Alpha Lake

September 11, 2008; Alpha Lake, looking west.

SIZE: 3 Acres
ELEVATION: 5,950 Feet (estimated)
MAXIMUM DEPTH: 7 Feet
COUNTY: Flathead, Montana
COORDINATES: T30N R19W Sec33E
Longitude: 114d 2m 34s to 114d 2m 41s West
Latitude: 48d 19m 13s to 48d 19m 17s North

SPECIES, CONFIRMED:

SPECIES, REPORTED: No Fish

CHARACTERISTICS:
Low hills rise over the east and west sides of the lake. They are timbered, with some open meadow areas.

Timber and brush reach to the waters edge all around the lake. An area at the northeast corner has open shorelines with the trees set back about 25 to 30 feet from the water.

Alpha Creek drains the lake through a grassy meadow at the northeast corner. The creek flows through a small, shallow pool before passing through a narrow, rocky draw to the road.

A large number of snags are found along much of the shoreline, including a fairly large concentration at the mouth of the outlet creek.

Small patches of aquatic grasses grow in some of the shallows along the shorelines.

Most shores are gently sloped. Parts of the east shore are moderately steep, and a small spot about a hundred yards south of the northeast corner has low, vertical rock right at the waters edge.

Bank access to fishable water is extremely limited. Best access is at the rocky area south of the northeast corner.

Most of the lake is shallow water, including the entire north end.

The bottom is mud and deep silt, and mostly covered with a growth of bottom hugging aquatic vegetation. A lot of snags and small bits of woody debris are found on the bottom all over the lake.

The water is extremely clear.

DIRECTIONS TO:
Take Highway 2 to mile 143.5 in the town of Hungry Horse, where West Reservoir Road will be reached.

Turn south onto West Reservoir Road. You will come to a viewpoint for the dam at 3.7 miles from Highway 2.

The road crosses the dam before continuing south. Just across the dam is a display with a map of the reservoir area and information.

Continue south down the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir for 2.1 miles to the end of Road 895H, on the right. The end of the road is at mile 6.5 of the milepost system that was revised after the 2003 fires.

Turn onto Road 895H, and go 9.6 miles to a very small parking area on the right. The end of the trail to Alpha Lake is opposite the parking area.

There are two trails opposite the turnout. The trail to the left climbs up the bank before dropping back down to the lake after about 70 yards. The trail to the right follows a creek bed up a small draw to reach the lake in about the same distance. The trail to the right is preferred if dry enough to use.

NOTE: The road becomes narrower and brushier, as well as rockier and rougher at 1.3 miles before the trail is reached. Vehicles with a low clearance need to exercise caution.

FISHING TIPS:
I can offer no tips due to a lack of success in this lake. I saw no reason to doubt the report of no fish in this lake.

MAP REFERENCES:
* Montana Atlas & Gazetteer, Page 83 (name not indicated).
* USGS Topographic Map, Montana, Stock Number MT0632 (48114-C1-TF-024-00) Doris Mountain, 7.5 Minute Series.
* USGS Topographic Map, Montana, Stock Number MT1173 (48114-A1-TM-100-00) Kalispell Quadrangle, 30x60 Minute Series.