Convict Lake
| Convict Lake | |
|---|---|
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| Lake and Mount Morrison in late spring | |
| Location | Mono County, California |
| Coordinates | 37°35′19″N 118°51′28″W / 37.58861°N 118.85778°WCoordinates: 37°35′19″N 118°51′28″W / 37.58861°N 118.85778°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 0.9 mi (1.4 km) |
| Max. width | 0.4 mi (0.6 km) |
| Surface elevation | 7,850 ft (2,393 m) |
Convict Lake (elevation 7,850 feet (2,393 m)), is a lake in the Sherwin Range of the Sierra Nevada in California, USA. It is known for its fishing and the dramatic mountains (including Mount Morrison) that surround the lake.
The lake was named after an incident on September 23, 1871, where a group of convicts escaped from prison in Carson City. A posse, from Benton, led by Deputy Sheriff George Hightower, encountered the convicts near the head of what is now Convict Creek. Posse member Robert Morrison, a Benton merchant and Wells Fargo Agent, was killed in the encounter, and Mount Morrison was named after him.[1]
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[edit] In film
- The 1951 film The Secret of Convict Lake was largely based on the events that occurred at the lake in 1871.
- According to the narrative included with the movie How the West Was Won, Convict Lake was in the opening scenes.
- The lake was the filming location for several scenes in the 1998 film Star Trek: Insurrection.
- It was used in an advertisement for Nature Valley granola bars in 2007.
- An image of Convict lake was used in a CG background for a cartoon demonstration on Mythbusters.
[edit] Tourism
The lake has a long history of tourism, this has led to the development of a campground. There are roughly one hundred camp sites, these are often nearly filled during peak fishing season. The Convict Lake General Store is located near the mouth of the lake, along with a few cabins. Fish included at the lake are Rainbow trout, German brown trout, and a species of sucker fish. Due to the high demand of fishing in the lake and stream, the lake is stocked once a week during the summer with rainbow trout, supplied by nearby hatcheries.
[edit] 1990 Drownings
In February 1990, Convict Lake was the site of a major drowning. In all, three teenagers from Camp O'Neal, an institution for juvenile delinquents located at the lake, and four would-be rescuers drown in the freezing water. Another youth and a volunteer fire chief were rescued. Shortly before their deaths, the youths were warned that the ice was too thin to support their weight but failed to heed the warning.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Chalfant, WA (1922). The Story of Inyo. p. 215. http://books.google.com/books?id=llRAAAAAYAAJ.
- ^ Decker, Cathleen; Pate, Kendal (1990-02-20). "7 Apparently Drown in Freezing Sierra Lake : Tragedy: Witnesses describe futile efforts to save three teen-agers on a holiday skating party. Four other victims were trying to save them.". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-20/news/mn-1121_1_holiday-skating-partyc.html. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
[edit] External links
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