Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

About twenty volunteers hiked up from 7-Mile trailhead over the weekend to help Haines Huts and Trails put together the Tukga Hut, which will be the first public use cabin in Haines. The location, above 7-Mile Saddle on Chilly Ridge, was chosen to reduce impact to kidding mountain goats, as well as for its scenic views. Work over the weekend required more than half a dozen helicopter loads. The helicopters slung loads of pre-framed walls and roofs, but because of weather delays on Saturday, the work wasn't finished, according to Cindy Buxton of Haines Huts. Buxton said crews would continue work for the next three weekends to finish the exterior of the hut, including adding metal roofing and an outhouse. The hut is expected to b ready for use next summer, after crews install tables and bunks in the spring. The group has raised more than $55,000 for the project in addition to hundreds of hours of volunteer labor. It hopes to raise more money to pay for solar panels for electricity and lighting

Photos by Lex Treinen