; make it a facility for pedestrians, bicyclists and winter uses.
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PROPOSED PROJECTS 45

 Develop/construct the Ankau Coastal Trail from the ferry terminal to the along Monti 

Bay coast and through the Ankau Salt Chucks. Provide interpretive signage for historical 

military sites.

 Build a trail connecting the Totem/CCC Trail to the Lake, Motherloade playground, 

School recreation area and Train Park to the Fish Train Trail.

 Develop/construct Italio Lake Trail.

 Tawah Creek to Lost River Trail w/ Bridge

 Trail to Pike Lakes w/ Boardwalk

 Trail to Harlequin Lake improvements; boardwalks over soggy areas.

 Improve the construction of existing (legacy) trails.

 Develop Miller Creek Trail

Cabins and Campsites

 Campsites from Cannon Beach to Lost River. Expand the tent platforms to three more 

from Cannon Beach to the Lost River. 

 More campsites and/or cabins at Cannon Beach 

 Cabin on Kriwoi Island

 Cabin at Lower Ahrnklin 

 Cabin at Upper Ahrnklin Near Miller Cr. Confluence

 New East Lower Dangerous Cabin

 Cabin(s) on Road System

 Situk River Campsites (in progress; Nine Mile area)

 Cabin on Square Bay

 Cabin on Harlequin Lake

 Campsites over by Lenard’s Landing

 Campsites by Coast Guard

 Cabin on Akwe

 Cape Enchantment Cabin

 Cabin at Italio Falls

Other Outdoor Facilities and Infrastructure

 Cannon Beach Pavilion Renovation. 

 Build a Harlequin Lake/Dangerous River boat launch and viewing platform.

 Situk River: Upgrade nine mile boat launch and install restrooms (in progress)

 Expand disable person’s access to the Old Man’s Hole on the lower Situk River.

 Build a harbor/dock on the South shore of Broken Oar Cove
46 APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PRPOSED PROJECTS Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

YAKUTAT BOROUGH

Trails and Canoe Routes

 Peninsula Trail; Build a trail from Situk Lake to Gilbert Point along the ridge line 

(possibly a loop trail). Build a Hubbard Glacier overlook at Gilbert Point. 

 Trail to Italio Falls from Harlequin Lake.

Cabins and Campsites

 Huts along traditional Dry Bay to Ankau Canoe route

Other Outdoor Facilities and Infrastructure

 Alsek Village Site to show traditional ways.

- Develop access and guided tours of Dry Bay archeological work currently 

underway; this includes seven tribal at the end of the Alsek/Tatshenshini River 

Float.

MISC. (LOCATION UNKNOWN/NOT DETERMINED)

Trails and Canoe Routes

 Build and rebuild trails for hiking, biking, and canoeing.

 Develop and improve cross-country ski trails; develop a good map and link trails for 

different distances. Create loops if possible. (People currently ski on RR trail, cannon 

beach, along Tawah Creek, Summit Lake and the Colorado Road.)

 Cross country running trail

Cabins and Campsites

 Install the Sea Otter Cabin. Possible locations include: the mouth of the Ahrnklin, 

Kriwoi Island, Cannon Beach, and Square Bay. This cabin is already built. It needs a 

place to be set out on the Forest. It will need to be brought up to code (i.e. the roof is 

not built up to standards, etc.)

 Develop RV infrastructure.

Other Outdoor Facilities and Infrastructure

 Build a cultural center/museum to house historical collections and contemporary local 

artists.

 Build a skate (board) park.

 Create a shooting range/skeet field. (This place exists, but there are concerns about its 

safety and whether it is sufficient for a skeet field.)

 Build a golf course.

 Build a disc golf course.

 Develop a new float plane base.

 More sitting parks and places, places with a bench and a nice view (e.g. lakeside park)
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PROPOSED PROJECTS 47

 Create a Yakutat Bay science center. (in progress)

 Build a community library.

 Build a multi-purpose building.

 Install additional street lighting.

 Build the Glacier Bear Park. 

INFORMATION RESOURCES, EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

Information Resources

 Work with the Alaska DOT&PF to change the Alaska State Ferry schedule/route. The 

goal of schedule/route revisions is to allow an independent traveler to travel town-totown without backtracking (e.g., Juneau to Whittier instead of back to Bellingham), as 

well as to provide more frequent service. This might require working with other 

communities on the Alaska Marine Highway System.

 Maintain and possibly expand cruise ship interpretation. Develop sales of local products 

on ships.

 Improve information about Yakutat to visitors. Three categories of improvements are 

needed: web-based information providing more complete and compelling info on 

ecotourism and recreation attractions (e.g., trail locations and distances, links to local 

service providers and rentals); a helpful hardcopy map which could be a reproduction of 

what is on the website, that visitors can use once they arrive; on-the-ground orientation 

signage, documentation.

- Improve web-based information (in progress): USFS has made progress in 

providing recreation information (chamber web-site, district birding site, 

wildlife/bird viewing info. on ADF&G and USFWS webpages, birding guide in the 

works, etc. Lodge website already has much of this 

info: http://www.leonardslanding.com/adventures.htm and the lodge owner is 

currently updating the Chamber website: http://www.yakutatalaska.com/

- Install signs to provide visitors directions and etiquette information for existing 

attractions. In particular, offer better information on how to get to trailheads (e.g., 

how to get to Situk Lake Trail, how to get to Ankau lagoon, Road out to Harlequin 

– signs along the way to reassure people they’re on the right path).

- Install a welcome to Yakutat sign. There already is one – is another needed? One 

on airport road on the way to town perhaps?

- Install a visitor information kiosk or door off the street or in an office.

- Build an information kiosk at nine-mile bridge and lower landing of the Situk to 

educate fishermen. (in progress)

- Create a Yakutat trail map and guide for area trails.

- Make a brochure for visitor education about bears, resources (fish, berries, hunting) 

and opportunities (hiking, canoeing, kayaking, camping)

 Install interpretive signs that highlight local cultural knowledge.
48 APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PRPOSED PROJECTS Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

 Develop a Situk River brochure, including a map. (In progress. USFS and ADF&G 

developed a simple brochure emphasizing bear safety; it includes a general map. Open to 

improvement/expansion; pursuing USFS funding to do so.)

 Work with public facility and private operators to develop a two or three day itinerary or 

itineraries. 

 Provide Orientation information for RV travelers.

 Improve marketing to specific visitor markets (e.g., international and instate travelers, 

small cruise ship tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism).

 Market outdoor recreation better. 

 Improve marketing of USFS cabins and market the canoe trails as a unique 

Yakutat amenity.

 Engage in shared marketing with other communities on the airline and ferry circuit 

routes.

 Create a tourism director position to coordinate local efforts to increase Yakutat tourism. 

Events

 Start a Yakutat Music Festival. 

- Suggestion to include (or replace with) “Strengthen Tern Festival” perhaps by 

including music; doing scheduling, programming + marketing to attract other 

markets than just bird enthusiasts : “While you’re in town for sport fishing, surfing, 

outdoor adventures, come to the Tern Festival and enjoy live music + dance 

performances, local food, and learn more about Yakutat’s birds and other wildlife.”

 4th of July Involvement

 Fairweather Day Involvement

 Moose Celebration

 Eulachon Cook off

 Kayak Festival

 Yakutat/Dry Bay Canoe Race

 Local folk festival in conjunction with tern festival

 Family Festivals 

 Salmon bake

 Community potlucks

 Fishing derby

 A winter festival?

Programs

 Develop winter sports. 

- A group gets together and go skiing on weekends (in progress)
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PROPOSED PROJECTS 49

- Basketball (in progress)

- Yoga (in progress)

 Start a culture camp back up (in progress)

 Expand outdoor education programs. Provide instruction in LNT training, subsistence 

gathering, edible plant identification, traditional food processing and canning, etc. (in 

progress) Forest Service and school is doing this already, to an extent, but if this needs to 

be expanded, all constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. 

 Provide visitor tours around Harlequin Lake. This could be a printed, self-guided tour 

with a map or a tour led by a guide/interpreter.

 Summer youth activities (outdoor skills, environmental ed., fishing trips, teacher led 

programming, etc.) (in progress. USFS does some of this already, e.g., Nate’s fly fishing 

program this coming summer, summer school)

 Provide summer camping opportunities for kids. (in progress)

 Boating safety training (information with Park Service or Forest Service) (in progress)

 Canoe Kayak Rentals (in progress. Some of this already exists through private operators; 

could use more.)

 Kayaking Trips

 Island Tours

 Provide marine life boat tours around Khantaak Island.

 Organized ATV rides

 Attract or train hospitality professionals: charismatic, energetic people who will “make” 

the trip for visitors.

 Develop and conduct a training course about ecotourism and or ecotourism workshop.

 Train or attract outfitter guides for birding. (In progress. USFS provided training 

opportunities for guides (2010); only one guide (Scott Chadwick) attended the seminars, 

and a few locals.)

 Restore and preserve existing WWII infrastructure; submit as a National Historic Site.

 Provide access to historical tourist attraction and transportation option from the Glacier 

Bear area, the Yakutat airport and the Situk/Ahrnklin River fishing areas. (Taxi service 

already exists, and lodges already provide van/shuttle services to take visitors to local 

attractions.)

Planning + Policy

 Complete a Tribal management plan for Dry Bay. A plan is currently in progress.

 Develop a plan to work with lodge owners to increase benefits to community. With 

increased family events, it would be better for the community event to charge by the 

room rather than the person.

 Create a Situk River recreation and access management plan 

- Complete recreation user + community attitude survey 
50 APPENDIX B: INVENTORY OF PRPOSED PROJECTS Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

- Develop management alternatives.

- Analyze potential impact of Hubbard Glacier on Situk River in case of ice dam (In 

progress).

- Complete Situk partners outreach plan

- Enforce Situk River fishing and use regulations (In progress)

 Develop ecotourism plan for Yakutat

 Complete capacity analysis to set limits on commercial outfitter and guide permits. 

Consider moving recreation to other rivers, not just the Situk – perhaps Italio, Akwe. 

Also, look at providing opportunities at other than peak times. (in progress)

 Open up permits, and change allocations to allow permits for floats between peak fish 

times.

NOT FEASIBLE

 Provide helicopter tours of the area (e.g. around Hubbard Glacier); plan routes to avoid 

adversely impacting community. 

- Not really feasible; already have fixed-wing scenic flights.

 Russell Fjiord: Extend road access to Russell Fiord. 

- Route would go through federally-designated Wilderness Area. Would take an act 

of Congress to allow. No-go.

 OHV trails to Situk Lake and Russell Fiord

- Route would go through federally-designated Wilderness Area. Would take an act 

of Congress to allow. No-go.

 Alsek River: Provide campgrounds, toilets, and permits for additional outfitters to 

support rafting on the Alsek. 

- Determined through Alsek Management Plan process; cannot change plan at this 

point, so anything not consistent with it no-go.
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX C: SUMMARY OF PAST PLANS 51

APPENDIX C: SUMMARY OF PAST PLANS

This section provides a summary of the issues, goals and strategies identified in past planning 

efforts related to outdoor recreation and the visitor industry in the Yakutat area. 

Documents reviewed include: 

 Access and Travel Management on the Yakutat Ranger District Environmental 

Assessment and Record of Decision, August 2009, United States Forest Service.

 City and Borough of Yakutat Comprehensive Plan, April 2010, Yakutat community with 

assistance from Sheinburg Associates.

 Situk River Watershed Annual Action Plan, 2006 and 2007, Situk River Partners (City 

and Borough of Yakutat, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, State of Alaska, and the U.S. Forest 

Service, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency).

 Tongass Monitoring and Evaluation Report, 2007, United States Forest Service.

 Yakutat Coastal Management Program, October 2006, City and Borough of Yakutat with 

assistance from Sheinburg Associates.

 Yakutat Community Action Plan, September 2006, Yakutat Action Team. 

 Yakutat Tourism Development Plan, July 1995, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe and Yak-Tat 

Kwaan, Inc. 

Issues

Key issues addressed in these plans include the importance of maintaining a balance between 

commercial and non-commercial uses of recreation amenities, and the development of visitor 

and recreation facilities (established ORV trails, walking trails, and cabins) to contain growth to 

specific areas and protect natural assets.

Physical Facilities

 Temporary structures on Forest Service land are unsightly.

 ORV trails and usage:

- There is tension over the use of ORVs in hunting (accessing and transporting game 

versus the noise impact on game).

- ORVs can damage wetlands, water quality, fish habitat, cause the dispersal of 

invasive species, and threaten some native plant species.

- ORV trails can limit damage to the surrounding environment by containing their 

impact.

- ORV trails are used for berry picking.

Recreation/Tourism Information and Services

 Yakutat’s economy is becoming more seasonal.
52 APPENDIX C: SUMMARY OF PAST PLANS Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

 Yakutat is starting to see competition and tension in the visitor industry.

- There is a perception that the Sport fishing industry is underpaying sales tax.

- There is a perception that the growth of bed and breakfast businesses (which 

provide little employment), has come at the expense of year-round lodges and 

motels that provide year-round employment.

 There is a desire to strike a balance of commercial and non-commercial use (sport, 

commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing) to maintain salmon populations and 

address damage from sport fishing overuse among Yakutat rivers (Situk, Tsiu, Tsivat, 

and Kaliakh River drainages) from:

- ORVs and foot traffic (which destroy the river’s edge)

- Motorized boats

- Angler density (which is too great in some locations)

- Camping

- Damage to Redds

 There is concern that consumptive tourism degrades the natural assets of the Yakutat 

area and doesn’t benefit local recreation.

Goals and Strategies

Past plans have recommended a number of goals and strategies for addressing the issues 

identified above, as well as outlined visions for sustainable growth in the visitor industry sector. 

These are summarized below. 

Broad Goals

 Expand non-consumptive tourism: protect cultural and environmental assets while also 

providing for local recreational opportunities.

- Maintain public access to recreational areas.

 Balance recreational, tourism, commercial, and subsistence land uses while preserving 

the historical and cultural character of the community.

 Expand and promote resident owned visitor oriented businesses.

 Use public and private partnerships for developing recreation opportunities and 

businesses.

Physical Facilities

 Improve and increase biking, hiking, and walking trails.

 Improve existing recreation opportunities in town, such as local parks, a shooting range, 

and winter recreation.

 Permit and allow aesthetic cabins and structures on Borough land to provide safe and 

quality experiences for visitors and residents.

 Increase the frequency of ferry service to Yakutat and improve air access to outlying 

areas.
Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan APPENDIX C: SUMMARY OF PAST PLANS 53

 Clean the city to enhance tourist perceptions.

 Encourage shared use of infrastructure by lodges and camps (e.g., fishing access trails 

and airstrips)

 Avoid development in areas with high scenic qualities.

 Reduce housing density and cluster houses (e.g., conservation subdivisions).

 Work with national and tribal government entities to create a unified policy on camps in 

the area.

 Protect grave sites.

Recreation and Education Programs

 Increase programs and services for existing visitors.

Recreation/Tourism Information and Services

 Promote and develop Yakutat as an access point for Wrangell St. Elias and Glacier Bay 

National Parks and Russell Fiord Wilderness Area.

 Develop a long range tourism plan.

 Develop more marketing materials.

 Encourage small cruise ships:

- Incorporate the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe program for interpretation.

 Improve interpretive services and materials that provide visitor information.

 Integrate walking trails and boardwalks; improve signage.
54 APPENDIX D: SOURCES Yakutat Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Action Plan

APPENDIX D: SOURCES

Access and Travel Management on the Yakutat Ranger District Environmental Assessment and 

Record of Decision, August 2009, United States Forest Service.

City and Borough of Yakutat Comprehensive Plan, April 2010, Yakutat community with 

assistance from Sheinburg Associates.

Situk River Watershed Annual Action Plan, 2006 and 2007, Situk River Partners (City and 

Borough of Yakutat, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, State of Alaska, and the U.S. Forest Service, 

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency).

Tongass Monitoring and Evaluation Report, 2007, United States Forest Service.

Yakutat Coastal Management Program, October 2006, City and Borough of Yakutat with 

assistance from Sheinburg Associates.

Yakutat Community Action Plan, September 2006, Yakutat Action Team. 

Market Analysis and Economic Impacts of Developing Yakutat’s Shorebird Viewing Attraction, 

March 2003, McDowell Group for the City and Borough of Yakutat. 

Yakutat Community Opinion Survey: An Analysis of Planning and Development Issues in 

Yakutat, October 2005, Sheinberg Associates for the City and Borough of Yakutat.

Tsiu River: Fisheries and Land Management Report, March 2009, Sheinberg Associates for the 

City and Borough of Yakutat.

Alaska Visitor Statistics Program VI Interim Visitor Volume Report, Summer 2010, McDowell 

Group for the State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic 

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Approach, 2007, Neal Christensen, Alan Watson, and James Burchfield. In USDA 

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The Regional Economy of Southeast Alaska, Final Report, March 2007, Steve Colt, Darcy 

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