Alta Lake (British Columbia)
Encyclopedia
Alta Lake is a lake in the Resort Municipality of Whistler
, British Columbia
, Canada
.
Originally named Summit Lake, Alta Lake was renamed to avoid confusion with the many other Summit Lakes in British Columbia. The name is derived from the Spanish
for "high up" or "upper". The lake's southern end is the divide between the basins of the Green
and Cheakamus River
s. The lake is 642 m (2,106.3 ft) in elevation and approximately 1.1 km² (0.424712374451789 sq mi) in area and 2.2 km (1.4 mi) north to south, with a maximum width of about 675 metres (2,214.6 ft), east to west.
Neighbourhoods around the lake include Alta Lake
, the original community in this area (now referred to as "Westside"), Alta Vista and Whistler Cay Estates. At the north end of the lake the original site of Rainbow Lodge
preserves some cabins that were part of that rustic resort, and a municipally run ecological preserve which estends up the wetlands of the River of Golden Dreams
(aka Alta Creek), which leads to Green Lake
. A wayside park, formerly a provincial park and now municipally run is located near the south end of the lake.
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Originally named Summit Lake, Alta Lake was renamed to avoid confusion with the many other Summit Lakes in British Columbia. The name is derived from the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "high up" or "upper". The lake's southern end is the divide between the basins of the Green
Green River (British Columbia)
The Green River is a tributary of the Lillooet River in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Approximately 25 kilometres in length, it begins at the outflow of Green Lake in Whistler and joins the Lillooet River a couple of kilometres above where the river flows into Lillooet Lake...
and Cheakamus River
Cheakamus River
The Cheakamus River is a tributary of the Squamish River, beginning on the west slopes of Outlier Peak in Garibaldi Provincial Park upstream from Cheakamus Lake on the southeastern outskirts of the resort area of Whistler. The river flows into Cheakamus Lake before exiting it and flowing...
s. The lake is 642 m (2,106.3 ft) in elevation and approximately 1.1 km² (0.424712374451789 sq mi) in area and 2.2 km (1.4 mi) north to south, with a maximum width of about 675 metres (2,214.6 ft), east to west.
Neighbourhoods around the lake include Alta Lake
Alta Lake, British Columbia
Alta Lake was a recreational community and railway station on the west side of Alta Lake. It is now a neighbourhood of Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. The post office was renamed Whistler in 1976 when the area was incorporated as part of the Resort Municipality of Whistler.-References:**...
, the original community in this area (now referred to as "Westside"), Alta Vista and Whistler Cay Estates. At the north end of the lake the original site of Rainbow Lodge
Rainbow Lodge
right|400px|Rainbow Lodge sat centre left at far end of lakeby grove of orange poplars on Alta Lake; Whistler sits out of view at right.Rainbow Lodge was the first fishing and weekend retreat cabin on Alta Lake, which is now metropolitan Whistler, British Columbia, and stood from 1914 to 1977...
preserves some cabins that were part of that rustic resort, and a municipally run ecological preserve which estends up the wetlands of the River of Golden Dreams
River of Golden Dreams
The River of Golden Dreams, officially Alta Creek, is a short river in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, connecting Alta Lake to Green Lake , which is drained by the Green River....
(aka Alta Creek), which leads to Green Lake
Green Lake (Whistler)
Green Lake is the largest and most northerly lake in the Resort Municipality of Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. It is the source of the Green River, a tributary of the Lillooet River, and is fed by the River of Golden Dreams, which issues from Alta Lake, which is at the height of land dividing...
. A wayside park, formerly a provincial park and now municipally run is located near the south end of the lake.