APPENDIX - FACILITIES AND FEATURES OF ST. MATTHEW IS. 
OF SIGNIFICANCE IN PLANNING LAND-BASED PROJECTS. 
Planning for future biological studies, or for harvest and util- 
ization of the reindeer of St. Matthew Island, will be simplfied if 
information of transportation problems and existing living facilities 
are knowne 
No harbors exist at St. Matthew Island. Beach landings by boat 
are best made on the northeast shore during the summer months as the 
prevailing winds at this time are from the southwest. Airplane land- 
ings with a Grumman goose, or larger plane, could safely be made in 
the sea on the lee side of the island, about half of the time during 
mid-summer. The loose, rounded gravel of the beaches, however, would 
not permit taxiing a heavy plane onto the beach. None of the beaches 
are suitable for landings with conventional wheeled aircraft. There 
is a strip of old beach gravel adjacent to Big Lake, which is stabi- 
lized by vegetation and appeared solid enough to support a goose in 
a wheel landing. Frost conditions would effect this surface. Land- 
ings in Big Lake and two or three of the other larger lakes appear to 
be the most practical method of landing, or basing, an airplane at 
the island. These lakes are relatively shallow but with few excep- 
tions are deep enough for safe landings. Taxiing out of the lakes 
could also be accomplished. 
Travel over the surface of the island is most practical on foot, 
however, a jeep might be useful if solid routes of travel were picked 
out and established in advance. There are boggy areas which would be 
impassable. This was graphically illustrated by the presence of two, 
large Coast Guard Caterpillar tractors in the center of the island, 
which obviously became bogged down and were abandoned. 
Six Quonset huts remained standing at the Coast Guard station 
and one at the Army weather station. All of these buildings were in 
poor condition but could be repaired for storage or living with a 
minimum of effort. Several antenna poles at the Coast Guard station 
could be used in setting up radio communications. Unfortunately, 
- all of these structures are on the exposed side of the island. There 
is one driftwood cabin on the northeast shore near Big Lake which 
would be suitable summer shelter for three or four men. 
Fresh water is readily available from any of the streams and 
most of the lakes. Driftwood, for fuel or limited structural use, 
is abundant on the northeast shore of the island and in isolated 
spots on other beaches. 
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