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Draft:Moonstone Lake

Coordinates: 61°51′44″N 149°03′54″W / 61.8621°N 149.065°W / 61.8621; -149.065
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  • Comment: Sources are blogs or maps. Need reliable secondary sources that talk about the Lake. CNMall41 (talk) 20:04, 4 August 2024 (UTC)


Moonstone Lake
Location of Moonstone Lake in Alaska, USA
Location of Moonstone Lake in Alaska, USA
Moonstone Lake
Location of Moonstone Lake in Alaska, USA
Location of Moonstone Lake in Alaska, USA
Moonstone Lake
Coordinates61°51′44″N 149°03′54″W / 61.8621°N 149.065°W / 61.8621; -149.065
Basin countries US
Max. length.2 miles (0.32 km)
Max. width.13 miles (0.21 km)
Surface area11 acres (4.5 ha)
Surface elevation4,860 feet (1,480 m)

Moonstone Lake is an 11 acres (4.5 ha) lake in the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska. Moonstone Lake recently emerged due to the recession of Mint Glacier, which is located northeast of the lake. Moonstone Lake is the largest of several lakes that ring the headwaters of the Little Susitna River, though it does not have any visible inflows or outflows.

Nearby lakes include Jewel Lake, Beryl Lake, and Ivory Lake. "[1]

Access

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Moonstone Lake is typically accessed from the Gold Mint Trail, which begins at the Gold Mint Trailhead. The Gold Mint Trail ends eight or nine miles later at the Mint Hut;[2][3] from the Mint Hut, a faint informal trail leads northeast for about three quarters of a mile before reaching the edge of Moonstone Lake.

Moonstone Lake is a popular side trip for backpackers completing the Bomber Traverse, an approximately 20-mile hut-to-hut backcountry route.[4] An article in Backpacker Magazine advises that, "For those with gas left in the tank, take a 1.5-mile (round trip) side hike to Jewel, Moonstone, Beryl, and Ivory lakes, which range in color from opaque turquoise to green to gray."[5]

Recreation

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A backpacker looking out over Moonstone Lake. Mint Glacier is visible in the background.

Due to its relatively remote location, Moonstone Lake receives very little recreational use. Packrafters have floated the lake on at least one occasion.[6] There are no known fish populations in the lake.

References

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  1. ^ "America's Best Huts: Mint Hut". September 21, 2017.
  2. ^ "Mint Hut - Mountaineering Club of Alaska".
  3. ^ "America's Best Huts: Mint Hut". September 21, 2017.
  4. ^ "Hiking the Mint-Bomber Traverse in Alaska's Talkeetna Mountains". March 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "Is This the Best Bang-for-Buck Backpacking Trip in Alaska?". October 3, 2024.
  6. ^ "Packrafting on Moonstone Lake". June 27, 2015.
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