Raspberry Island (Alaska)

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Location of Raspberry Island.
Location of Raspberry Island.

Raspberry Island is an island of the Kodiak Archipelago located in the Gulf of Alaska in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located two miles northwest of Whale Island, and just across the mile wide Raspberry Strait from the southwestern end of Afognak.[1] The island is separated from Kodiak Island by the Kupreanof Strait, with the Shelikof Strait to the northwest. Raspberry Island is 18 miles (29 km) long with a width that varies from 3 miles (4.8 km) to 8 miles (12.9 km). The highest point on the island is 3,300 ft (1000 m).

The island is considered part of the Aleneva census-designated place in the Kodiak Island Borough. The only permanent population on Raspberry Island is located at Port Wakefield. Power is provided via a nearby micro hydro dam.

[edit] Environment

Sitka spruce is one of the dominant trees on Raspberry Island. Wildlife of note on the island includes Sitka Deer, Red Foxes and Kodiak Bears, as well as Tufted Puffins and Bald Eagles.[1] Afognak and Raspberry islands are the only locations in Alaska with elk populations.[2] The island's Roosevelt Elk developed from eight calves translocated from Washington state's Olympic Peninsula in 1928.[3] The elk have adapted well to the island, with some mature bulls weighing nearly 1300 lbs (600 kg)[4] The muskrat is another species that was successfully introduced to the island.[2]

[edit] History

Deposits of placer gold were noted at Raspberry Beach as early as 1915.[5] However the last recorded mining activity on the beach was in 1935.[5] The half-mile long beach is located on the northwest coast of the island at Drivers Bay.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Hirschmann, Fred (May 1999). Alaska from the Air. Graphic Arts Center Publishing, 24. ISBN 1558684662. 
  2. ^ a b (November 2006) in Nancy Gates: The Alaska Almanac: Facts about Alaska 30th Anniversary Edition. Alaska Northwest Books. ISBN 0882406523. 
  3. ^ Rennick, Penny (November 1996). Mammals of Alaska. Alaska Geographic Society. ISBN 1566610346. 
  4. ^ Robb, Bob (January 2001). The Ultimate Guide to Elk Hunting. The Lyons Press. ISBN 1585741809. 
  5. ^ a b c Afognak quadrangle (Portable Document Format). Alaska Resource Data File. United States Geological Survey (1999-02-22). Retrieved on 2007-10-24.


Coordinates: 58°03′N 153°10′W / 58.05, -153.16