Suloia Lake Cabin

Summary

Suloia Lake Cabin offers visitors the opportunity to experience wilderness solitude on Chichagof Island, 30 miles northwest of Sitka, Alaska. It provides access to fishing and deer hunting, a small skiff and a Pan abode-style cabin, although visitors must bring their own amenities and take care to treat the lake water. The cabin is surrounded by dense forest with a small gravel beach in front.

Overview

Suloia Lake Cabin sits on the western shore of Suloia Lake on Chichagof Island in the West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness Area, 30 miles northwest of Sitka, Alaska. The cabin is generally available April through mid-November and makes an excellent base for experiencing wilderness solitude in this corner of Alaska.

The current cabin was built and donated by the Carl Eurich family in memory of their son. It replaced an older cabin on the east shore.

This is a remote site. The cabin is in a designated wilderness area and can be accessed by float plane only, weather permitting. From Sitka, it's a 20-minute flight. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring their own amenities.

Recreation

Suloia Lake offers wilderness solitude, fishing and deer hunting opportunities, as well as limited hiking options. Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden are found in the lake, but fishing is slow. The Suloia Trail leads from Suloia Bay to the old cabin site on the eastern shore; however, no trail connects this cabin with the old cabin. Bushwacking the shoreline is difficult as there is little or no beach and the shoreline is brushy or forested.

For information about fishing and hunting permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.

Facilities

The 12 by 14-ft wood, Pan abode-style cabin accommodates up to six people on two double bunks and two single bunks. Amenities include a wood stove for heat, table with benches, cooking counter, cupboard, broom and an axe or splitting maul. An outhouse toilet is located close to the cabin.

The cabin does not include mattresses or cooking utensils. Visitors should bring sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher, fire starter and personal flotation devices (PFDs). Rain gear and boots are recommended.

Water is available from the lake or a nearby inlet stream, but must be treated before using. It's recommended that visitors bring their own water.

A small but heavy square-bowed skiff (rowboat) is provided. A long-shaft 2-10 hp outboard motor enhances the use of the skiff but is not provided. Each person in the skiff should wear a Coast Guard approved PFD. Be sure the plug is in before launching the boat. Tie the skiff well up on the shore and pull the plug before leaving so the boat does not fill with rain water.

Click here for more cabin information and maps.

Natural Features

The cabin is surrounded by dense forest of cedar, spruce and hemlock with small gravel beach in front. Suloia Lake sits at an elevation of 225, and is about 2 miles long by 1/2-mile wide. Forested mountain ridges rise from the lake to an elevation of 2,600 feet. Brown bear frequent the area.