RAF COMPLETES CABIN RECONSTRUCTION AT BLACK BEAR LAKE, ALASKA

Visitors to the remote Black Bear Lake cabin on Prince of Wales Island, 50 air miles west-northwest of Ketchikan, can now enjoy the results of reconstruction completed by RAF volunteers in cooperation with the US Forest Service. The project began in 2025 thanks to an RAF grant for materials. RAF Alaska Liaison Jeff DeFreest and Alaska Ambassador Kari DeFreest report that they and two other volunteers flew in June 24-28 to provide labor.


 The project started last summer to begin deferred maintenance on the Panabode-style USFS cabin. It is one of 140 recreational cabins for public use in the Tongass National Forest. Where most of these cabins experience heavy winter rains, Black Bear Lake typically sees twelve or more feet of snow at its 1,650-foot elevation.

The workers reconstructed the failing front porch, repaired a damaged wall, repaired the outhouse and chimney system, entryway and rear window, and built a wood crib/gear storage box. They cleaned out under the cabin and stored usable lumber above the floor joists, then painted, cleaned, and installed a fire extinguisher. They finished restoring stair access to the beach, as the stairs were no longer serviceable when the crew began work in 2025. 


They made time to brush out around the cabin and stairs, install an RAF fire ring, and repair the skiff haul-out winch. 


 “This team deserves huge credit for their accomplishment and for managing the logistics in a place where all materials, including meals for the five-day project, had to be flown in,” RAF President Bill McGlynn said.

Find more on Black Bear Lake Cabin in the Airfield Guide.


Submitted July 29, 2026

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