Frequently Asked Questions for the Discovery Center

red salmon swimming in shallow clear water

Red salmon swimming in clear shallow water.

When do the Salmon run?
The salmon runs start in early May and continue until September, but they vary each year. Also, different species of salmon run at different times through the summer. First to run are the King (Chinook) salmon, followed by the Sockeye (Red) salmon and then the Silver (Coho) salmon.

Thunderstorm clouds.

What is the average annual rainfall in Ketchikan?
Ketchikan averages 165 inches of rain annually. It might be a good idea to pack a rain jacket when you visit.

Portion of a raven totem pole in downtown Anchorage

Portion of the head of a raven totem pole in downtown Anchorage.

What are the three Alaska Native groups in Southeast Alaska?
Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian.

The Alaska Native culture has been molded by the conditions of the Alaskan area. The coast of Alaska is covered with mountains. The climate is temperate and humid. The forests are populated with animal life and seas are bountiful as well. They survived by fishing, hunting, and gathering.

a thick Forest with light sunlight shining through the trees

A thick forest with sunlight shinning through the trees.

How large is the Tongass National Forest?
At 17.9 million acres, the Tongass National Forest is ranked as the largest national forest. Though its land area is huge, about 40% of the Tongass is composed of wetlands, snow, ice, rock, and non-forest vegetation, while the remaining 10 million acres are forested. About 5 million acres are considered “productive old-growth”, and 4,500,000 acres of those are preserved as wilderness areas.

clear skys snowy landscape winter scene in alaska

Chris Smith

Clear skies and snowy landscape in Alaska.

What are the winters like in Ketchikan?
Winters tend to be mild with average highs in the mid-30s to mid-40s. October and November are also the wettest months with 10-15 inches of rain.

Map of Hubbard Glacier.

Where is Hubbard Glacier?
North of Yakutat in Yauktat Bay and Disenchament Bay. From its source in the Yukon, the glacier stretches 122 km (76 mi) to the sea at Yakutat Bay and Disenchantment Bay. Named in 1890 after Gardiner G. Hubbard (regent of the Smithsonian Institution and first president of the National Geographic Society), it is the longest tidewater glacier in Alaska, with an open calving face over ten kilometers (6 mi) wide.

Mendenhall Glacier.

Where is the Mendenhall Glacier?

Mendenhall Glacier is a glacier about 12 miles long located in Mendenhall Valley, about 12 miles from downtown Juneau in the southeast area of Alaska.

Originally known as Sitaantaagu ("the Glacier Behind the Town") or Aak'wtaaksit ("the Glacier Behind the Little Lake") by the Tlingits, the glacier was named Auke (Auk) Glacier by naturalist John Muir for the Tlingit Auk Kwaan (or Aak'w Kwaan) band in 1888. In 1891 it was renamed in honor of Thomas Corwin Mendenhall. It extends from the Juneau Icefield, its source, to Mendenhall Lake and ultimately the Mendenhall River.