NEW land: ALASKA 237 



the national-forest area seeks primarily to avoid isolated settlement. Because 

 of the adverse effect of isolation on human welfare and the difficulties 

 of providing essential social facilities, such as mail service, schools, and 

 roads, to scattered home sites, group settlement is encouraged. This helps 

 also to safeguard recreational values and encourage wildlife. 



A third consideration in forest planning is to provide a complement for, 

 rather than to duplicate, the pleasures already available to outdoor lovers 

 in the continental United States. The tourist industry, particularly that 

 involving stop-over tourists, appears to offer some chance for expansion in 

 Alaska. This recreational industry and industrial expansion should be 

 coordinated so that the Territory will derive the economic benefits of both. 

 It is not believed necessary to stifle either in order to have the other. Alaska 

 has room enough for all. 



Tourists . . . Visitors to southeastern Alaska must love water and travel 

 on water. They must be content with much fog and rain; to wait for the 

 views good weather brings. Extensive land travel for the average visitor is 

 not practical. Most people seldom get more than a few miles from their boats. 

 A week of clear weather, without fog or rain, is exceptional. But when good 

 weather comes, the views of snow-clad mountains, 75 miles of them, are 

 never to be forgotten. 



Alaska is not likely to be called on, in any predictable future, to enter- 

 tain great multitudes of visitors. No rail or highways connect with the 

 United States, but airline transport is probable in the near future. Con- 

 siderable time and expense are involved in reaching Alaska. Travel within 

 it is mostly by boat and airplane. 



More than half of the people who now visit Alaska are on round-trip 

 pleasure cruises of about 2 weeks, out of Seattle, Wash., and Vancouver, 

 B. C. As their time ashore is limited to stops of a few hours at principal 

 coastal towns and other seaside points of interest, caring for their needs on 

 national-forest lands presents no difficulties. 



Some of Alaska's visitors come for extended visits. They usually have a 

 definite reason for staying over — most frequently, perhaps, because Alaska 

 has something unusual to offer in their particular field of interest. Many 



