Crossing Sitka

Boarding the ferry to Sitka

Sitka is the second largest city in land area in the U.S. It covers 2874 square miles of temperate rain forest, rock and ice, but has only 9000 residents. We decided to walk from one side of town to the other. The Baranof crossing is considered a classic by locals and some go as far as to call it a right of passage. It’s not so much a trail as a vision. On one side lies the fishing community of Sitka. On the other lies the village of Baranof Warm Springs. In between are miles of devils’ club, sitka spruce and 4000′  snow covered peaks rising straight out of the ocean. The unusually high snowfall this past winter combined with a low cloud ceiling turned this ridge walk/bushwack into a 16 mile whiteout, ridge traverse. The only footwear we had were Xtra Tufs, the quintessential Alaska sneaker.

Ascending through the temperate rain forest

Alaska style. Crampons and Xtra Tufs

Traversing Mt. Bassie through the clouds on the Baranof Crossing

A brief lapse in the clouds reveals the bergschrund we had just crossed

An oasis at the other end. After a 2000′ bushwack descent through the rainforest and one last night amongst the trees, we arrived to the safe haven of Baranof Warm Springs.

A well deserved soak in the most beautiful hot springs imaginable.

Loading the plane for the short hop back to Sitka.

After having the hot springs to ourselves for the entire morning, we dried our soaking wet gear and cameras in the sun and prepared for our flight back across the island. The plane buzzed in right on time and we were instantly plucked from terra firma. Flying over the route in almost cloudless sunshine brought mixed emotions as we looked down at our footsteps atop the ridgelines. We had traversed one of the most beautiful places on earth, but we had only seen glimpses. To see the Baranof Crossing now in all its glory made me almost want to do it again. Almost.