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Tongass National Forest |
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Tongass Home » About
the Tongass » Geology: Glaciers
and Caves
Karst and Caves
Some 850 square miles of the Tongass are underlain by carbonate bedrock. With the geologic and climatic setting of Southeastern Alaska, dramatic karst landscapes and their associated extensive cave systems have formed. Karst
The rugged karst terrain is often dense and difficult. The roughness of the karst topography and the vegetation make access a challenge, and many caves are dangerous to enter and explore. CavesIt is estimated that there are thousands of caves in the Tongass National Forest. Some 650 have been inventoried, most on northern Prince of Wales Island and several westerly islands. These caves are a virtually untapped source of information about the formation of the islands, past environments, changing animal populations, and human uses of the caves.
Caves in the Tongass are wet and undeveloped. Anyone entering them must have the appropriate equipment and be alert to the potential hazards and the fragile condition of cave features. The Forest Service offers tours of the longest known cave in Alaska, El Capitan Cave on Prince of Wales Island, as well as interpretation of two other karst and cave sites. Please check with the Craig or Thorne Bay district offices for information on available tours, caving safety, regulations, and ethics. |
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USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest Accessibility Statement |
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