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A (semi) Rare View of Lost Lake... from Raker Point! Posted by Splintercat (2006-11-23)

Here's another of my "lost places" projects -- this one spurred by a widely published photo of Lost Lake taken by the late Ray Atkeson. The IMPACT print company made thousands of these in the early 1980s, and you can still find them regularly on eBay. The photo is taken from (or near) a spot called Raker Point, which forms the summit on one end of Sawtooth Ridge, north of Lost Lake. It's a place that really deserves a trail, given the spectacular view. The fact that it is named causes me to wonder if it once did have a trail to the summit. According to fairly recent orothophotos, the summit is still open and still provides a great view. Logging was pretty extensive along Sawtooth Ridge, and a road comes very close to Raker Point, so this is on my list of bushwhacks. But someday, I'd really like to see a trail to the top -- there are some ponds and meadows at the base of Sawtooth Ridge that, combined with the view from the top, would make a truly great destination. Here's a little layout that shows the Atkeson photo, an old postcard view from the 1920s that is quite obviously taken from the same vicinity, and a map clip that shows the relation of Raker Point to Lost Lake. . Tom .

Re: A (semi) Rare View of Lost Lake... from Raker Point! Posted by Splintercat (2006-11-23)

And speaking of lost places in the Lost Lake area, there is also a nice, 40-foot falls on the Lake Branch, just below the Lake Branch Road bridge. You can scramble down to it from near the bridge, or (more safely) get a view from about 1/8 mile down the road, where there is a slide area and an obvious view into the canyon. Still further down the road, from a talus field of giant boulders, there's a view of a third "lost" feature: enormous Sunshine Rock, which looms above the Lake Branch, but is surprisingly hard to spot. This map/photo combo doesn't do it justice, but gives something of an idea of what it looks like. Think Beacon Rock grafted to the side of a forested mountain, and you've got a pretty good idea! Tom

Re: A (semi) Rare View of Lost Lake... from Raker Point! Posted by Jill (2006-11-23)

Real nice Tom! You know I am definitely one of your flag followers.

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