228 FOREST OUTINGS 



The national forests of Alaska comprise a narrow strip of mainland, 

 with hundreds of adjacent islands. They extend from the south boundary 

 of the territory to the town of Seward. By localities the forests cover most 

 of southeastern Alaska, the Prince William Sound region, and the eastern 

 part of the Kenai Peninsula. The length of this maritime strip is 800 miles, 

 but there are so many islands and deeply indented coasts that the shore 

 line is more than 12,000 miles in extent. The two national forests, the 

 Tongass and Chugach, cover nearly 21 million acres, about 5% percent 

 of the total area of the territory. Both mainland and islands have extremely 

 rugged topography. High mountains rise abruptly from the water's edge. 

 An intricate network of narrow channels, including many extending far 

 inland, brings all parts of the region within easy reach of tidewater. 



Human occupancy is confined largely to scattered seaport towns. 

 Except for these towns and isolated canneries, the shore line remains 

 primitive. So does the back country except for mining operations here 

 and there. Rough topography makes extensive highway construction 

 prohibitive; most roads radiate no more than a few miles from the towns. 

 Less than 1 percent of the total area is suitable for agricultural use. 



This southeastern region is nearer the United States than any other 

 part of Alaska. It is crossed by the main steamer route and is only 2 days 

 by boat from Seattle. The highly developed salmon-packing industry and 

 mining activities have made it the most populous part of the Territory. 

 There are approximately 24,000 residents, white and native. These factors, 

 combined with its recreational appeal, bring to the national forests more 

 visitors, both tourists and residents, than to any other part of Alaska. 



The Tongass National Forest is a land of waterways, a highly interest- 

 ing region geographically. It presents the picture of a high, rugged mountain 

 range that subsided countless centuries ago, partly below the sea; its laby- 

 rinth of protected waterways were one time valleys of rivers and creeks, 

 and its islands are the tops of formerly connected mountain ranges. The 

 famous fiords of Norway, with all their grandeur, hold nothing more 

 inspiring than those seen in Alaska. Often the narrow channels are bordered 

 by towering mountains of bare rock, worn smooth by glaciation, so nearly 

 vertical that the boat cannot land except in a few places. 



