Thousand Island Lake
Encyclopedia
Thousand Island Lake is a large alpine
lake in the Sierra Nevada, within the Ansel Adams Wilderness
in eastern Madera County
, California
.
The lake is named for the many small rocky islands that dot its surface. Theodore Solomons
probably established the 'Thousand Island' name, as this appears on his 1896 map. John Muir
called it by "Islet Lake."
and Inyo National Forest
. Thousand Island Lake sits at the base of Banner Peak
in the Ritter Range
. It is the source of the Middle Fork San Joaquin River
, which flows west into the San Joaquin Valley
. The lake is a glacial tarn
, formed in the bottom of a cirque
when a glacier
retreated.
made Thousand Island Lake a famous Sierra landmark.
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
lake in the Sierra Nevada, within the Ansel Adams Wilderness
Ansel Adams Wilderness
The Ansel Adams Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada of California, USA. The wilderness is part of the Sierra and Inyo National Forests. The wilderness spans...
in eastern Madera County
Madera County, California
Madera County is a county of the U.S. state of California, located in the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada north of Fresno County. It comprises the Madera-Chowchilla, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census the population was 150,865...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The lake is named for the many small rocky islands that dot its surface. Theodore Solomons
Theodore Solomons
Theodore Seixas Solomons was an explorer and early member of the Sierra Club. From 1892 to 1897 he explored and named the Mount Goddard, Evolution Valley and Evolution Basin region in what is now northern Kings Canyon National Park in eastern California...
probably established the 'Thousand Island' name, as this appears on his 1896 map. John Muir
John Muir
John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
called it by "Islet Lake."
Geography
The lake is within the boundaries of the Ansel Adams Wilderness of the Sierra National ForestSierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located on the western slope of central Sierra Nevada in the state of California. The forest is known for its mountain scenery and natural resources. Forest headquarters are located in Clovis, California...
and Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest is a federally administered forest in the United States. The forest covers parts of the eastern Sierra Nevada of California, and the White Mountains of California and Nevada. It contains two wilderness areas: the John Muir Wilderness and the Ansel Adams Wilderness...
. Thousand Island Lake sits at the base of Banner Peak
Banner Peak
Banner Peak is the second tallest peak in the Ritter Range of California's Sierra Nevada. The mountain is 12,936 feet tall and there are a few glaciers on its slopes. It lies within the boundaries of the Ansel Adams Wilderness; at the foot of the peak lie Garnet Lake, Lake Ediza, and the famous...
in the Ritter Range
Ritter Range
The Ritter Range is a small mountain range within California's Sierra Nevada. Most of the mountain range lies within the Ansel Adams Wilderness. The Range is easily viewed from Minaret Summit, which is accessible by auto. The Ritter Range is most easily accessible from Mammoth Lakes, where hiking...
. It is the source of the Middle Fork San Joaquin River
San Joaquin River
The San Joaquin River is the largest river of Central California in the United States. At over long, the river starts in the high Sierra Nevada, and flows through a rich agricultural region known as the San Joaquin Valley before reaching Suisun Bay, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean...
, which flows west into the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. The lake is a glacial tarn
Tarn (lake)
A tarn is a mountain lake or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier. A moraine may form a natural dam below a tarn. A corrie may be called a cirque.The word is derived from the Old Norse word tjörn meaning pond...
, formed in the bottom of a cirque
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
when a glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
retreated.
Access
Thousand Island Lake is accessible from several hiking routes:- High Trail or River Trail: from Agnew Meadows trailhead (Inyo National Forest) - on road to Devils Postpile National MonumentDevils Postpile National MonumentDevils Postpile National Monument is located near Mammoth Mountain in extreme northeastern Madera County in eastern California. It was established in 1911, and protects Devils Postpile, an unusual formation of columnar basalt.-Geography:...
in Mammoth LakesMammoth Lakes, California-History:The European history of Mammoth Lakes started in 1877, when four prospectors staked a claim on Mineral Hill, south of the current town, along Old Mammoth Road. In 1878, the Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a gold rush. By the end of 1878, 1500 people...
area - John Muir TrailJohn Muir TrailThe John Muir Trail is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, running between the northern terminus at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and the southern terminus located on the summit of Mount Whitney . For almost all of its length, the trail is in the High Sierra...
- Pacific Crest TrailPacific Crest TrailThe Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
- Sierra High RouteSierra High RouteThe Sierra High Route is a cross-country hiking route, long, through the Sierra Nevada. It was scouted by Steve Roper and described by him in his book Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country....
Culture
The black and white photographs by Ansel AdamsAnsel Adams
Ansel Easton Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park....
made Thousand Island Lake a famous Sierra landmark.