A wave of infrastructure funding for the Forest Service means Sitka will be getting a new cabin close to town.
Alaska was allocated $14 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for new cabins. Last fall, the Forest Service sought public input on what to do with that money. Rebecca Peterman is the Recreation Staff Officer with the Sitka Ranger District Office.
“What was identified on the Sitka Ranger District as having the most support was a second road-based cabin,” said Rebecca Peterman, the Recreation Staff Officer with the Sitka Ranger District Office.
“Right now we just have the Starrigavan Creek cabin as our only cabin that doesn’t require a boat or a plane to get to,” she continued. “So we really exciting to have another cabin for folks here locally to use.”
During the public comment period, some cabin sites suggested included Harbor Mountain and the Herring Cove trail. But an exact location for the new forest service cabin isn’t confirmed yet. Peterman says they’re looking into locations now.
“This money has been put into an agreement with the National Forest Foundation to manage the construction of these cabins throughout the Tongass,” Peterman said. “And that agreement is good until 2027. So we know at a maximum we have until 2027… we’re hoping to get the site nailed down this fall or winter.”
Once they zero in on the site, they’ll begin the design phase, and open up opportunities for additional public involvement.
