Bikepacking Prince of Wales Island

Days 0-1: We had 24 hours in Ketchikan to drag bike bags to our Airbnb from the airport, assemble bikes, bike around town, borrow some bear sprays from our new favorite Ketchikan locals (since you can’t fly with them on a commercial plane), and sample the delicious food and beverage. The ferry to Prince of Wales Island takes about 3 hours from Ketchikan, so we had another opportunity to enjoy some non-freeze-dried food before we departed.

Days 1-2: In which we learned a church in Thorne Bay is holding a liquor license hostage so that no one can open a bar in town. We had departed the ferry the night before, camped in the beautiful Harris River campground, before biking west across the island to bike east across the island to Thorne Bay. The main attraction in town is the giant claw from the remnant logging industry, the milkshakes at AK-49, and the rambling gravel Sandy Beach Road.

Day 3: Of which we rambled along the scenic Sandy Beach Road. We left our walk-in beachside campsite to wind up into a beautiful misty forest, and then rode a long, flowy gravel downhill to Coffman Cove. The day in which I ate the best salmonberries I’ve ever picked, and Sagar filtered water under the watchful gaze of a bald eagle.

Day 4: We reserved and biked to the historic U.S. Forest Service Staney Creek Cabin, in the Tongass National Forest, and it was berry, berry, good. We’ve been taking a trick from our friend Stu, and have been composing poems for every public use cabin log book we stay in. Feel like this iteration is our greatest work of literature yet...

Day 5: This island is quite possibly the only place I would trust gas station oysters. Also, we found beer! Beautiful day of intermittent rain, long gravel roads, and a cold one in Craig at the end from First and Main Brewery. And of course… more berries. Always more berries.

Day 6: Short ride to Hollis from Craig, a stop at the Totem Park in Klawock, and camp along an old scenic mining road.

Day 7: A return ferry to Ketchikan from Prince of Wales Island, and imbibing a few victory beers (and victory burgers) in town before flying home to Anchorage.