Image Lake

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Image Lake
Image Lake and Glacier Peak.jpg
Image Lake seen from the inflow with Glacier Peak in the background
Geographical location Cascade Range , Snohomish County , Washington , USA
Drain Miners Creek
Data
Coordinates 48 ° 12 '27 "  N , 121 ° 0' 30"  W Coordinates: 48 ° 12 '27 "  N , 121 ° 0' 30"  W.
Image Lake (USA)
Image Lake
Altitude above sea level 1846  m
surface 1.2-1.6 hadep1
Template: Infobox See / Maintenance / EVIDENCE AREA

The Image Lake is a Kar Lake in the Glacier Peak Wilderness , located in the North Cascade Mountains in the State of Washington . The lake belongs to the catchment area of ​​the Skagit River . It is surrounded by Plummer Peak to the east, a lookout point to the west, its outlet Miners Creek and Glacier Peak to the south, and Canyon Lake to the north. The route of the popular Miners Ridge Trail passes the lake. Glacier Peak can be seen from the outflow of the lake; the mountain reflected on the surface is a popular photo motif.

As a result of the relatively mild temperate climate with sufficient rainfall, the areas around the lake show off abundant natural habitats and many species of plants, insects, rodents and large mammals. The Indians took advantage of these resources and probably also settled the area seasonally. However, human activities such as hunting, fishing, mining, and tourist overuse have increased since the arrival of Europeans. As a result, some areas suffered ecological damage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This included the extermination of the great predators . Tourist overuse and the presence of domestic animals created specific problems in the first half of the 20th century.

climate

According to the Köppen and Geiger climate classification, the climate at Image Lake is one of the C climates of western North America . Most of the weather fronts come from the Pacific and move northeast towards the Cascade Range , the peaks of which surround Image Lake. As soon as the fronts reach the north of the Cascade Mountains, they are forced to climb by the summit and thereby release moisture in the form of rain or snow . This is why precipitation is high in the west of the Cascade Mountains, especially in winter in the form of snow. Because of the temperate climate and proximity to the Pacific, the areas west of the main ridge of the Cascades rarely reach temperatures below −18 ° C or above +27 ° C. It is usually cloudy during the winter months, but clouds are rarely seen during the summer due to the high pressure systems over the Pacific. Due to the maritime climate , the snow is rather damp and heavy, so that the risk of avalanches is very high.

Global warming is expected to have a number of negative long-term environmental impacts on the region; this includes drought, more forest fires, forest damage due to drought and diseases and less vital or no salmon climbs. The distribution and survival of plant species, namely the alpine regions, as well as the animal species specifically adapted to these regions are also negatively influenced. A retreat of the glaciers is also expected, which is due to the reduced deposition of snow and the generally higher temperatures.

Hydrology

Image Lake has a drainage basin of less than 2.6 square kilometers. Its primary drain is a small unnamed creek that flows into Miners Creek , which in turn flows into the Suiattle River . The Suiattle River drains into the Skagit River , which ends in Puget Sound . The highest point in the catchment area is almost 2,100 meters above sea level. The lake itself is almost round and has an area of ​​1.2 to 1.6 hectares.

geology

Subduction and tectonic activity in the region began about ninety million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period . The region was until then an oceanic area, consisting mainly of sediments and volcanic rocks . In Oligocene an intense volcanic activity began about 35 million years ago. However, mountain formation in the region did not begin until the Miocene , about ten million years ago. Image Lake is embedded in the Batholith Cloudy Pass , a volcanic rock formation that formed during the early Miocene about twenty million years ago. Glacier Peak, a stratovolcano south of Image Lake, was formed in the mid- Pleistocene . Because of Glacier Peak's proximity to Image Lake, volcanic ash is widespread in the area and plays a major role in soil formation.

During the Ice Age , the Northern Cascade Range was covered by mighty glaciers that stretched to Puget Sound. The extent of the glaciation was greatest around 18,000 years ago, and most of the valleys were ice-free 12,000 years ago. As a result, the valleys in the region are deeply U-shaped and the mountains are more rocky with steep slopes and pointed peaks.

ecology

flora

An evergreen forest on a steep mountain slope
A forest of mountain hemlocks similar to those at Image Lake

Image Lake and the surrounding area are counted as part of the northern Cascade Mountains ecoregion . In the lower elevations, temperate rainforests grow like in the valley of the Suiattle River . Common tree species are Giant Arborvitae , Western Hemlock and Common Douglas Fir . At medium altitudes, the forests are dominated by purple firs and - to a lesser extent - by Nootka false cypresses . Hedgehog carrots and huckleberries grow on the forest floor in moist areas, while beargrass and shallon shamberries are at home in the drier areas. The forests of the central areas also receive more precipitation, especially in the form of snow, than the lower areas. West American hemlocks and Douglas firs are also present, especially at the transition from the middle to the lowlands. In the higher elevations, Douglas fir and the giant arborvitae are replaced by mountain hemlocks and Nootka false cypresses, and the stronger the higher you go. The forests of the central layers often populate the steepest mountain slopes, which often leads to avalanche routes. These are populated by shrubs such as green alder and herbaceous plants.

At higher altitudes, mountain hemlock and rock mountain fir are the most common tree species. Nootka false cypress and white-stemmed pine are also common. As the altitude increases, however, the forests become lighter and interspersed with meadows made up of grasses, herbs and bushes. Debris heaps are also common. The daily temperature ranges are substantial due to the altitude and the lack of forest cover. For the same reasons, solar radiation is also increased. At the upper limit of this park landscape, the trees are rather crooked; they grow in small groups. Common shrub species are moss Gentiles and huckleberry Mountain . Hiking outside of the trails can damage subalpine vegetation.

Trees are becoming increasingly rare above the sub-alpine zone. Those who still grow there and have a hold are often crippled with twisted branches due to the wind, the increased snowfall and the only two to three month vegetation period. These trees are also known as " Krummholz ". Heath, herbs and grasses are also present, but often grow only sparsely. The temperatures often change strongly, which worsens the growing conditions.

fauna

A shaggy white animal with small black horns grazes on a mountainside with a forest in the background
Mountain goats are common in the area around Image Lake

Animals are common in the area's ecosystem. Yellow-bellied marmots prefer to live in large social groups and play a role in the regulation of alpine vegetation. Eagles, hawks, coyotes, and badgers are common predators. Pine jays and titjays are also common, and several species of rough-footed grouse occur. Insects and hummingbirds are common pollinators .

Larger animals are not as common, but are present. In October 2010, a grizzly was photographed near Cascade Pass ; up to 20 grizzlies could live in the Cascade Mountains south of the Canadian border. Wolves, pine martens , lynxes , wolverines , pumas , weasels and American black bears also occur and are regularly detected with camera traps. During the summer, bears consume up to 30,000 kcal per day in preparation for hibernation , which in dietetics would be referred to as hyperphagia . Efforts have also been made to reintroduce fishing martens . Pumas are mainly nocturnal and solitary, and they are so hidden that they are seldom seen. Wolves have been extinct in the Cascade Mountains since the 1930s, but began to settle again in 1990 at the latest.

The most common large herbivore is the black-tailed deer, a subspecies of the mule deer . Wapiti and elk are less common. Mountain goats are well adapted to the steep terrain and the low temperatures and are not often found in lower elevations. There are eight species of bats in the Northern Cascade Mountains.

history

A black and white photo of several horses and a tent near a group of trees in a meadow on the bank of a lake
Horse camp at Image Lake, around 1920-1930

There is archaeological evidence that Indians have lived in the area for at least 8,500 years, and at Cascade Pass for at least 9,600 years. Game was obviously used by these Indians, and obsidian had been used to make tools for at least 5,000 years. They used several routes that traversed the area and could have used the natural resources during the summer. Some tribes personified the mountains and incorporated them into their religious system. Many of the routes mentioned followed the mountain ridges to avoid the thicket and avalanche danger in the valley. Horses were already used in the 18th century. There was a route that the Indians used as a link between Lake Chelan and the Suiattle River Valley . The path apparently crossed the Cloudy Pass , which is a bit east of the lake. It was used by gold prospectors and shepherds in the early 20th century. Sheep farming was banned in Miners Ridge in 1940, but the area continued to grow in popularity. Because of this popularity, the surrounding meadows have been denatured as a result of pasture farming and off-road hiking. As a result, the pets were concentrated in the nearby Lady Camp Basin and better hardened plants were introduced.

Image Lake was originally called "Mirror Lake"; it got its current name on April 10, 1940 from Hugh Ritter and Rudo Fromme, who were employees of the US Forest Service . The lake was first examined by the Forest Service on July 14, 1939.

The Kennecott Copper Corporation was planning in 1988 to open a copper mine open pit operation in a pool, just a mile (1.6 km) from Image Lake. Protests by various groups such as the Mountaineers , however, prevented the plan from being carried out.

Large sections of the Suiattle River Road (from kilometer 20.1), which makes the lake accessible from Holden and Trinity, were undermined by floods in 2003. From August 2013 the road was repaired by construction crews; graduation was scheduled for 2014. The Forest Service has a limited budget, however, and efforts to restore the road have been criticized by environmental groups, in part because of the drop in visitor numbers due to poor accessibility from the west. Since the lake was as good as inaccessible from the west, hikers had to visit it from the east, which meant a two-day hike from Holden or Trinity. The street has been accessible again since 2015.

hike

A hike to Image Lake can be done via the Suiattle River Road , but the road was undercut about 20 km from the beginning of the trail from July 2003 to 2015, making the lake difficult to reach. However, it can be accessed from Holden, east of the Cascade Degree and west of Lake Chelan . The path begins following the Suiattle River and finally reaches open meadows with a view of Glacier Peak. There is also an alpine route that runs from the Miners Ridge Trail to Plummer Mountain , as well as a little-traveled trail that goes to Canyon Lake and Totem Pass , about 8.4 km southeast of Dome Peak .

See also

literature

  • Fred Beckey: Cascade Alpine Guide: Climbing and High Routes . 3. Edition. tape 2 : Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass . The Mountaineers Books, Seattle 2003, ISBN 0-89886-838-6 ( books.google.com ).
  • Arthur R. Kruckeberg: The Natural History of Puget Sound Country (=  Weyerhaeuser environmental book ). University of Washington Press, Seattle / London 1995, ISBN 0-295-97477-X ( books.google.com ).

Web links

Commons : Image Lake  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Image Lake on the website of the Washington Trails Association (English)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Image Lake . Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. September 10, 1979. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g (2008-2013). Image Lake, WA - N48.19932 ° W121.01539 ° [Map], 1: 24K, USGS 7.5 minute series. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g Ira Spring, Harvey Manning: 100 Classic Hikes in Washington . Mountaineers Books, Seattle 1998, ISBN 0-89886-586-7 , pp. 94–95 ( books.google.com - no page preview).
  4. ↑ a b c Mt.Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - Miners Ridge Trail 785 . United States Forest Service . Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ a b c d e f Bernard A. Smith: Recreational Impact on Wildlands: Conference Proceedings . Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, pp. 280-283.
  6. ↑ a b c Beckey , p. 15
  7. ↑ a b Beckey , p. 16
  8. ^ A b Climate Impacts in the Northwest . United States Environmental Protection Agency . September 9, 2013. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved on April 13, 2014.
  9. ↑ Michael Lanza: How Climate Change is Affecting Our Alpine Environments. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. In: Backpacker . September 2007. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  10. ↑ Mauri S. Pelto: Impact of Climate Change on North Cascade Alpine Glaciers, and Alpine Runoff . In: Northwest Science . tape 82 , no. 1 . Northwest Scientific Association, 2008, ISSN  0029-344X , p. 65-75 , doi : 10.3955 / 0029-344X-82.1.65 .
  11. ^ RA Kimbrough: Water Resources Data-Washington Water Year 2005 . Ed .: United States Geological Survey . March 23, 2006, p. 374 ( pubs.usgs.gov [PDF; 2.7 MB ; accessed on December 10, 2013]).
  12. ↑ a b c Decision Card for Image Lake. United States Forest Service , April 10, 1940. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  13. ↑ a b c d Beckey , pp. 218-220.
  14. ↑ a b North Cascades Geology . United States Geological Survey . Archived from the original on August 1, 2013. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved July 29, 2013. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / geomaps.wr.usgs.gov
  15. ↑ a b Krukeberg , p. 321.
  16. ↑ Beckey , pp. 217-218
  17. ↑ Beckey , pp. 214-217.
  18. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 308
  19. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 313
  20. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 316.
  21. ↑ a b Krukeberg , p. 324.
  22. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 317.
  23. ↑ a b Krukeberg , p. 326
  24. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 322
  25. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 343.
  26. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 344
  27. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 346.
  28. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 334.
  29. ↑ Krukeberg , p. 335.
  30. ↑ Krukeberg , pp. 335-336.
  31. ↑ Rare grizzly bear photographed in North Cascades , KING 5 television. April 11, 2011. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013. 
  32. ^ A b Ted Alvarez: Looking For Grizzly Bears in North Cascades National Park. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. In: Backpacker Magazine . February – March 2013. Accessed November 30, 2013.
  33. ^ Cougars - North Cascades National Park (US National Park Service) . National Park Service . November 18, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  34. ^ Wolf History - North Cascades National Park (US National Park Service) . National Park Service . November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  35. ^ Wolf Sightings and Distribution - North Cascades National Park (US National Park Service) . November 30, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  36. ↑ a b Mammals - North Cascades National Park (US National Park Service) . National Park Service . November 17, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  37. ↑ Mountain Goats . In: North Cascades National Park Service Complex . National Park Service . November 17, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  38. ^ A b c History & Culture - North Cascades National Park (US National Park Service) . US National Park Service . October 17, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  39. ↑ a b c d Beckey , p. 220
  40. ↑ John C. Hendee, George H. Stankey, Robert C. Lucas: Wilderness Management (=  Miscellaneous publication / Forest Service, US Dep. Of Agriculture . No. 1365 ). Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture, 1978 ( books.google.com ).
  41. ↑ Harry M. Majors: Exploring Washington . Van Winkle Publishing Company, Holland, Mich. 1975, ISBN 0-918664-00-4 , pp. 33 ( books.google.com - no page access).
  42. ^ A b Craig Romano: Backpacking Washington: Overnight and Multiday Routes . The Mountaineers Books, Seattle 2011, ISBN 978-1-59485-413-2 , pp. 205 ( books.google.com ).
  43. ^ Suiattle River Road Conditions . Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest . Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  44. ↑ a b Rich Landers: Should Image Lake be reopened to crowds of hikers? . In: The Spokesman Review , August 18, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013. 
  45. ↑ Craig Romano: Hike of the Week for Friday, September 3, 2010 . September 3, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  46. ↑ Beckey , p. 383.
  47. ↑ Trekking Washington . The Mountaineers Books, Seattle 2003, ISBN 0-89886-904-8 , pp. 139 ( books.google.com ).