Information About

Otter Lake

Quick Facts

Open in The Map Otter Lake on The Map

Location

57 ° 48' 4" N,
136 ° 8' 15" W

Region

Sitka

Nearest City

Pelican

Tributary to

Goulding Lake

Length

3 mi (4.83 km)

Elevation

249 ft (75.9 m)

Otter Lake in Detail.

Getting There

The easiest way to get to Otter Lake is a 50 minute float plane ride from Sitka. If not in the area you'll likely be heading to Juneau to get to the lakes it'll be cheaper to charter a float plane from Juneau rather than going to Sitka first. Another option is taking a boat to Goulding Harbor on the west coast of Chichagof Island and hiking up Goulding River. There's a set of 40ft high falls at the mouth of the first lake. Otter Lake is the third lake up the river. Access by helicopter is illegal.

About

One of four Goulding Lakes on Chichagof Island, 11 mi SSE of Pelican, Alex. Arch.

Otter Lake is home to Goulding Lake Cabin, Forest Service cabin. The cabin is 16X16 and sleeps 8. It rents for $35 a night and reservations can not be made more than 180 days in advance. Max stay of 7 nights May-Sept, 10 nights the rest of the year. There is also a skiff with oars that comes with the cabin rental.

Oct. 2 1964, a Catalina, operated by Alaska Coastal-Ellis Airlines crashed in Otter Lake. The plane is still resting nose down at about 200ft depth.

History

Named in 1955 by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); published by Rossman (1959, map). It was named because "its shores are the home of numerous otter families."

Naming: Named in 1955 by USGS; published by Rossman on a 1959 map. It was so named because "its shores are home to numerous otter families."

Places Near Otter Lake
Bars:

Fran Reef, Frog Rock, Guide Rock, Ittar Rock, Minnie Reef, Snipe ock,

Bays:

Baker Cove, Bertha Bay, Black Bay, Davison Bay, Didrickson Bay, Double Cove, Elf Cove, Elkugu Bay, Goulding Harbor, Kimshan Cove, Klag Bay, Kukkan Bay, Lisianski Inlet, Little Bay, Mirror Harbor, Pelican Harbor, Pinta Bay, Portlock Harbor, Stag Bay, West Arm Mirror Harbor,

Capes:

Point Lydonia, Point Shultz, Point Simonds, Point Weigle, Point Hope, Cape Dearborn, Cape Edward, Clearing Point, Copper Point, Division Point, Drip Point, Fox Point, Hogan Point, Maud Point, Pole Point, Quit Point, Rock Point, Rose Point, Slope Point, Soloma Point, Vein Point,

Channels:

Caution Passage, Dry Pass, Elbow Passage, The Gate, Gig Pass, Imperial Passage, Kukkan Passage, Ogden Passage, Rough Channel, Smooth Channel, South Passage, Surveyor Passage, Tawak Passage,

Cities:

Pelican,

Dams:

Pelican Creek Dam,

Flats:

Soloma Flat,

Hot Springs:

White Sulphur Springs,

Islands:

Black Island, Brown Rock, Cormorant Island, Dippy Island, Duck Island, Edward Islands, Elkugu Island, Fairway Rock, Fitz Island, Fleming Island, Grace Island, Granite Islands, Gray Rock, Gull Rock, Herbert Graves Island, Hill Island, Hogan Island, Junction Island, Kinky Island, Klag Island, Leo Island, Lock Island, Lydonia Island, Middle Island, Miner Island, Myriad Islands, Paulina Island, Peer Island, Pluma Island, Port Island, Post Island, Rowe Island, Shale Island, Sholin Island, Skinner Island, Snag Island, Snipe Island, Snipe Rock, Steep Island, Three Tree Island, Triplet Islands, Twin Island, Vorota Island, White Sisters,

Lakes:

Lake Cunningham, Lake Morris, Lake Helen, Lake James, Lake Anna, Black Lake, Duck Lake, Lake Elfendahl, Goose Lake, Goulding Lake, Goulding Lakes, Otter Lake, Rust Lake, Sister Lake, Lake Smiley, Whitestripe Lake, Wild Rice Lake,

Mountains:

Apex Mountain, Mount Baker, Mount Barness, Big Chief Mountain, Mount Crowther, Cub Mountain, Doolth Mountain, Mount Douglas, Mount Drake, Flat Top Mountain, Freeburn Mountain, Mount Fritz, Goon Dip Mountain, Mount Hill, Hirst Mountain, Mount Lydonia, Mine Mountain, Mineral Mountain, El Nido Peak, North Mountain, Pass Mountain, Pegmatite Mountain, Pinnacle Mountain, Pinnacle Peak, Pinnacle Peak, Mount Pinta, Mount Raatikainen, Rust Mountain, Tarn Mountain, Wedge Mountain, Whitestripe Mountain, Williams Hill,

Mountain Passes:

Fleming Channel, Sea Level Slough, West Arm,

Pillars:

Shag Rock,

Rivers:

Black River, Goon Dip River, Goulding River, Lisianski River, Porcupine River, Saltery River, Stag River, Steelhead River,

Streams:

Cann Creek, Chichagof Creek, Falls Creek, Marble Creek, Meadow Creek, Pelican Creek, Phonograph Creek, Rust Creek,

Routes:

Dry Pass Trail, Mine Mountain Trail,

Cities:

Sunnyside,