Piper Island Cabin

Piper Island Cabin is on a small island within Fish Bay, 30 miles north of Sitka, Alaska, on Baranof Island. The modified A-frame cabin is available year-round, weather permitting, and was built in 1994 by volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station and a group of local Sitka volunteers. This is a remote site, accessible only by boat or floatplane: from Sitka it is a 1.5-hour boat ride or a 20-minute plane ride. Recreational opportunities include beachcombing along the sandy beach, wildlife viewing, saltwater fishing, crabbing and seasonal deer hunting. The 16-by-16-foot wood, modified A-frame cabin can accommodate up to seven people. An open sleeping loft, reached by vertical ladder, offers no bunks but overlooks the dining area below; the main level contains one double plywood bunk and one single plywood bunk. An oil stove for heat, a table with benches, a cooking counter, broom and an outhouse toilet are provided, and a large skylight offers natural light over the dining area. Heating oil, mattresses and cooking utensils are not provided: bring No. 1 diesel fuel (generally 10 gallons for a three-day stay, more or less depending on the time of year), bedding, a cook stove and cookware, a lantern, food, a fire extinguisher and fire starter. Rain gear and boots are recommended. No reliable water source is available on Piper Island. The closest is a stream on Baranof Island, about a half-mile from the cabin by boat; treat all water before using, and bring your own supply. A mooring buoy is available on a first-come, first-served basis and is not reserved for cabin guests; mariners are responsible for judging its suitability for the size of their craft. The cabin sits just inside the forest fringe of Piper Island, overlooking a sandy beach within Schulze Cove, on the north side of Fish Bay. Brown bear frequent the area.