Alaska. Ketchikan: Totem Poles and Lumberjacks in the Salmon Capital of the World
Located in southeastern Alaska’s “Panhandle” region, Ketchikan (Kichxáan in the native Tlingit language) is a popular stopover for cruise ships. The city of 8,100 is spread across a thin coastal ribbon of Revillagigedo Island. Revillagigedo is at the northern terminus of the Inside Passage, a coastal sea route that zigzags through U.S. and Canadian fjord lands. The area was first settled by native Tlingit peoples who operated a fishing camp. Fishing was also important to American settlers who purchased land from Chief Kyan in 1885 to establish a cannery. By 1936, the city had a vibrant salmon industry supported by seven canneries.
We arrived in Ketchikan on a commercial flight. To illustrate the vast size of Alaska, our flight distance (1263km) from Anchorage was slightly longer than from New York City to Atlanta (1199km). Ketchikan’s airport is on Gravina Island which is not physically connected to Revillagigedo. In 2005, a proposed $400 million bridge between the islands was dubbed the “bridge to nowhere” by detractors critical of wasteful government spending. In lieu of taking the Gravina to Revillagigedo ferry, we were picked up by a friend in a privately owned boat.
After unloading our luggage, we drove a few kilometers south for a walking tour of Saxman Totem Pole Park. Ketchikan is known for having the world’s largest collection of totem poles. The ornately carved and painted poles tell stories about the history, culture, and wealth of communities. On our return to town, we passed a large parking lot adjacent to the cruise ship dock that surrounds an outdoor auditorium used by the Great Alaska Lumberjack Show. Here, spectators watch men wearing flannel shirts and Blue Jeans compete in wood cutting, tree chopping, and log rolling contests. The show commemorates life during the early and mid-20th century, when hundreds of loggers came to Ketchikan on weekend days off. That afternoon we relaxed at our friend’s house located on the shoreline near the main shipping channel. At one point a massive cruise ship created a shadow over us as it passed.
On our second day in Ketchikan, we drove a few kilometers into Tongass National Forest. At 68,000 square kilometers–roughly the size of West Virginia–the Tongass is the nation’s largest national forest. About 40% is temperate rainforest that has been a controversial source of lumber for Pacific Rim countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. Other areas within the national forest are covered by wetlands, snow/ice, and barren rock. The Tongass boasts 19 federally designated wilderness areas that together, protect 23,000 square kilometers.
On our return, we stopped to tour a cannery and sample salmon caviar (fresh salmon eggs) seasoned with soy sauce. Salmon species found around Ketchikan include silver coho, chum, pink, and king. In the 1930s, the Ketchikan Chronicle proclaimed, “…more canned salmon is packaged in Ketchikan than any other city in the world.” Since that time the city has been the self-proclaimed “salmon capital of the world.” Indeed, southeastern Alaska is among the world’s largest breeding grounds for Pacific salmon. Salmon are euryhaline organisms, meaning that they spend portions of their lives in both fresh and saltwater environments. After hatching in freshwater streams, they spend one to eight years in the ocean before returning to their home river to spawn. The harvest season is relatively brief with millions arriving to breed over a few short weeks. One of the highlights of our visit was taking a charter boat for an afternoon of fishing where we caught silver coho and king (aka Chinook) salmon. Our experience was challenging given that a king can weigh up to 27 kilograms and when hooked, may dive for deep water. Arriving back in the harbor, we traded fresh fish we had caught for smoked salmon the boat owner had prepared. That evening we browsed shops along the elevated Creek Street boardwalk. Early in the city’s history, Creek Street was the red-light district with numerous brothels including “Dolly’s House,” owned by its madam, Dolly Arthur. Established on Creek Street in 1898, Tongass Trading Company is the longest continuously operating business in Alaska.
Another highlight was our flight in a single-engine de Havilland Beaver floatplane. We flew with Michelle, owner/pilot at Island Wings Air Service. Ketchikan is a busy place with seaplane operations sometimes exceeding a thousand per day. Michelle first arrived in Ketchikan in 1985. Since that time, she has been taking cruise ship passengers and others for flights in her floatplane, dubbed “Lady Esther.” For my flight I was fortunate to draw the front right seat and to take the controls briefly while Michelle ate her lunch. Our flight took us over high coastal mountains to a backcountry lake where we picked up a group that had been fishing.
