Volunteers propose ridge cabin and new trail for Lost Lake; city to seek more community input

Michael Yee of the Skagway Alpine Club presented the committee with a volunteer-led plan to build a cabin and access trail near Lost Lake, arguing the structure should sit on the Face Mountain ridge rather than on the lake shore to protect the lake’s natural character and reduce wildfire risk. He said volunteers have completed about 40% of an outhouse vault and flagged a roughly 1.3-mile route that connects to the new Lost Lake Trail.

The proposal seeks to balance access, safety and preservation: Yee said the ridge site offers scenic views of glaciers and Lynn Canal, is at about 2,700 feet elevation, and is roughly 2.5 miles from the improved trailhead (about 1½–2 hours of steady hiking). He emphasized helicopter access is a design requirement "because the whole plan was always it had to be flown up there" and said Temsco Helicopters has given a conditional thumbs-up pending the removal of a few small trees in the proposed landing zone. "We found a site that checked all those boxes," Yee said, describing volunteer work on a trail and an outhouse vault.

Why it matters: committee members raised safety, accessibility and process questions. Several members and staff warned that a lakeside cabin would require cutting many trees and could increase fire risk and maintenance difficulty. The manager said the Lost Lake Trail report recommends a site and that the city has fiscal-year funding to support Alpine Club activities (materials, helicopter lifts); she and committee members agreed trail work and cabin construction could proceed in parallel depending on funding and staffing.

Committee action and follow-up: the committee did not pick a final site. Members asked staff to get more input from Interior Trails (on trail-brushing and feasibility), to request a formal assessment from Temsco on the current lakeside location vs. the new ridge site, and to invite Luke (the trail/grounds lead) to discuss maintenance plans. The chair said the item will be placed on an upcoming agenda to gather broader community input before the project passes the point of no return.

Direct quotes and context: "By setting this new cabin away from the lake, we preserve the experience for everyone," Michael Yee said. The manager noted that the city had "funding this fiscal year to construct the ... support for the Alpine Club" and that staff would need to clarify how much trail development would require additional budget. Orion (committee member) emphasized helicopter access as "paramount" for moving the outhouse barrels and cabin materials.

Next steps: staff will approach Interior Trails and Temsco for technical feedback and will ask Luke to brief the committee on maintenance and trail feasibility; the committee will revisit the item at a future meeting to gather community input and review any required funding or permits.