110 bulletin university of montana 



Mcdonald lake in the mission range. 



The road to McDonald lake from St. Ignatius Mission is good. The 

 distance is about 11 miles. Most of the distance is across the level 

 valley, the last two miles being a very stiff up grade, causing a hard pull 

 when there is a load. 



Camping sites at the lake are scarce, owing to the nature of the lake. 

 There is but one portion of the lake, the western end, free from cliffs 

 or rocks. Most of this is densely wooded with timber and heavy under- 

 brush. By fording the outlet, possible in summer when the water is low, 

 a camping site sufficient for the party was found, on the bank of the lake, 

 in plain view of the peak, free from underbrush, and above all, in a place 

 where the cool breeze from the mountains after sundown drove away the 

 mosquitoes, which are much of an annoyance in the region in early 

 summer. The camping site was a delightful place, and a stay of ten days. 

 in 1900 was made in order to make collections, and search for living 

 species of the shell Pyramiduia eirodi Pils., as well as to study the ento- 

 mostraca of the lake. A camp of a week in June, 1901, was made for the 

 same general purposes. Plate XXIX gives a good view of the lake from 

 the outlet. 



McDonald lake of the Mission mountains lies at the foot of McDonald 

 peak on the northwest. Like Sinyaleamin laRe, it is hemmed in on all 

 sides except the west by mountains, save that they are much higher, 

 more picturesque, and steeper. The lake was named McDonald back in 

 the sixties, and according to priority the name should easily displace that 

 given to Terry lake, also called McDonald, which lies northeast of Kalis- 

 pell. 



The valley enclosed by the peaks, in which the lake now is, has been 

 carved out by a glacier, or more properly by glaciers, as there were un- 

 doubtedly several uniting to form the main glacier which flowed down the 

 valley. Remnants of these glaciers are yet seen on the mountains, there 

 being three on McDonald peak, one in plain sight from almost any point 

 on the lake. The rocks along the lake have been ground smooth, and 

 show plainly the marks of the ice. At the outlet of the canyon a large 

 moraine has been made, though not so advantageously situated for dam- 

 ming the water as at Sinyaleamin lake. But the water has in 

 time past evidently been much deeper that it now is. The rock on the 

 north is fast disintegrating, and is filling up the lake with red mud and 

 ooze. At the upper end is a wooded valley which formerly must have 

 been a part of the lake. The filling in has drained this part of the lake, 

 the remainder of the lake not yet being filled up. The present lake is 

 therefore but a part of what it was formerly. 



The lake is smaller than Sinyaleamin lake and not nearly so deep. 

 It. is a mile to a mile and a quarter long, the average width being less 

 than a quarter of a mile. On either side the mountains come abruptly 

 to the water, as may be seen in the illustration given, Plate XXIX. As 

 has been stated, there is a valley at the upper end, so far unexplored, 

 and densely wooded with arbor-vitae. several species of fir, white and 

 red birch, and other smaller shrubs. The inlet divides above the lake, 

 one branch receiving water from the glacier visible, the other bringing 



