The City and Borough of Sitka is a unified city-borough located on the west side of Baranof Island in the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean (part of the Alaska Panhandle), in the U.S. state of Alaska. Sitka is the state's fourth-largest city in terms of population and the nation's largest city in terms of area.
The name Sitka (derived from Sheet’ká, a contraction of the Tlingit name Shee At'iká) means "People on the Outside of Shee," Sheet’-ká X'áat'l (often expressed simply as Shee) being the Tlingit name for Baranof Island. The town is sometimes referred to as "Sitka-by-the-Sea."
A view toward Sitka from the Pacific Ocean. Sitka is the only town in Southeast Alaska that faces the Gulf of Alaska "head-on."
The Pioneer Home, one of Sitka's many historic structures, in May 2002.
Attractions
Sitka's many attractions include:
The flora and fauna of Sitka and its surrounding area are also a notable attraction. Day cruises and guided day trips (hiking) are large enterprises in Sitka. Floatplane "flightseeing" excursions are a breathtaking way to view the area's many sights from high above.
Outdoor opportunities
Looking down Sitka Channel in the early morning.
Sitka's unique position of being straddled between the Pacific Ocean and the most mountainous island in the Alexander Archipelago creates an abundant variety of outdoor opportunities:
- The Baranof Cross-Island Trail, which leads to the small community of Baranof Warm Springs on the eastern side of the island, is a popular summer hike. Only serious and experienced backpackers, or those with an experienced guide should undertake such a trip due to volatile weather conditions in the mountains and the required crossings of icefields, with crevasses.
- The dormant volcano Mount Edgecumbe is also a popular mountain to summit and features a seven-mile trail up to the top. Guided day-trips are available, but the trip does not require much knowledge to undertake.
- The officially unnamed, but informally named Peak 5390 (the name is derived from its height in feet) is the highest point on Baranof Island, a demanding but rewarding excursion. Few people undertake this hike; those interested should consult with one who has "summitted" previously.
- Kayaking is a popular activity and small guided day excursions are offered locally. For longer trips, popular destinations include the Baranof Island-located outposts of Goddard hot springs, Baranof Warm Springs, Port Alexander, Port Armstrong, or Port Walter. White Sulphur Hot Springs (on the western side of Chichagof Island) is also a destination for ocean kayakers. For locations closer to Sitka, Forest Service cabins are popular.
- For more experienced kayakers, there are many tidewater bays/lakes that offer exhilarating and dangerous whitewater tidal currents.
- There are a number of maintained trails in the Sitka area, many of which are accessible from Sitka's road system. Some popular trails include the Indian River Trail, Beaver Lake Trail, Mosquito Cove Trail, Harbor Mountain/Gavin Hill Trail, Redoubt Lake Trail, Mount Verstovia Trail, and Shelikof Trail.
Trivia
- The town served as the capital of Russian America until 1867, and was the busiest seaport on the west coast of North America, as evidenced by Dana in his popular account of a 1834 sailing voyage.
- Sitka has the largest incorporated city limits in the United States, four times the size of the state of Rhode Island.
- According to the National Marine Fisheries Service,[7] Sitka is the ninth most valuable commercial fisheries port in the nation and fourth in Alaska with $43.3 million dollars passing through its port in 2004.
- Sitka has the largest harbor system in the State of Alaska.
- "Sitka, Alaska" transliterates into the Russian language's Cyrillic alphabet as Ситка, Аляска.
In books and films
A replica of Russian Block House #1 (one of three watchtowers that guarded the stockade walls at Old Sitka) as constructed by the National Park Service in 1962.
Sources: Wikipedia |
