Thayer Lake Shelter South

Dispersed Camping

3-sided CCC Adirondack-style shelter with gravel floor at the south end of Thayer Lake. Water source is the lake using a purifier.

Lake and Pond Fishing

Thayer Lake is usually ice free by early May through mid November for fishing. Shallow along edge of lake.

Special Designations	For fishing information, contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Fishing Mode	shoreline, hip and chest waders
Fish Species	Cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden and kokanee
Water Temperature	Ice covered for five months and fed by snowmelt and cold rain runoff, this lake remains cold
Fishing Method	Lures: artificial lures - shiny spoons and spinners, and flies
Water/Flow Level	Lake level will rise abruptly and cover shoreline beach during periods of heavy rainfall

Day Hiking

The 4.7 miles one-way Thayer To Salt Lake trail begins at Thayer Lake Shelter South and gradually descends through a spruce/hemlock forest following the north side of Freshwater Lake to the tidal grass on the west side of Salt Lake.

Elevation desc	Elevations range from near 10 feet by Salt Lake to 450 feet approaching the Thayer Lake shelter.
Difficulty Level:	Moderate

Big Game Hunting

Hunting the Thayer To Salt Lake trail is 4.7 miles one-way. This trail begins at Thayer Lake and gradually descends through a spruce/hemlock forest following the north side of Freshwater lake to Salt Lake. Additional trails branch to Davidson Lake and Mitchell Bay. For hunting regulations, contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Species	Brown Bear, Sitka Blacktail Deer
Difficulty Level:	Moderate

Small Game Hunting

Hunting the Thayer To Salt Lake trail is 4.7 miles one-way. This trail begins at Thayer Lake and gradually descends through a spruce/hemlock forest following the north side of Freshwater lake to Salt Lake. Additional trails branch to Davidson Lake and Mitchell Bay. For hunting regulations, contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Species	Marten, Red Squirrel, River Otter, Beaver, Mink
Difficulty Level:	Moderate

Game Bird/Waterfowl

Hunting the Thayer To Salt Lake trail is 4.7 miles one-way. It begins at Thayer Lake and gradually descends through a spruce/hemlock forest following the north side of Freshwater lake to Salt Lake. Additional trails branch to Davidson Lake and Mitchell Bay. For hunting regulations, contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Species	Grouse, Canada geese, scoters, long-tailed duck, Barrow's goldeneye, harlequin, and buffleheads along with mallards, scaups, and mergansers.
Difficulty Level:	Moderate

Viewing Wildlife

Admiralty Island's combination of varied ecotypes, pristine habitat, and healthy wildlife populations provide extraordinary wildlife viewing surrounding this shelter. Wildlife may be viewed along the 4.7 miles one-way Thayer To Salt Lake trail. This trail begins at Thayer Lake Shelter South and gradually descends through a spruce/hemlock forest following the north side of Freshwater lake to the tidal grass at Salt Lake. Additional trails branch to Davidson Lake and Mitchell Bay. Look for brown bear tracks during early spring or summer while the salmon are spawning.

Species	Brown bear, Sitka blacktail deer, numerous bird species, mink, marten, river otter, beaver, red squirrel, western toad, rough skinned newt are among the list of creatures inhabiting the area.
Difficulty Level:	Moderate

Viewing Plants

Admiralty Island's varied pristine ecotypes provide for extraordinary plant viewing surrounding this shelter and along the 4.7 miles one-way Thayer To Salt Lake trail. This trail begins at Thayer Lake Shelter South and gradually descends through a spruce/hemlock forest following the north side of Freshwater lake to the tidal grass at Salt Lake. Additional trails branch to Davidson Lake and the Mitchell Bay coastline ecology.

Species

Admiralty Island comprises one of the greatest remaining blocks of productive old-growth temperate rain forest in the world. Alpine, tidal marsh and muskeg meadows are some of the other plant communities. The temperate rainforest primarily consist of western and mountain hemlock, Sitka spruce, alder, yellow cedar and shore pine. Forest understory consists primarily of blueberry, huckleberry, salmonberry, thimbleberry, fern, mosses ,devils club, false azalea, mushrooms and dwarf dogwood.

Difficulty Level:

Moderate

Swimming

Thayer Lake is ice covered for five months, snowmelt and cold rain keeps it full during the spring and summer so the water temperature is never considered warm. Late July through August the surface water near the shoreline can warm enough that on a sunny afternoon a swim is possible.