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Open early May to late October.
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History
The Lost lake web committee is looking for old photographs taken at the lake. We will be creating a history gallery as soon as we obtain enough photographs.
Please send all photographs to our: webmaster
"Lost Lake" | The Name?
The
Hood River Indians called it E-e-kwahl-a-mat-yam-lshkt, meaning 'heart
of the mountains,' which to the modern day visitor may seem more appropriate
than lost.' However, Lost Lake is easier to pronounce.
Lost Lake is located ten miles northwest of Mt. Hood and about a mile
east of the crest of the Cascade Mountain Range. Total surface acres
are 290 and the perimeter measures about 3.4 miles. The lake is 5395
feet in length and 4150 feet wide at its greatest point and 167 feet
deep. In the Mt. Hood National Forest only Wahtum Lake to the north,
at 177 feet, is deeper. The lake is 3100 feet above see level and is
generally accessible from mid-May until snow blocks the road, usually
late October. Drainage is to the northeast via the Lake Branch of Hood
River. The lake containes brook, rainbow and brown trout, and Kokanee.
Douglas fir, Mountain Hemlock, Cedar and some White Pine constitute the
principal cover, with Alder and Huckleberry forming the underbrush. Otter
are found in the lake as well as beaver. Blacktail deer, squirrels and
chipmunks are found throughout the area with black bear, cougar and bobcat in
the surrounding hills.
Above Photo: The Old Lodge
Lost Lake History
In August of 1873, a party of men from The Dalles made a horseback trip around Mount Hood with John Divers of Hood River as their guide. They knew the body of water as 'Big Lake,' and reached it by following Lake Branch of the Hood River to its source. Arriving at the lake during a typical Lost Lake rainstorm they proceeded to build lean-to shelters by stripping cedar bark from the great trees. On their third night at the lake, while lingering over an evening meal of trout, one of the Diver's boys said: I wonder if that stuff on those trees would burn?' and without thinking touched a long strand of dry moss with a red-hot stick he had just used to light his pipe. The moss burst into flame and quickly spread to other trees.
They left without stopping to gather their camping gear.
Wind swept the fire south and up what was later to
become known as Huckleberry Mountain. The purple
berries appeared in great number a few years after the
fire. The story reamained a family secret for many years and Lost Lake
remained 'lost' until its official discovery in 1880 by a group of 11
men from Hood River.
Leaving town on August 18th they traveled south to the present site of Dee where they experienced their first adventure. In order to reach the west side of the river they had to fell a large tree and then crawl across to the other side. Their animals were hauled across the river with ropes. Reaching the upper West Fork of the Hood River they found the area completely burned over from a forest fire some years before.
The soft ash quickly filled their shoes and made travel difficult, but they did eventually reach a point high in the hills where, according to their calculations, the lake should have been. It was not there. One of the party said: We must be lost.' 'Oh, no,' replied Smith, a competent surveyor, 'we know exactly where we are. It's like the Indian who said he wasn't lost-his wig-warn was.' Continuing southward the men finally reached the lake and christened it Lost Lake as a result of Mr. Smith's remark.
These days visitors who like to fish, hike, swim, picnic, pick berries
or simply laze about their campsite wish that the lake was more 'lost.'
The Forest Service campground, presently a concessionaire operation
under permit to a private party, is often full, especially from Friday
afternoon until late Sunday. Improvements are underway designed to
both protect the resource, and provide a quality experience for the
visitor. There is one rule that does help preserve the original serenity
of the lake and that is - no motorboats are allowed.
Property of Lost Lake Resort