Ties to history and days gone by are some of the best things about living in the Cowboy State, but that doesn’t mean it never changes. Wyoming forest rangers found that out first hand this past summer when they were surveying the Bridger-Teton National Forest. They were just doing a day’s work, but imagine their surprise when they stumbled upon a brand-new lake in a spot where there hadn’t been one before.
When you’re scanning familiar terrain, it’s startling to find a lake right in the middle of your path.
S.J. & Jesse Quinney Library/Flickr
That’s what forest rangers experienced when they were out doing their job last summer.
S.J. & Jesse Quinney Library/Flickr
They’d been scouting the Bridger-Teton National Forest for wildfires, hoping that if they came across any, they could be stopped early enough to minimize damage.
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr
What they discovered instead was a brand-new lake in a remote section of the forest. It’s pretty big, too, estimated to be about 15 to 20 acres and possibly up to 40 feet deep.
Sam Beebe/Flickr
Apparently, the side of a mountain near Willow Creek gave way, causing a landslide.
Mary Greeley/YouTube The rough terrain left behind by the landslide has made it difficult to get to the lake, so no up-close pictures have been released yet. Only aerial shots like this one are available.
The rangers aren’t sure when the landslide occurred, but it’s clear that it resulted in the newly formed lake.
S.J. & Jesse Quinney Library/Flickr
So, now there’s another lake to add to the nearly 70 we previously had.
S.J. & Jesse Quinney Library/Flickr
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr
Sam Beebe/Flickr
Mary Greeley/YouTube
The rough terrain left behind by the landslide has made it difficult to get to the lake, so no up-close pictures have been released yet. Only aerial shots like this one are available.
Since there’s already a Slide Lake in Wyoming, what do you think the new one should be called?
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