July '17 Cross Chichagof Packraft trip

This July we hiked and Packrafted across Chichagof Island. We started by boating to Pelican, overnighting then getting dropped off on the beach at the head of Lisianski Inlet. We hiked across a ridge into Steelhead creek where we rafted to its upper end then deflated and portaged across to the “Goulding Lakes” These are several lakes connected by narrow passages or portages. We paddled to the Goulding lakes cabin on Otter lake, a nice A frame, about nine hours total. We stayed several days exploring, fishing and relaxing. We paddled and hiked from the cabin to the outer coast in roughly five hours. Most of the hike out was on an old mine trail and pretty good walking. Some of the old railway is still there. One portage between lakes was steep and slow going. Another small delay was rafting across a fast creek in a steep ravine, luckily there was a calm pool and beautiful waterfall at the head of the ravine. Once upon a time there was a bridge across it. We inflated again and drifted out Goulding river and were met by a friend and his boat (and seventeen bears)in Goulding harbor. The bears were plenty busy eating sedges waiting for the fish run to start and didn’t give us a second look. We timed it so we came out at high tide. We went from there to White Sulpher hot springs for a soak. The White Sulpher cabin was booked so we went rented Green top cabin for a couple days before returning to Pelican and then Juneau.

I’ll add more pictures as I can.

GPS track of the trip.


Passage between the lakes.

Looking back at the passage between the first and second lake from the ridge across from the cabin.

Paddling across Otter lake.

View of beach in front of cabin and lake outlet to the left. Pretty good fishing from the point in the middle of the picture.

White Sulphur hot springs. A well deserved soak. The view is of the Pacific ocean, spectacular!!!