Chichagof Island
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| Chichagof Island | |
|---|---|
 en:User:Koba-chan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source | |
| Name | Chichagof Island |
| Location | Alexander Archipelago |
| Area km2 | 5176 |
| Highest mount | Mount Edgecumbe |
| Elevation m | 800 |
| Country | United States |
| Country admin divisions title | State |
| Country admin divisions | Alaska |
| Country admin divisions title 1 | Census area |
| Population | 1,342 |
| Population as of | 2020 |
Chichagof Island Chichagof Island is a large island in the Alexander Archipelago of the Gulf of Alaska off the coast of Southeast Alaska. The island is administratively part of the Unorganized Borough, Alaska and lies near Baranof Island, Admiralty Island, and the city of Sitka. Its significant wilderness, maritime climate, and role in regional resource use make it notable in Alaska geography and Pacific Northwest history.
Geography
Chichagof Island is the fifth-largest island in the United States and is situated west of Lisianski Strait and east of Cross Sound, bordering waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Inside Passage. The island's topography includes coastal fjords such as Peril Strait and numerous bays like Chatham Strait and Lynn Canal, with mountainous terrain rising to peaks including unnamed summits that are part of the Tongass National Forest physiographic province. Glacial geomorphology from the Pleistocene shaped many valleys and coves, which connect to channels used by vessels transiting between Juneau and Ketchikan. The island's maritime climate is influenced by the Aleutian Low and the North Pacific Current, producing high precipitation that supports temperate rainforest ecosystems dominated by Sitka spruce and western hemlock.
History
The island lies within the traditional territory of the Tlingit people, whose villages and seasonal harvests were connected to waterways near Hoonah, Sitka, and other coastal settlements. European contact began with Russian expansion in the 18th century, including expeditions by Russian American Company agents and explorers associated with Vitus Bering and Alexander Baranov. Following the Alaska Purchase of 1867, Americans and commercial interests such as the Northwest Trading Company and later Alaska Steamship Company increased presence, while World War II strategic concerns linked nearby waterways to the Aleutian Islands Campaign. Timber extraction and commercial fishing by companies like Alaska Packers Association and halibut fleets transformed local economies in the late 19th and 20th centuries, intersecting with federal policies including those of the United States Forest Service and legislation such as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
Demographics and Communities
Permanent population centers are sparse and include settlements associated with Hoonah, Pelican, Angoon, and smaller logging or fishing camps historically connected to enterprises like the Ketchikan Pulp Company and seasonal operations tied to the Bering Sea fisheries. Indigenous communities are represented by tribal organizations such as the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and corporations created under the ANCSA, including regional native corporations. Census data gathered by the United States Census Bureau reflects low population density and seasonal variation related to commercial salmon harvests and tourism flows connected to cruise lines serving the Inside Passage.
Flora and Fauna
The island supports rich temperate rainforest flora dominated by Sitka spruce and western hemlock, with understory species like Devil's Club and salal. Faunal assemblages include large populations of brown bear, black bear, and prolific marine mammals such as Steller sea lion and harbor seal, while important avifauna includes bald eagle and migratory populations of Pacific loon and pigeon guillemot. Chichagof Island waters are productive for Pacific salmon species—king salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon—and groundfish such as Pacific halibut, supporting commercial fisheries regulated by bodies including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. The island's ecosystems are influenced by trophic interactions involving apex predators like brown bears and pinnipeds, and by disease and invasive species monitored by agencies including the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Economy and Infrastructure
Economic activity centers on commercial fishing fleets operating on species regulated under federal management such as the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and on limited timber operations historically associated with the Tongass National Forest logging programs administered by the United States Forest Service. Transportation links include marine routes used by the Alaska Marine Highway System and private vessels transiting the Inside Passage, while air access is provided by small airstrips and floatplane services tied to communities like Hoonah Airport and seaplane bases serving Alaska Airlines charters and regional carriers. Infrastructure provisioning involves utilities managed by regional cooperatives and programs from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, with seasonal supply chains connected to ports such as Sitka and Juneau.
Recreation and Conservation
Recreation includes sport fishing for salmon and halibut, bear-viewing guided by outfitters affiliated with statewide associations, kayaking and wildlife photography in fjords frequented by orca pods and humpback whales, and backcountry hiking linked to trails within the Tongass National Forest and nearby Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve visitation corridors. Conservation efforts involve federal and state designations, collaborations among organizations like the The Nature Conservancy and local tribal entities, and regulatory frameworks administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service that address habitat protection, sustainable fisheries, and species conservation. Recent management debates have involved logging roadless area protections, fisheries quotas set by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and co-management initiatives under tribal treaties and ANCSA settlement structures.