***More up-to-date and detailed town profiles and specific employment information about Ketchikan and other Region 1 towns can be found at AlaskaJobFinder.com.

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Ketchikan is the fourth largest city in Alaska (after Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau) with a population of about 9,000. It's known as the "First City" because it is the southernmost settlement of any size on the panhandle and is the Alaska Marine Highway System's first stop. With an average of 161 annual inches of "liquid sunshine," it also ranks first for rainfall accumulation. Be sure to pack a rain coat.

Nearby Deer Mountain provides a beautiful view, at least on rare dry days. The town is home to the largest assortment of totem poles in the U.S., scattered throughout the area, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled as you wander. The poles depict Native American legends and offer a historical record of the area's indigenous people.

Built on a narrow stretch of land running along the water, Ketchikan offers a wide range of activities for fisheries workers on their time off. The Creek Street historic district, with its narrow boardwalks on pilings, is home to a variety of gift shops and other tourist sights.

Miles of hiking, biking, and kayaking territory is just a stone's throw away, and is best around Deer Mountain and Ward Lake. There are many wilderness campgrounds and public-use cabins throughout the area.

The nightlife can get pretty wild, too. The city has a real working-class feel, as fishermen, processors, and loggers make their way along the row of bars lining downtown's Front Street.

Ketchikan's major employers are the government and the fishing, timber, and tourism industries. With a commercial fishing fleet of over 230 boats and a number of processing plants, the town offers seasonal workers a variety of employment opportunities.

Ketchikan Information

Population: 9,000 - Alaska's fourth largest city

Location: Southern portion of Southeast Alaska on Revillagigedo Island

Annual precipitation: 161 inches, second highest total in the U.S.

July averages: Temperature 58.2°F; precipitation 7.65 inches

Inexpensive lodging: First United Methodist Church Youth Hostel (AYH), (907) 225-3780, P.O. Box 8515, 400 Main Street. Sleeping space is $8/night for AYH members and $11/night for non-members. Guests are required to do a daily ten-minute housekeeping chore. The hostel is open May 26 through Labor Day. Hours are 6pm to 9am only. The Rain Forest Inn (907) 225-RAIN has a cheap version at 2311 Hemlock Street. Beds are $25/day. Dorms cost $150/wk, $399/month for a semi-private room. Private rooms are available for $50/day upon availability. The classy version is a bed and breakfast at 2635 4th Avenue. Rooms equipped with TV, VCR, phone, etc. go for $75/day or $1,600/month, and continental breakfast is included.

Camping: The camping situation for fisheries workers is not very good. The campgrounds, averaging $8/day, are far out of town and the rainy weather can make for poor camping conditions.Your two best options are listed here. Signal Creek Campground is located 4.5 miles north of the ferry terminal on North Tongass Highway, then one mile up a dirt road on the right. Across the road is CCC Campground. Some set up tents in a wooded area across from the lake to avoid paying $5/night. Be careful though; the ranger may threaten you with a fine. Also try Last Chance Campground, located two miles past Ward Lake. There is a $10/night fee per site. Showers are in town at many laundromats and at Mike Smither's Public Pool, (907) 225-2010, located directly behind the High School.

Ferry terminal: Two-and-a-half miles northwest of the town center

Airport: Across Tongass Narrows opposite the downtown area. A ferry shuttles passengers between the airport and the ferry terminal.

Chamber of Commerce: P.O. Box 5957, Ketchikan, AK 99901; (907) 225-3184

Visitor's Bureau: 131 Front Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901; (800) 770-3300

Hospital: Ketchikan General Hospital, (907) 225-5171

Forest Service: (907) 225-3101

***More up-to-date and detailed town profiles and specific employment information about Region 1 towns (including Ketchikan) can be found at Alaska Job Finder.com. Unfortunately, our licensing agreement with AlaskaJobFinder doesn't allow us to use the most current version of their Alaska fishing job information. Please use this town profile only for general information, as some of the information may be outdated.

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