SURFING
Consistent swells that can balloon out to more up to 20 feet have made the small village of Yakutat one of Alaska’s self-proclaimed surf meccas. The area is sometimes referred to as “The Far North Shore” and the town’s sole surf shop is aptly named Icy Waves. The Yakutat area is for surfers who can handle the cold. The best waves occur from mid-April to mid-June and mid-August through September. The Japanese current pushes summer water temperatures into the mid-60s. During the rest of the season, temperatures range from the mid-40s to the mid-50s. Surf report
HUBBARD GLACIER
Hubbard Glacier, the longest tidewater glacier in the world, is a mere is 30 miles away. The 76-mile-long glacier captured national attention by crossing Russell Fjord in the mid-1980s, turning the long inlet into a lake. Eventually, Hubbard receded to reopen the fjord, but the glacier crossed again in 2002 and came close in 2008. The eight-mile-wide glacier is one of Alaska’s most active glaciers.
The entire area, part of the 545-square-mile Russell Fjord Wilderness in Tongass National Forest, is one of the most interesting places in Alaska. Most visitors view Hubbard Glacier as part of cruise ship trip across Gulf of Alaska. Others reach the icy phenomenon through flightseeing or boat tours arranged in Yakutat.
FISHING
The Yakutat road system provides access to a variety of sport fishing opportunities in rivers that drain into the Gulf of Alaska. King, sockeye, and silver salmon can be caught during spawning runs and rainbow trout, steelhead trout, cutthroat trout, and Dolly Varden are present in many streams and lakes. The Situk River, 12 miles south of town by road, is one of the area’s top fishing spots.
Protected by an 18-mile-wide reef, Yakutat Bay offers excellent saltwater fishing that is only a short boat ride from the harbor. The community is home to charter fishing captains that target halibut, ling cod, king and silver salmon, red snapper, black bass, and rock fish throughout the summer.
KAYAKING
Excellent sea kayaking exists in Russell Fjord Wilderness, a 545-square-mile preserve that includes Hubbard Glacier. Most kayakers arrive with folding kayaks and then utilize float plane transportation to land deep in the fjord. Outfitters also offer guided kayak expeditions into the wilderness and sea kayaks are available for rent to explore the bays nearer to town.
GETTING TO YAKUTAT
Yakutat is located at the northern reaches of the Inside Passage and receives daily jet service from Anchorage and Juneau. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry also stops several times a month during the summer.