Pete Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pete Lake |
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 Pete Lake
Location in Washington (state)
Pete Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kittitas County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°28′33″N 121°14′09″W / 47.4757659°N 121.2359631°W |
| Primary inflows | Lemah River |
| Primary outflows | Lemah River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 2,986 ft (910 m) |
Pete Lake is a beautiful, small freshwater lake high up in the mountains. You can find it in the southern part of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Kittitas County, Washington. It's a super popular spot for outdoor fun like hiking, camping, and fishing! This is because it's close to the famous Pacific Crest Trail and other cool lakes like Cle Elum Lake and Kachess Lake.
Pete Lake is also near trails that lead to Spectacle Lake, which is at the base of Chikamin Peak. Another trail goes to Cooper Lake to the south. These trails are well-used by backpackers. Some parts of the trails were even designed to allow mountain biking.
Understanding Pete Lake's Environment
Pete Lake is located in a large valley. This valley holds the most important waterway for the Salmon La Sac area. Water flows out of Pete Lake towards the southeast into the Lemah River. This river then quickly joins the Cooper River downstream. The Cooper River then empties into Cooper Lake.
The water flowing into Pete Lake comes from the upper part of the Lemah River, which starts near Lemah Mountain. The Lemah River flows through the Cascade Mountain Range. It has steep sections with waterfalls close to the Pacific Crest Trail. These include Whinnimic Falls and Lemah Creek Falls.
For a while, mining and a dam on the Cle Elum River affected the homes of salmon. But since the late 2000s, salmon have been returning to lay their eggs upstream of the Cle Elum River.
A Glimpse into Pete Lake's Past
In 1984, an interesting discovery was made near Pete Lake. Someone found a Clovis point, which is a type of spearhead. This finding suggests that Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Plateau might have lived in this area long ago. They might have been part of the Clovis culture.
Some people think these early residents could have been the Wenatchi People. They are one of the tribes that make up the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. This land is also part of the traditional lands of the Yakama Nation.
However, other searches in the area haven't found more evidence like tools or buildings to confirm this discovery. The water levels haven't gone down enough since 1984 to show the land where the spearhead was found.
Around the Salmon La Sac region, there are other ancient Native American sites. These include scattered artifacts, petroglyphs (rock carvings), and places where people gathered resources. There were also seasonal camps for salmon fishing. These sites suggest that the Kittitas tribe or other groups from the Yakama Nation used this area.
Exploring the Trails to Pete Lake
Hiking to Pete Lake is a very popular outdoor activity. The main path is Pete Lake Trail #1323. It's about 4 miles long from Cooper Lake. Most of the trail has a gentle slope, but there are a few steep parts.
The first 2.5 miles from Cooper Lake go through a valley with very old trees. You'll often cross small creeks that are fed by melting snow. After this point, mountain bikes are not allowed because you enter a wilderness area.
The trail meets Tired Creek Trail 1317 after 1.25 miles. Then, it connects with Pete Lake Tie Trail 1323.1. This trail goes uphill in a zigzag pattern for about 0.5 miles to Forest Road 4616. This road allows mountain bikers to complete a loop route.
Once you reach Pete Lake, the trail splits. Waptus Pass Trail 1329 goes around the north shore and uphill through rocky cliffs and forest. After 1.25 miles, it meets Lemah Meadow Trail 1323.2. This trail leads to Lemah Meadows and then connects with the famous Pacific Crest Trail 2000.6.
