Lake Sylvester | |
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Location | Kittitas County, Washington, United States |
Coordinates | 47°38′03″N120°55′29″W / 47.6340416°N 120.9247133°W |
Primary outflows | Grindstone Creek [1] |
Basin countries | United States |
Surface area | 25 acres (0.10 km2) [1] |
Surface elevation | 6,260 ft (1,910 m) [2] |
Lake Sylvester is a freshwater lake located on the north slope of the Grindstone Mountain, in Chelan County, Washington. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing. Lake Sylvester is located approximately 15 miles west of the city of Leavenworth and access is obtained by Chatter Creek Trail #1580. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Grindstone Mountain area. [3]
Lake Sylvester was given its name by Albert Hale Sylvester, a topographer for the United States Geological Survey working throughout the North Cascades National Park Complex around 1900, [4] who named it after himself being a neighbor lake of Lake Alice, named after his wife. Lake Sylvester is just south of Lake Alice. [5]
The foot trail starts at the Chatter Creek Trailhead at the end of USFS Road 7609 on the north shore of Icicle Creek. Chatter Creek Trail #1580 is approximately 5.5 miles long and travels fairly closely to the course of Chatter Creek. The trail leads past Lake Sylvester and Lake Alice reaching and joining Icicle Ridge Trail #1580 on the north skirt of Grindstone mountain. [6] Lake Sylvester is on the West side of the trail over a ridge forming a cirque for the lake. Lake Alice is further north also on the west side of the trail over a ridge shortly before the trail takes a turn East to join Icicle Ridge Trail.
Campsites are located along the first few miles of the trail until the trail becomes more forested around the bowls formed for Lakes Sylvester and Alice. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Sylvester Lake area and can be obtained at the Chatter Creek Trailhead and the Campground past the Guard station. [3]
Continuing left on Icicle Ridge Trail leads to additional Ladies Lakes, including Upper Florence Lake right after the trail takes a turn left. Lower Florence Lake is further down the slope past Upper Florence lake. To the right (East) of Icicle Ridge Trail is Lake Ida and Lake Augusta.
The Enchantments is a region within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area of Washington state's Cascade Mountain Range. At an elevation of 4,500 feet, it is home to over 700 alpine lakes and ponds surrounded by the vast peaks of Cashmere Crags, which rate among the best rock-climbing sites in the western United States. The highest peak, Dragontail Peak, stretches 8,840 feet high. The Enchantments is located 15 miles southwest of the popular Bavarian-themed town Leavenworth, Washington in the United States and is regarded as one of the most spectacular regions in the Cascade Range.
Icicle Creek is a non navigable stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates at Josephine Lake near the crest of the Cascade Range and flows generally east to join the Wenatchee River near Leavenworth. Icicle Creek's drainage basin is mountainous and mostly undeveloped land within the Wenatchee National Forest and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The final 6 miles (10 km) of the creek are moderately developed with scattered homes and pasture, a golf course, children's camp, a small housing development called Icicle Island Club, and the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Some water is diverted from the creek for municipal use by the City of Leavenworth at Icicle Creek river mile 5.6. Near Leavenworth, the wheelchair-accessible Icicle Creek Nature Trail, a National Recreation Trail designated in 2005, runs 1.0 mile (1.6 km) along a historic creek channel.
Albert Hale Sylvester was a pioneer surveyor, explorer, and forest supervisor in the Cascade Range of the U.S. state of Washington. He was a topographer for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in the Snoqualmie Ranger District between 1897 and 1907. Then, from 1908 to 1931, he served the United States Forest Service as the first forest supervisor of Wenatchee National Forest. His work involved the first detailed surveying and mapping of large portions of the Cascade Range in Washington, over the course of which he gave names to over 1,000 natural features. The surveying work often required placing cairns and other survey targets on top of mountains. He made the first ascents of a number of mountains in Washington. Over the course of his career he explored areas previously unknown to non-indigenous people. One such area, which Sylvester discovered, explored, and named, is The Enchantments. In 1944, while leading a party of friends to one of his favorite parts of the mountains, Sylvester was mortally wounded when his horse panicked and lost his footing on a steep and rocky slope.
Cannibal Plateau is a summit in Hinsdale County, Colorado in the United States. The broad 12,533-foot (3,820 m) mountain is located in the San Juan Mountains and within the Powderhorn Wilderness, a protected area managed by the Bureau of Land Management Gunnison Field Office and the Gunnison National Forest.
Grindstone Mountain is a 7,533-foot (2,296-metre) mountain summit located in the Icicle Creek Valley in Chelan County of Washington state. Grindstone Mountain is situated 12 mi (19 km) west of Leavenworth, within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, on land managed by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Grindstone Mountain is the seventh-highest peak in the Chiwaukum Mountains, a subset of the Cascade Range. Its nearest higher neighbor is Ladies Peak, 2.2 mi (3.5 km) to the north-northwest, and Cape Horn is set 1.4 mi (2.3 km) to the north. Precipitation runoff from Grindstone drains into Icicle Creek, which is a tributary of the Wenatchee River. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant since Grindstone rises 4,700 feet above Icicle Creek Valley in less than two miles. Grindstone Mountain was named by Albert Hale Sylvester in association with Grindstone Creek, which flows from Sylvester Lake on this mountain's southwest slope. Sylvester found a small grindstone which had fallen from a pack horse fording the creek.
Cape Horn is a 7,316-foot (2,230-metre) mountain summit located in Chelan County of Washington state. Cape Horn is situated 12 mi (19 km) west-northwest of Leavenworth, within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, on land managed by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Cape Horn is part of the Chiwaukum Mountains, a subset of the Cascade Range. The nearest higher neighbor is Ladies Peak, 0.9 mi (1.4 km) to the northwest, and Grindstone Mountain is set 1.4 mi (2.3 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from Cape Horn drains west to Icicle Creek, whereas the east slopes drain into Chiwaukum Creek, and both are tributaries of the Wenatchee River. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant since this peak rises over 4,300 feet above Icicle Creek Valley in approximately two miles. This mountain was named by Albert Hale Sylvester in 1909 for its sharp profile.
Calf Creek Plateau is a mountain in the northern San Juan Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The mountain is located in Hinsdale County, and at an elevation of 12,661 feet (3,859 m), it is the high point of the Powderhorn Wilderness.
Eightmile Lake is a reservoir lake located on the eastern slope of Eightmile Mountain, in Chelan County in Washington. It is a reservoir lake formed along the beginning route of Eightmile Creek as it exits Jack Ridge.
Ethel Lake is a small freshwater lake located on the north slope of the Chiwaukum Mountains, in Chelan County, Washington. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Klonaqua Lakes area. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing Cutthroat trout and Rainbow trout.
Lake Julius is a freshwater lakes located on the north slope of the Chiwaukum Mountains, in Chelan County, Washington. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Klonaqua Lakes area. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing Cutthroat trout.
Lake Alice is a freshwater lakes located on the north slope of the Grindstone Mountain, in Chelan County, Washington. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Lake Alice area.
Lower Florence Lake is a freshwater lake located on the west skirt of Ladies Peak and Cape Horn, and North of Grindstone Mountain, in Chelan County, Washington. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing cutthroat trout. Lower Florence Lake is located further down the slope from Upper Florence Lake, approximately 15 miles west of the city of Leavenworth. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit is required for transit within the Lake Alice area.
Upper Florence Lake is a freshwater lake located on the west skirt of Ladies Peak and Cape Horn, and North of Grindstone Mountain, in Chelan County, Washington. The lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing, especially for rainbow trout. Lower Florence Lake is located further down the slope of Mary Pass from Upper Florence Lake, approximately 15 miles west of the city of Leavenworth. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Lake Alice area.
Lake Augusta is a freshwater lake located on the southwest skirt of Big Jim Mountain, East of Icicle Ridge, in Chelan County, Washington. Because of its close proximity to Icicle Ridge Trail, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing cutthroat trout. Smaller Lake Ida is a short distance on the opposite side of Icicle Ridge and Big Jim Mountain Lakes or on the northeast slope of the mountain. Lake Augusta is located approximately 15 miles west of the city of Leavenworth. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Lake Augusta area.
Lake Ida is a freshwater lake located along Icicle Ridge, approximately 10 miles west of the city of Leavenworth in Chelan County, Washington. Because of its close proximity to Icicle Ridge Trail, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing cutthroat trout. Lake Augusta is a short distance on the opposite side of Icicle Ridge. Lake Ida sits on a highly glaciated alpine cirque, surrounded by a coniferous forest primarily larch pines and outflows into Ida Creek, a tributary of Icicle Creek. At least one unrated waterfall is found downstream as Ida Creek runs the south slope of Icicle Ridge. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Lake Ida and Augusta area.
Lake Edna is a freshwater lake located along Icicle Ridge, approximately 10 miles west of the city of Leavenworth in Chelan County, Washington. Because of its close proximity to Icicle Ridge Trail, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing. Lake Alice is a short distance in a prominent cirque on the opposite side of Icicle Ridge.
Icicle Ridge is a mountain ridge located in the eastern border of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, in the Washington state, United States. Several trails lead to Icicle Ridge which borders several prominent mountains, peaks, and lakes. Icicle Ridge is located at the western edge of the city of Leavenworth on land managed by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest.
Josephine Lake is a natural lake and reservoir near Stevens Pass in Chelan County, Washington, United States. At the south skirt of Big Chief Mountain, Josephine Lake is the source of the Icicle Creek. Because Josephine Lake is at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing golden trout.
Lake Lillian is a freshwater lake located within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in a valley on the southern slope of Rampart Ridge in Kittitas County, Washington, United States. Because of its close proximity to Snoqualmie Pass, Interstate 90 and several cirque on both sides of Rampart Ridge, the lake is a common area for hiking, swimming, and fishing rainbow trout. Rocky Run Creek outflows from Lake Lillian into neighboring Lake Laura and continues toward NF road 136 on Rampart Ridge Backdoor. Lake Lillian is between Keechelus Lake on the West and Kachess Lake further East.
Myrtle Lake is a freshwater lake located on the northern slope of Big Snow Mountain between Snoqualmie Lake and Chetwoot Lake, in King County, Washington. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Big Snow Mountain area. Because Myrtle Lake is at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the lake is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing rainbow trout and coastal cutthroat trout.