Gravel Lake

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Gravel Lake
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Gravel Lake
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Gravel Lake
Location King County, Washington
Coordinates 47°27′54″N121°22′09″W / 47.4649833°N 121.3691402°W / 47.4649833; -121.3691402
Basin  countriesUnited States
Surface area8 acres (0.032 km2) [1]
Surface elevation5,125 ft (1,562 m) [2]
Islands 0

Gravel Lake is a small freshwater lake located at the edge of the Pacific Crest Trail on the western skirt of Mount Thomson at the border between King County and Kittitas County, Washington. [3] The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing golden trout and rainbow trout. [1] Other Alpine lakes are in the vicinity, including the Alaska Lake a short distance east, and Joe Lake and Edds Lake northbound on the PCT. To the east is Hibox Mountain. [4]

Contents

Location

Access to Gravel Lake and surrounding areas is through the Pacific Crest Trail's Kendell Katwalk. [5] Most visitors to Gravel Lake are day hikers although the lake is provided with campsites. [6] Gold Creek Trail connects to the Pacific Crest Trail on the east ridge of Gravel Lake.

Climate

Gravel Lake is located in a hemiboreal climate, [7] part of the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [8] Temperatures and precipitation is similar to neighbor lakes like Alaska Lake. The wettest month is January, with 396 millimeters of rain, and the least in July, with 38 millimeters of rain. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Lake</span>

Alaska Lake is a freshwater lake located on the western skirt of Alaska Mountain at the border between King County and Kittitas County, Washington. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing. Other Alpine lakes are in the vicinity, including the Rampart Lakes a short distance south, at the base of Mount Margaret. To the east is Hibox Mountain.

Joe Lake is a freshwater lake located on the eastern skirt of Alaska Mountain at the border between King County and Kittitas County, Washington. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. Frequently hicked Huckleberry Mountain is just north of the lake on the opposite side of the Pacific Crest Trail. Other Alpine lakes are in the vicinity, including the Rampart Lakes a short distance south, at the base of Mount Margaret. To the east is Hibox Mountain.

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Chetwoot Lake is a freshwater lake located on the western slope of Iron Cap Mountain next to Crawford Lake, in King County, Washington. West Fork Foss River exits Chetwoot Lake towards Angeline Lake and then to a canyon that produces Angeline Falls downstream towards Delta Lake. Because Chetwoot Lake is at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing.

Avalanche Lake is a small alpine freshwater lake located on the northern skirt of Chikamin Peak and Lemah Mountain in King County, Washington. Because of its proximity to surrounding peaks and mountains at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the lake is a popular area for hiking. Other Alpine lakes are in the vicinity, including the Iceberg Lake a short distance East, at the base of Chimney Rock West. To the South is Chikamin Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectacle Lake (Washington)</span> Lake in Kittitas County, United States of America

Spectacle Lake is an alpine freshwater lake located on the northern skirt of Chikamin Peak and Lemah Mountain in Kittitas County on its western border with King County, Washington. Because of its proximity to surrounding peaks and mountains at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the lake is a popular area for hiking, camping and fishing cutthroat trout. Other Alpine lakes are in the vicinity, including the Chikamin Lake, a short distance North, at the base of Chikamin Peak. To the South is Hibox Mountain.

Glacier Lake is a small alpine freshwater lake located on the northern skirt of Chikamin Peak and Lemah Mountain in Kittitas County, Washington. Because of its proximity to surrounding peaks and mountains at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the lake is a popular area for hiking, camping, and fishing golden trout. Glacier Lake is a short distance between Chikamin Lake and Spectacle Lake at the base of Chikamin Ridge. The Pacific Crest Trail is a short distance from Glacier Lake as well as other Alpine lakes located in the vicinity. To the North is Avalanche Lake and Iceberg Lake at the base of Lemah Mountain.

Cooper Lake is an alpine freshwater lake located on the southern stretch outside of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Kittitas County, Washington. Because of its proximity to Cle Elum Lake and Kachess Lake, Cooper Lake is a popular area for hiking, camping and fishing. Cooper Lake, where two-pole fishing is permitted, is stocked annually with Kokanee salmon and several species of trout fish. Cooper Lake is the starting point for trails that lead to other Alpine lakes in the vicinity, including the Pete Lake and Spectacle Lake at the base of Chikamin Peak.

Pete Lake is a small alpine freshwater lake located on the southern stretch of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Kittitas County, Washington. Because of its proximity to the Pacific Crest Trail and Cle Elum Lake and Kachess Lake, Pete Lake is a popular area for hiking, camping, and fishing. Pete Lake is a short distance and along the trails that lead to Spectacle Lake at the base of Chikamin Peak and Cooper Lake to the South. Trails for backpacking are well-trafficked and originally designed in some areas for enough buffer that allows mountain biking.

Edds Lake is a freshwater lake located on the western skirt of Huckleberry Mountain at the border between King County and Kittitas County, Washington. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing golden trout. The Pacific Crest Trail runs just East of the lake is a prominent ridge that separates Edds Lake from Joe Lake and Alaska Lake south towards Kendall Katwalk. Other Alpine lakes are in the vicinity, including the Chikamin Lake a short distance north, at the base of Chikamin Peak. To the west is Mount Thomson on Bumblebee Pass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jade Lake</span> Freshwater lake in Washington, United States

Jade Lake, also known as Necklace Valley First Lake, is a freshwater lake located on the western region of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, in King County, Washington. It is the first of three lakes that are connected by stream which together form the Necklace Valley Lakes. Jade Lake and its surrounding lakes and peaks are a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing cutthroat trout. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Necklace Valley area.

Marten Lake is a freshwater lake located on the southern slope of Dog Mountain in King County, Washington, United States. It is west of Anderson Lake, part of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Marten Creek exits Marten Lake into a canyon that produces a tributary to the Taylor River. Because of its proximity to Dog Mountain summit and the cirque of Rooster Mountain to the west, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Access to Marten Lake is provided through an unmaintained access trail that splits off the Snoqualmie Lake Trail.

Snoqualmie Lake Potholes is a set of freshwater lakes located southeast Snoqualmie Lake, in King County, Washington. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Big Snow Mountain area. Because Snoqualmie Lake Potholes are at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing rainbow trout and cutthroat trout.

References

  1. 1 2 "Gravel Kittitas County". Washington Fishing Lakes. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Gravel Lake
  3. "USDA Ranger District Off Vehicle Map" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  4. Barnes, Jeremy and Nathan (2019). Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide. Mountaineers Books. ISBN   1680510789.
  5. Nelson, Dan (2019). Best Hikes with Dogs Western Washington: 2nd Edition. Mountaineers Books. p. 169. ISBN   1680510789.
  6. "Gold Creek Trail #1314". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  7. Peel, M C; Finlayson, B L. "Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification" (PDF). Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 11: 1639–1640. doi: 10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 . Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  8. Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  9. "Gravel Lake, Washington Climate Averages". WeatherWX. Retrieved 29 March 2021.