Public Use Cabins - General Info & Discussion

[Roguegal]

I have just 2 questions for you.
1. What in the world as the "dungies"? I have never heard of a fish called this before.
2. How much do the cabins usually cost? Is there a specific time you must have possession of the cabin? I.e. 1 day, 1 week, a month?

[alaskacabin]

Dungie4sw are tasty crab
Cabins rent by the day $35 for U S Forest Service and about the same for State Parks I think they will limit the stay to about a week or 10 days

[Grace]

What a fantastic price for a gorgeous log cabin! I can't believe how affordable it is. You can fish right there or someplace else. You can get the crab. Do you get Walleye or Northern Pike there? Town is 25 miles away, that's pretty close. Usually you want to know where they are close to an airport or not.

[tater03]

Wow, now that is a great price for a cabin. Can you rent for less then a week or is the minimum a week? Thanks.

[Roguegal]

This sounds like a beautiful placed to spend a quiet weekend. You get fishing ride your doorstep and some of the most beautiful scenery around. But I still have a question for you. Why do they call it crabs "dungies"?

[CanCanCase]

"dungies" are dungeness crab. We also get king and tanner crab, but with different traps.

Some of the cabins can only be rented for one or two nights per person to give others a chance to reserve them. I use them as a stopping place on longer journeys with our boat... Always nice to get off the boat and stretch your legs a bit!

- Case

[Roguegal]

How far in advance would you say the cabins need to be reserved for say a week? That would be a minimum for me at least I don't know about other people. I would want to have plenty of time to relax and do a little fishing and take a tour.

[CanCanCase]

Originally Posted by Roguegal

How far in advance would you say the cabins need to be reserved for say a week? That would be a minimum for me at least I don't know about other people. I would want to have plenty of time to relax and do a little fishing and take a tour.

It depends on the specific cabin. As Peter pointed out, the Church Bight Cabin in Gambier bay isn't all that popular. The Forest Service has threatened to drop the service if not enough folks reserve (and pay for) them.

Other, more accessible cabins - Taku Harbor for example - are often booked up months or even years in advance.

When we book a charter on the Can Can, I'll usually pick the nearest cabin to where we're going to be and book it as a backup plan in case folks don't want to sleep on the boat or if the weather gets bad and we need a calm place to stay for the night.

-Case

[tater03]

May I ask why the Church Bight Cabin in not all that popular? I just find it such a shame to hear that it might have to close so was wondering why it is not popular? Thanks.

[alaskacabin]

I think that some of these more remote sites have just been overlooked. It is difficult to get to them so people tend to rent the cabins closer to town. These cabins are all in good places but no one is really promoting them. They are important to our region and this forum will hopefully help generate some interest and get them rented and used.

[alaskacabin]

One more note
Most public cabins only allow a 6 months in advance booking. This eliminates the possibility that some one could book the same date a year or 2 ahead and makes the reservation system a more fair playing ground. For example late august is probably not open for bookings yet for most cabins. The 4th of July may already be booked.

[CanCanCase]

I was just going to say I'll bet it has to do with the more remote location.

Hey, Peter... how long do you suppose it will take us to get authorization from the FS to make a few improvements (if necessary) to Church Bight? I'll be down that way the majority of May and again in early August.

-Case

[alaskacabin]

I have a pretty good relationship with the Admiralty folks at the Forest Service. I bet I can get permission for at least some stuff by just asking. Some of the contact people are out until their seasonl employment starts back up. We can make a plan and I will follow up ASAP

[CanCanCase]

Maybe you can stop by for a quick survey on your way up in April. If we can get permission fast enough, I'll put my Home Depot credit card into the hat, and haul a few supplies down the week before MayFest...

-Case

[Roguegal]

Here's a very important question for many people nowadays. What about accessibility for handicap, i.e. wheelchair or power chair types of accessibility? For many people when recovering from a medical condition or surgery a remote quiet cabin could be the ideal place to recuperate.

[CanCanCase]

Originally Posted by Roguegal

Here's a very important question for many people nowadays. What about accessibility for handicap, i.e. wheelchair or power chair types of accessibility? For many people when recovering from a medical condition or surgery a remote quiet cabin could be the ideal place to recuperate.

Short answer... No.

Alaska is "The Last Frontier"... these cabins weren't built with accessibility in mind. Many of the FS cabins require an airlift to get to, or extensive hiking. Even the marine accessible cabins aren't meant to be easy to get to. They were built as basic shelters for survival, and have become popular as a means of recreation.

Also, there's the issue of access to medical services that comes with a handicap or surgical recovery. When we book a cabin to camp at for a night, I go prepared for a week. If the weather rolls in and you can't leave safely, plan on staying there an extra day, two days, fifteen days...

Where would the power for a power lift come from? ;-)

-Case

[tater03]

See I wouldn't mind staying at more remote places. As long as I have my supplies that I needed I think it would be relaxing. Thanks for the information.

[alaskacabin]

Some of the cabins are handicap accessible, or at least handicap friendly Taku Harbor is a good example it has a handicap outhouse a dock with a wheel chair accessible ramp and accessible trail to the cabin.

Gambier Bay while it now is not very accessible is scheduled to be torn down sometime in the future and replaced with a handicap accessible cabin. That is why it is so important for us to use these cabins, it gives the government more reason to keep them and follow through with the scheduled upgrades.

one more note If someone raises the money to do a portion of a rebuild project The Forest Servic can and probably will put that project ahead on the list of things to get done. So if you really like a cabin but want a new one in its place it could be as simple as raising a portion of the money to complete the project.

[liowkc]

It is very unfortunate that facilities for the disabled are non-existent and at best rudimentary for such beautiful and remote locations. Hopefully, things will change for the better in future.

[Roguegal]

It is unfortunate. But slowly, they are beginning to change. Mainly, because those of us that are handicapped are getting out more and taking two words like going to Alaska or even Hawaii. Handicapped people are finally beginning to realize that they do not have to stay at home all the time. That they can go out and do things just like everybody else does. Of course, there are some limitations, but do not tell us that. :-)

[lena_mae1983]

The cabin in the picture looks small but nice. Very beautiful setting too. Thanks for sharing all these wonderful pictures.

[That1TyGuy]

I may have missed it in such a long thread but in these cabins do they have beds or anything of the like or are they just empty cabins for use of whatever you want to do whether it be like a family gathering or a night stay?

Thanks!