Shakes Glacier

Shakes Glacier is located in the Stikine-LeConte Wilderness about 30 miles east of Wrangell, Alaska. It drains the southern portion of the Stikine Icefield and terminates in Shakes Lake. Like other glaciers from the Stikine Icefield, Shakes Glacier is losing ice. Between the 1980’s and 2014 the ice retreated approximately 1.4 miles. Icebergs are always present in the lake and at the narrow entrance to the lake in Shakes Slough. There are no recreation facilities such as cabins or shelters at the glacier, though the nearby FS cabins on Shakes Slough, Shakes Slough Cabin #1 and Shakes Slough Cabin #2, and others in the Stikine- LeConte Wilderness are within short boating distances. Forest Service developed recreation opportunities in the area include Chief Shakes Hot Springs.

Title:	Icy creek flowing into Shakes Lake
Caption:	Icy creek flowing into Shakes Lake
Date:
Location:	Wrangell, AK
Credit:	Karen Dillman
Description:
Source:	U.S. Forest Service, Tongass NF

Title:	View of Shakes Lake, looking south to Shakes Lake
Caption:	View of Shakes Lake, looking south to Shakes Lake
Date:
Location:	Wrangell, AK
Credit:	Karen Dillman
Description:
Source:	U.S. Forest Service, Tongass NF

Title:	Berry Picking along Shakes Slough
Caption:	Berry Picking along Shakes Slough
Date:
Location:	Wrangell, AK
Credit:	Karen Dillman
Description:
Source:	U.S. Forest Service, Tongass NF

General Information

The glacier environment is a dynamic landscape with cold water constantly moving, from cascading waterfalls to swift silty rivers. The terrain along the lake is very steep for hiking but places can be found for anchoring a boat and exploring. Visitors must plan accordingly for lake levels to rise unexpectedly and icebergs to shift their weight and roll. 

In the early 1900’s, Shakes Glacier was titled Knig (also spelled Knic or Knyg) Glacier. The origin of this name was found to be Kristen “Knig” Johansen, who took his gas powered boat, the Karen, up to the glacier and collected glacier ice for the town of Wrangell. At this time Shakes Lake also carried his namesake as Johansen’s lake. Kristen was nicknamed “Knig” for the mountains where he grew up in Norway. In Norway, Kristen served in His Majesty the King’s Life Guard from 1887-1889. The story of Knig and the previous title of Shakes Glacier lives on in Knig Slough, a nearby side channel of the Stikine River. 

The Glacier is now officially called “Shakes Glacier” for the powerful line of Tlingit Chiefs of Wrangell, seven of which carried the name “Chief Shakes”. One of these Chief Shakes had a cabin near the mouth of Shake’s Slough.  

In the late 1600’s, Shakes Glacier extended to the end of Shakes Slough at the main river. During the Little Ice Age, Shakes Glacier experienced a period of advance, but resumed recession by 1780. From 1780-1948, Shakes Glacier had an average terminus retreat of 26 meters per year (not accounting for the Little Ice Age advance). After 1948, the average terminus retreat has been steady at approximately 107 meters per year. This 2017 recession rate summary data are from Wrangell High School’s Shakes Glacier Survey Team.