Water and Light Photography Tour > Wilderness Area
Atlin Lake
Mountain-lined shores and crystal clear aqua-blue water make Atlin Lake one of the most beautiful lakes in North America. It is the largest natural lake in British Columbia and covers an area of 780 km2 (301 mile2 ). Atlin Lake is also the headwaters of the Yukon River. For centuries the Tlingit First Nations People came to the Atlin Lake area from the Taku River region of the coast because of the rich bounty offered by Atlin Lake. The Tlingit name for Atlin Lake is “Atlah”, which means “Big Water”.
The town of Atlin lies on the eastern shore of Atlin Lake. The town got its start when gold was discovered in the Atlin Lake area during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. The Atlin gold discovery is considered to be the richest offshoot of the Klondike Gold Rush. In fact, it is claimed that when gold was struck in Atlin, eighty percent of the construction workers building the White Pass & Yukon Railway, some with shovels still in their hand, left their work at the railway to follow the lure of gold mining at Atlin. Today, people still mine for placer gold in the Atlin Lake area. It is currently estimated that the total gold production from placer deposits in the Atlin Lake area has exceeded $23,000,000.
As a result of the gold rush in the late 1890’s, Atlin received much exposure. It soon became famous for its outstanding beauty. The rich and elite of society began to flock to Atlin Lake as a vacation and tourist destination. In the 1920’s the M.V. Tarahne toured some 400 visitors per week around the spectacular lake. The opulent, gasoline-powered vessel was abandoned during the depression in the 1930’s. Today the Tarahne has been restored and is dry-docked in Atlin where the Historical Society offers guided tours.
The stunning beauty of Atlin Lake drew people to this area in the 1920’s, and for this same reason, still attracts people to this area today. The area is often referred to as “Little Switzerland”. The rugged and jagged snow-peaked mountains of the Coast Mountain Range surround the western shore of the Lake. Atlin Provincial Park and the Atlin Recreation Area were developed to protect the magnificent terrain at the south end of the Lake. Teresa Island is the largest island in Atlin Lake but has a much more exciting claim-to-fame. Birch Mountain, located on Teresa Island and rising to a height of 2060 m (6758 ft), gives the island the distinction of being the tallest fresh-water island in the world. With its height of 2060 m (6758 ft), Teresa Island’s highest point looms an impressive 1393 m (4570 ft) above the surface of Atlin Lake.
One of the most impressive features of the park is its abundance of ice and snow. Over one third of the park’s land is covered by glacier. The Llewellyn glacier, which is accessible by a short hike from the south end of the lake, is just “the tip of the iceberg”. The Llewellyn Glacier flows from the larger Juneau Ice Fields. The Juneau Ice Field is the 5th largest in North America. It covers a land size of 3885 sq. km’s (1500 sq. m’s) with estimated snow and ice depth’s of 245 to 1371 meters (800 to 4500ft). Even though the ice field is around 3000 yrs old the ice within it is relatively young as it is perpetually renewed from the snowfall at the upper elevations. The ice spreads around the jagged mountain peaks and sends its offspring, in the form of glaciers, winding down valleys and hanging off sheer cliff faces, melting as they reach the lower valleys and feeding the numerous rivers that have their headwaters as the base of the ice field.
Atlin Lake supports a large diversity of wildlife. Caribou, moose, black bear, grizzly bear, stone sheep, mule deer, mountain goats, lynx, bald eagles and owls may be seen. Atlin Lake is also a fisher’s dream destination. Some have been lucky enough to catch four or five fish per hour. Lake trout, grayling, whitefish and burbot are the common fish in the lake. You can try your luck from shore, by boat, or try the art of fly-fishing.
Note: A British Columbia angling license is needed to fish the waters of Atlin Lake and is available for purchase in the town of Atlin. Please follow the link to learn more.
