Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin

Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ translates to 'Face of the Glacier House.' It is situated on the shore of Mendenhall Lake, in view of the Mendenhall Glacier, about 13 miles from downtown Juneau — a rustic retreat, open year-round as an overnight accommodation, and an ideal base for enjoying the serenity and beauty of the lake. The site can be accessed through the Mendenhall Campground or by access trail depending on conditions, and winter weather may require a half-mile trek on snowshoes or skis. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and must bring several of their own amenities. The cabin is essentially drive-up between May 15 and September 15, when the campground is open for campers: three to four parking spots are reserved for cabin guests at Site 17, a short 50-yard walk on a packed gravel path from the cabin itself. During the off-season, when the campground is closed from September 15 through May 14, the site can be reached by walking the campground road or via a groomed ski trail when conditions allow, and one parking spot is reserved for cabin users in front of Skaters Cabin. In summer the campground entrance gate is closed nightly from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with the exit gate open 24 hours a day. Water faucets, accessible vault toilets, a dump station and a trash dumpster are provided nearby inside the Mendenhall Campground, as are two accessible flush toilets and shower facilities. This 16-by-20-foot pan-abode style cabin has a loft and sleeps six to ten people, with a single and two double bunks downstairs and a fully open floor upstairs. Hooks have been installed upstairs to support hammocks; please do not install additional screws, nails or hooks anywhere inside or outside the cabin. There is a table and benches, a countertop, a broom, electric cove heaters and a wood stove, and a secure bear box on the porch. The cabin site is ADA accessible, with accessible trails connecting the road, cabin, outhouse and fire ring. Water and firewood are not provided — water is seasonally available from spigots in the campground nearby, and it is recommended that visitors bring their own supply in winter. Lighting and electricity are minimal: lights are installed inside and outside the cabin and outhouse on motion-detection switches, and USB charging outlets are provided, but bring your own additional lighting and power supply for devices. Visitors must provide their own sleeping bags, sleeping pads, food, a cooking stove, cookware, plates, utensils, lanterns or flashlights, toilet paper, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher and fire starter, and are expected to pack out trash, empty the cabinets and clean the cabin before leaving. The door has a keyless lock that will lock every time the door is closed, so make note of your entry code — frequently users have it on their phone only and then walk outside, shutting the door behind them while leaving their phone inside. Hiking opportunities abound. The West Glacier Trail, with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet, can be hiked in 5-6 hours roundtrip; its trailhead is half a mile from the campground entrance by road or on the Aak'w Sit' Trail. The .4 mile Tolch Rock Trail is in this vicinity, and the campground itself has several paths with interpretive signs relating facts about the area wildlife and environment. Winter provides even more ways to recreate — the Mendenhall Campground is groomed when conditions allow for classic and skate skiing. Many trails can be accessed from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center area, including East Glacier Trail, with an elevation gain of 400 feet and 2-3 hours roundtrip; the 1.7 mile Nugget Falls Trail, where the waterfall drops 377 feet in two tiers onto a sandbar in Mendenhall Lake; the 1.5 mile Moraine Ecology Trail; and the .7 mile Trail of Time. Outfitters offer trips running the rapids down the Mendenhall River and helicopter flights to the top of the glacier. The campground sits at about 100 feet elevation, with Mendenhall Glacier to the north and the Mendenhall River flowing on the east; on either side the mountains rise from 4,000 to 7,000 feet above the glacier. The topography is relatively flat and open, consisting of glacial moraines, small lakes and ponds, with forbs and lichens, black cottonwood, Sitka alder, willow and mature spruce hemlock forests covering the area and a forest floor dotted with blueberry bushes and mosses. At nearly 17 million acres, the Tongass National Forest covers most of Southeast Alaska and is the largest forest in the national forest system, surrounding the Inside Passage and its cluster of coastline islands. It offers a chance to view eagles, bears and spawning salmon among expansive vistas of fjords, glaciers and mountain peaks, and is part of the world's largest temperate rain forest.