On the Lost Coast of Alaska, North of Yakutat and South of Cordova, lies an uninhabited area that has bee extensively logged since the 1950's. The area is so remote, and the waters so fierce, that all of the fuel for this entire operation was flown in by air-tankers (a 7,000 foot runway was constructed for this purpose) out of Anchorage. In the summer months, equipment and supplies were barged in and/or out, but the fuel companies refused to risk it with tankers or fuel barges. Logs were trucked over an extensive road system from the woods to a sort/storage yard at Icy Bay, an iceberg-riddled saltwater cove, where log ships would come in and load up to get them South to markets in the real world. The camp closed and most of the buildings were demolished and finally burned in 2007. But much machinery never made it out, and will be there now in perpetuity, including yarders, loaders, trucks, etc. Here are a few pics I took last trip out there. If you charter out of Yakutat with Les at Alsek Airways, a bush service, it is about 90 minutes North, flying over the miles-long face of Malaspina Glacier, well worth the cost, lots of bear and moose to look at on the trip. Getting there is a real weather challenge, however.
Anyway, some rusty Alaskan equipment pics.
