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Gold Lake (King County, Washington)

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Lake in Washingtion state, U.S.
Gold Lake
Gold Lake and Wild Goat Peak in the background
Location of Gold Lake in Washington, USA.Location of Gold Lake in Washington, USA.Gold LakeShow map of Washington (state)Location of Gold Lake in Washington, USA.Location of Gold Lake in Washington, USA.Gold LakeShow map of the United States
LocationKing County, Washington, United States
Coordinates47°33′00″N 121°20′38″W / 47.54995°N 121.34385°W / 47.54995; -121.34385
Primary inflowsBig Snow Mountain
Primary outflowsunnamed
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface elevation4,029 ft (1,228 m)

Gold Lake is a freshwater lake located on a valley on the west skirt of Wild Goat Peak, in King County, Washington. Gold Lake is surrounded by prominent peaks and lakes at the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, including Big Snow Mountain and Iron Cap Mountain.

Waterfalls

The outflow of Gold Lake joins the creeks from Moira Lake, Fools Gold Lake and other snow melting creeks to empty as the inflow of Lake Dorothy, which is the origin of the East Fork of the Miller River. Shortly after the Gold Lake outflow, the creek plunges into an unrated waterfall, Gold Lake Falls. Approximately halfway downstream towards Lake Dorothy, where Moira Lake joins with a tributary, the creek produces an unnamed waterfall, and shortly before the inlet of Lake Dorothy, two additional consecutive waterfalls: 104 feet (32 m) Twist Falls and 36 feet (11 m) tall Lower Twist Falls.

Access

Access to Gold Lake is through Dutch Miller Gap trail 1030 starting at Dingford Creek gate. The trail leads to a ridge of Big Snow Mountain towards Wild Goat Peak. Gold Lake is on the west side of the ridge, and Chetwoot Lake on the opposite side. The trail passes alongside Hardscrabble Creek and through Hardscrabble Lakes on the south skirt of Hardscrabble Dome. It follows a ridge towards Wild Snow Peak with Gold Lake on the north side of this ridge.

See also

References

  1. *U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Gold Lake
  2. Beckey, Fred (2000). Cascade Alpine Guide: Columbia River to Stevens Pass. Mountaineers Books. p. 201. ISBN 9780898865776.
  3. Gold Lake Falls WaterFallsNorthwest.com. Accessed 28 June 2021
  4. Unnamed Waterfall WaterFallsNorthwest.com. Accessed 28 June 2021
  5. Twist Falls WaterFallsNorthwest.com. Accessed 28 June 2021
  6. Lower Twist Falls WaterFallsNorthwest.com. Accessed 28 June 2021
  7. "Wild Goat Peak". Washington Trails Association. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  8. "Dutch Miller Gap Trail 1030". United States Department of Agriculture - Forest Service. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  9. ""Hardscrabble Dome", WA". ListOfJohn.com. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  10. Wild Goat Peak at Peakbagger.com
  11. Hardscrabble Dome at Peakbagger.com
  12. Wild Snow at Peakbagger.com
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