Cape St. Elias Lighthouse
Cape St. Elias Lighthouse is on uninhabited Kayak Island, 62 miles southeast of
the nearest town, Cordova, Alaska. The island is 20 miles long and generally
only 2 miles wide, but rainforest vegetation is so dense that hikers cannot
cross it. The solitary island extends into the Gulf of Alaska, separated from
the mainland by a channel 4 miles wide. At its southernmost seaward side is
situated the lighthouse, automated since 1974.
It is now a National Historic Landmark. Built in 1916, it sits on a steep slope
adjacent to a two-story lightkeepers’ residence. Below it is a helicopter pad,
boathouse, and research center. Today only the boathouse is habitable, with wood
stove, water tank, propane oven, blankets, and bunks for as many as 10 paying
visitors. It is maintained by the Cape St. Elias Lightkeepers Association
Organized in 1997, the Association is dedicated to restoring and preserving the
complex of buildings at Cape Elias. It has a 30-year lease with the U.S. Coast
Guard. An individual membership in the Association is $35 the first year and $10
annually thereafter.
Through The Lighthouse School, groups or individuals can visit the island for
educational tours or participate in experiential science classes such as Geology
of Southeast Prince William Sound and Kayak Island.
Cape
Saint Elias Lighthouse Keepers Association
PO Box 1023
Cordova Alaska 99574
Phone: (907) 424-5182
Email: info@kayakisland.org
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