Ketchikan Outdoor Recreation and Trails Coalition

2005 Activities:

We sponsored several hikes and kayak/boat trips again in 2005.

Saturday, May 28 - Lunch Creek to Emery Tobin Lake and back! This hike had an excellent turnout, with several members of the Ladies Hiking Group leading the way. This photo shows Diane (the white speck) pumping water from Emery Tobin Lake. Read the whole story here.

Sunday, June 12 - Ward Creek Trail - The possibility of showers might have deterred potential hikers, it turned out being just Danny, Sara, and myself. We had a great time, and it didn't rain.

Saturday, June 18 - Phocena Bay boat trip and beachcombing- Eight of us enjoyed a great day of boating and hiking. The bay, on the west coast of Gravina Island, has great views and some nice little trails through the woods to some other little coves. This photo shows (L-R:) Sara, Dave, Noble, Danny, Jim, Roy, Harold, and MJ relaxing on the beach.

Saturday, July 2 - Harriet Hunt Lake kayak/canoe day trip. MJ Turek writes: Paddlers: Tina Mander and Brian Curtis in a beautiful handmade (by Brian) canoe. In kayaks: MJ Turek, MJ Cadle and her camera, Lisa Springer visiting from California, Shelley Kerber in her brand new (to her) red kayak, Steve Cannon.

We circumnavigated the lake in the drizzle. The day was warm, but we gradually got soaked through to the skin. It was calm and beautiful. No wind. We admired yellow pond lilies and lake grasses in bloom. On shore we had tiny pink twinflower (pyrola), asters, douglas spirea, and white bog orchids in bloom. Lisa got out at the waterfall and reported bear scat near there. We heard and saw ducks and a loon. We echoed our own wild sounds off the hills. We also - especially Mary Jane - picked up trash at the parking lot and spread out a smoldering fire that someone had started on the road. This beautiful place seems to have had many disrespectful visitors. Most of us had a wonderful, wet time. Steve, though, may have made his last kayak trip - at least unless he could find a vessel that fits him better.

Saturday, July 16 - Black Mountain kayak/hike Webmaster Dave was the only one brave enough or crazy enough to kayak across the mouth of Carroll/George Inlet from Mountain Point to the Black Mountain trailhead. This photo, by Harold, shows him heading out as two eagles watch him paddle by. He enjoyed calm water on the way out, and was met at the trailhead by boaters Jim, Diane, and Roy. They hiked to Snag Lake for lunch and some fishing before heading back, picking lots of berries along the way. The paddle back was a little more challenging, but not overly so.

Sat. & Sun., July 30 & 31 - Silvis Lake to Deer Mountain backpack - The report from Harold: It was nasty. It was brutal. But at some future date maybe there will be some good memories. Laura, Harold, and John did the Silvis Lake to Deer Mountain traverse over the weekend. Unfortunately we missed connections with John and he did it all on his own in one fast day. Less than a half hour out, Laura and Harold ran across a bear cub directly in the path and made a quick detour without looking for mom. It's interesting how much less spooky it is when with someone else. Plump, sweet blueberries were plentiful and we were afraid we would fall way behind or make ourselves sick. Views came and went as we rose past Mahoney Mountain, revealing beautiful granite faces and boulders among the lush greens and the curling mists. The wind and rain set in seriously through the next steepest and most dangerous climbing sections, including the rope climb. We had a pretty good idea of where we were going and managed to keep on the route, but I'm amazed that John found his way through one markerless section up Northbird Peak with no visibility. We followed a mirage of Blue Lake down the wrong slope before finally finding the cabin where we spent the night. The south facing window had been left open by careless campers and was ripped from its frame. We slipped sleeping bags in collapsed tents to keep dry in the drenched cabin. The next morning the rain lessened and we continued across and down Deer Mountain We ran across three other hardy groups coming up the mountain as the sun finally broke through. I have good memories already.

Saturday, August 13 - Deer Mountain Trail - For the second year in a row we had a great turn-out for this hike. Some turned around at the one-mile lookout, some turned around at the two-mile lookout, and some made it all the way to the top, but everyone seemed to have a great time hiking on a nice sunny day.

Saturday and Sunday, September 3 & 4 - George Inlet kayak trip - A Labor Day kayak trip without a lot of rain? Yes, it's true! Harold and Dave started at the George Inlet Cannery on Saturday morning, and enjoyed calm seas and a light tailwind on our way up George Inlet. The first trip over the so-called "rapids" was uneventful, the rising tide gently pushing us into the lagoon. Heading out 20 or 30 minutes later, we found out why they're called the rapids. Dave got sucked into a whirlpool, turned around and pushed out, but managed to navigate the remainder of the rapids going backwards. Quickly. We found a nice place to camp near Leask Cove and slept soundly. The next morning we packed up and Dave helped Harold slip into his kayak. "Okay, where's my paddle?" Harold asked. "Paddle?" Dave answered. Apparently we left it along the shore when we stopped, and the tide carried it away in the middle of the night. Fortunately Dave's paddle was the kind that comes apart in the middle, so we each got half a paddle to use canoe-style. There was a pretty good headwind most of the way back, but not too bad. The caretaker at the Cannery was nice enough to unlock the gate so we could load the car and head home.

Check out some pictures from 2004 hikes

Check out some pictures from 2003 hikes

Check out some pictures from 2002 hikes

Check out some pictures from 2001 hikes

Check out some pictures from 2000 hikes

This page is maintained by Dave Lieben, dlieben@yahoo.com.