Survey Layout

12. If you never arrived at or were displaced from your planned ultimate
destination of choice, please check the reason(s) why.
______Distance was too great from start or from previous destination
______Weather was too severe
______Too many other visitors: Please underline which type of user displaced you
Shore-User, Water-User, Air-User, Unknown.
______Too much noise
______Other _________________________________
13. If you did not go to your planned ultimate destination, please state the area
you did go: ____________________________________________
14. Please indicate what choice the alternate destination was:
______First choice
____Second choice
___Third choice (or less)
______Just happened to arrive at this place
___Had no choice
______Other _________________________________

15. Please rate the following elements for the type of experience(s) you
sought in the area visited
How important was this

Experience

objective?

Experience solitude
Observe wildlife
Fish
Hunt
Experience something
new

Not
Important
1
2

3

Very
Important
4
5

1
1
1
1
1

3
3
3
3
3

4
4
4
4
4

2
2
2
2
2

5
5
5
5
5

How well were you able to attain
it?
Not at
Completely
All
1
2
3
4
5

1
1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3
3

4
4
4
4
4

BURDEN AND NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENTS
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct
or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information
unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number
for this information collection is 0596-____. The time required to complete this
information collection is estimated to average ___ hours per response, including
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering
and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of
information.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its
programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability,
and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because
all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance. (Not
all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large
print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600
(voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil
Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call toll
free (866) 632-9992 (voice). TDD users can contact USDA through local relay or
the Federal relay at (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (relay voice).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

RECREATIONAL USER EXPERIENCE
Prince William Sound
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this trip report! The Chugach National
Forest and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) Trustee Council is gathering
information about recreation use in Prince William Sound (PWS). In 1989, the
Exxon Valdez oil spill released over 11 million gallons of crude oil into parts of
PWS. One of the effects due to the oil spill was a decrease in recreation and tourism to PWS. This study is part of a research project investigating if recreation has
recovered in the area, how people travel through this unique, remote landscape, and
any potential conflict with other users.
This form contains several questions that we would like you to answer during your
trip, and a map of PWS. Please record your trip on the map on the inside fold of
this survey. Try to fill out the map completely and answer all of the questions.
The quality of the project depends on your completed trip report.
Please return this Trip Report in the self-addressed, stamped envelope when
completed, or drop it off at the Glacier Ranger Station in Girdwood or Cordova
Ranger Station in Cordova. Thank you for your participation! Your participation
is voluntary and your responses will be held strictly confidential.
1. Are you a resident of Alaska? _____Yes

2. What was the start date ____________ and end date ___________ of this trip in
PWS? Number of people in party _____
3. How frequently do you visit PWS?
______Never before
______Once every few years

5
5
5
5
5

_____No

_____Once a year
_____Two or more times a year

4. On average, how many days during one trip do you spend in PWS?
______ 1 day _____ 2-3 days _____4-5 days _____ 6+ days
5. What was your point of entry into PWS on this trip?
______Whittier
_____Valdez
______Cordova
_____Other (please specify)______________

Experience challenge
and adventure

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Be in a wild undeveloped place
Enjoy natural beauty

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

6. What is your primary mode of recreation travel in PWS on this trip?

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Spend time with family
and friends
See cultural sites

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

______Float plane/helicopter
______Kayak
______Cruise ship
______Sailboat

←

Please continue survey on inside flap

7. Did you use a transporter for your recreational activity? (Boat shuttle or
airplane?)
Yes ____
Name of transport service ___________________________
No ____
8. Did you use the services of an outfitter/guide?
Yes ____
Name of outfitter/guide service_______________________
No ____
9. What was your primary recreational activity in PWS? Please also
identify activities that you participated in during your trip
Primary
Activity
(√ one)













Participated
(√ all that apply)
 Sightseeing
 Wildlife viewing
 General boating
 Overnight mooring/anchorage
 Kayaking
 Primitive camping
 Hunting / Subsistence hunting (Please underline which)
 Fishing / Subsistence fishing (Please underline which)
 Hiking/backpacking
 Overnight stay in cabin
 Picnicking / family gathering / berry picking
 Visiting historic or prehistoric sites

10. To enjoy your primary recreational activity, where was your planned
ultimate destination?
11. Please describe the characteristics of this planned ultimate destination
that made it appealing to you (e.g. good fishing/hunting, solitude, good
wildlife viewing, etc)

______Smaller motorized boat
______Inflatable
______Tour boat
______Motor yacht

2

3
5
4

22. Are there any management actions you would suggest to improve your
future visits to this area? (e.g. hardened campsites, number of visitors limited
in certain areas, etc)
21. Were there any other factors that adversely impacted your experience in
PWS? Please describe (e.g. conditions of campsites, trash, inadequate sites,
etc).
20. Please explain or clarify any type of negative encounter you experienced
due to other users (e.g. group too noisy, camped/anchored too close, etc)
19. If you were adversely impacted by encounters with other users, how
did it affect you?
_____I was somewhat impacted, but it will not affect my future decisions.
_____Next time I will visit this area when less likely to encounter others.
_____I will no longer visit this area within PWS.
18. Would you go to the actual area you visited again? _____Yes_____No
If not, why?
1

2

Much less
than expected

3
As expected

4

5
Much better
than expected

17. Overall, how would you rate your satisfaction with this trip? (Circle one)
______Not enough time
______Lack of amenities
______Weather
______No available campsites
______Noise
______Too many boats
______Too many people
______Too many planes
______ Other ________________________________

Again, thank you for your participation. Your efforts will help improve the
management of Prince William Sound.
26. If you typically opt to relocate to a site that has similar qualities as your
favorite place, please identify what those qualities are.
(Check all that apply)
______Easy access to the shoreline

______Quiet and serene

______Surrounded by trees

______Scenic view

______Secluded area

______Water source nearby

______Flat ground for a tent

______Good anchorage

______Fishing/hunting nearby

______Other (list)_______________________________

Additional Comments regarding your trip (may be continued on back):
______Is the next available location
______Has more amenities than the site you relocated from
______Has less amenities than the site you relocated from
______Is within a reasonable distance to travel to
______Can accommodate your group size
______Has similar qualities as your favorite place
______Other (list) _______________________________









(Check all that apply)

25. If you typically choose to relocate, you would select a place that: (Amenities
are defined as “site qualities” e.g. freshwater source, hiking opportunities, etc.)
______Do nothing and stay in this location anyway
______Relocate to another location
______Leave and return to your point of origin
______Other (list)___________________________





you did so on this trip

24. If you typically arrive at a preferred destination and you find it more
crowded than you like, you would:
Please also check if
For the following questions, please answer based on your outdoor experiences in general

(Check as many as apply)

16. If you did not obtain the desired experiences, why? (Amenities are
defined as “site qualities” e.g. freshwater source, hiking opportunities,
wildlife viewing, etc.)

23. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill released over 11 million gallons of crude
oil into parts of PWS. On areas that you went ashore, if you noticed any lingering oil on the shoreline surface, or in areas of shallow diggings, did it affect your
decision to stay at the location? Yes _____
No _____