Haines Borough

The Haines area was called “Dei Shu” by the Tlingit, meaning “end of the trail.” The Chilkat Tlingit tightly controlled the trading routes between the coast and the Interior.

The Haines Borough contains the communities of Covenant Life, Excursion Inlet, Haines, Lutak, Mosquito Lake, and Mud Bay. The borough school district, retail trade, business and transportation services are the main employment sources. This is supplemented by seasonal tourism. Haines is a major trans-shipment point because of its ice-free, deep water port and dock, and year-round road access to Canada and Interior Alaska.

Haines is located on the western shore of Lynn Canal, between the Chilkoot and Chilkat Rivers. It is 80 air miles northwest of Juneau, just south of the Canadian border of British Columbia and 600 air miles southeast of Anchorage and Fairbanks. By road, it is 775 miles from Anchorage. The community lies at approximately 59.235830° North Latitude and -135.445000° West Longitude. The area encompasses 13.5 sq. miles of land and 8.0 sq. miles of water. Haines has a maritime climate characterized by cool summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures range from 46 to 66 °F; winter temperatures range from 10 to 36 °F. Temperature extremes have been recorded from -16 to 90 °F. Total precipitation averages 52 inches a year, with 133 inches of snowfall.*State of AK, DOT AMHS.

2,508 (2010 US Census)

Home Rule Borough originally incorporated as a third class borough in 1968, finally consolidated into a home rule borough in 2002. The Borough currently employs 14 lead staff members and many support positions. Regular elections are held the 1^st Tuesday in October. The City Council meets every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday. The current city sales tax is 5.5%. visithaines.com

Alaska Power Company. Power source: hydro with diesel back-up. Kilowatt capacity: 7,445. In November of 2010 the small commercial rate for 1,500kWh/month was $0.1355 with a monthly fee of $12.93. (JEDC Asset Mapping Report) Inside Passage Electric Cooperative (IPEC) serves the Chilkat Valley and Klukwan from 10 miles to Haines Highway to the Canadian border. Excursion Inlet: Individual diesel generators.

Lily Lake and Piedad Springs water is treated, stored, and then distributed throughout Haines. Sewage receives primary treatment before discharge through two ocean outfalls with exception of a few homes that have wells and septic tanks. Covenant Life residents derive water from the well at the Covenant Life Center. A central septic tank or individual tanks are used for sewage disposal. Lutak community uses individual wells and septic systems.

Mosquito Lake community is half water wells. The remaining draw water or have it delivered.

Privately-operated landfill and refuse collection: Community Waste Solutions. Access granted to all communities to landfill, refuse collection only in Haines area.

Deep water dock, year round road access to Canada and Interior Alaska, and a 4,600ft runway. Excursion Inlet has a public seaplane base.

Accessible via State-operated marine highway, small plane, seaplane, boat, and is also connected to the Alaska Highway via the Haines Highway. Excursion Inlet is only accessible via seaplane or small boat.

Within the Haines Borough School District there are 4 schools; Haines Elementary School-Preschool thru 8^th grade, Haines High School 9^th grade thru 12^th grade, Haines Home School-Kindergarten thru 12^th grade correspondence, and Mosquito Lake Elementary-Kindergarten thru 12^th grade. Enrollment for the 2010-11 school year was 310. Student-teacher ratio for the district: 13.9:1.