“Emerald Lake”
What Can We Learn from the Ponds in the Jarbidge Mountains?
The Jarbidge Mountains are just south of the Idaho border north of Elko. The main crest of the range is bounded by the deep canyons of the Jarbidge River and East Fork Jarbidge River. This crest is 9.5 km (5.9 miles) long from Jarbidge Peak to Marys River Peak and the central range is 10 km (6 miles) wide at its widest. North of Jarbidge Peak, the range merges with the gently north-sloping table land of Wilkins Island within 6-7 km (3.7-4.3 miles). South of Marys River Peak and the deep canyons draining north to the Snake River, the Jarbidge Mountains are a series of ridges and hills about 25 km (16 miles) wide (not including Copper Mountains) and continue south for another 20 km (12 miles) or so.
Glaciation in the Jarbidge Mountains hasn’t been as effective as that in the Ruby Mountains in creating fairy shrimp habitat. The main crest of the Jarbidge Mountains has the form of a glacial arete with 6 horns (e.g., Matterhorn Peak) and the upper valleys tend to be u-shaped. However, the lower valleys and main canyons are v-shaped. Although ponds are generally more common in u-shaped valleys than in v-shaped valleys, those in the Jarbidge Mountains are too small to have created large areas where ponds could form.
The principal chance for ponds is in the cirques at the heads of the valleys but cirques are poorly developed. The 1:100,000-scale BLM map doesn’t show any ponds. The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s recreation map of the Jarbidge Ranger District shows 2 small ones: “Jarbidge Lake” and “Emerald Lake”. “Jarbidge Lake” is at the head of the Jarbidge River southwest of Cougar Peak and “Emerald Lake” is at the head of the north branch of East Fork Jarbidge River southeast of Cougar Peak. The Gods Pocket Peak and Jarbidge South 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles show only a few additional tiny ponds.
Glacial features are less pronounced or absent south of Marys River Peak. Ponds are rare there.
The Jarbidge Mountains have considerable relief, approaching 1,400 m (4,590′). Across the main crest of the range, elevations range from 1,900 m (6,230′) at the town of Jarbidge on the Jarbidge River to 3,304 m (10,840′) on Matterhorn Peak to 1,950 m (6,400′) at the confluence of Slide Creek with East Fork Jarbidge River.
Outside the burn scars, the Jarbidge Mountains have abundant trees. There are pinyon, juniper, and mahogany on the drier slopes; fir, spruce, and limber or white pine on the higher slopes; and aspen in the wetter areas. The table lands east of the mountains and open areas within the mountains are thick with sagebrush. Unusual for Nevada, there are also lush meadows with big-leaved plants like mule ears and corn lily.
All but the southern end of the Jarbidge Mountains is in the Jarbidge District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The Jarbidge Wilderness covers the higher mountains and the East Fork Jarbidge River and its tributaries within the Forest. There are a few hiking trails in the Jarbidge Mountains and they are reasonably well maintained. More information on the trails can be found at the web site of Friends of Nevada Wilderness (www.nevadawilderness.org/jarbidge_wilderness_trails). There are blocks of patented mining claims in the mined area near the town of Jarbidge. Private land for the town itself is remarkably narrow. There are several 40-acre (16 hectares) parcels of private land scattered elsewhere about the Jarbidge Mountains.
The Jarbidge Mountains are a long way from any city and there is no paved road to them. The closest paved road ends about 15 miles north of the town of Jarbidge. It connects to US 93 at Rogerson, Idaho, north of Jackpot, Nevada. From the south, there are 2 county-maintained roads up the west and east sides of the mountains from Deeth, on I-80. On the western route, the town of Jarbidge is 67 miles from Deeth (state highway map). On the east side, it is 86 miles from Deeth through O’Neill Basin to the Slide Creek Trailhead (odometer).
“Emerald Lake” (Jarbidge Ranger District, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Jarbidge Wilderness)
___This map is a screenshot of The National Map (Go to The National Map). The U.S. Geological Survey generally does not copyright or charge for its data or reports (unless printed). A pond location is indicated by an “X”, which corresponds to the coordinates given in the data spreadsheet. Labels in quotations are from 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles.
___Red lines are the U. S. National Grid with a spacing of 1,000 m and intersection labels consisting of the UTM zone (e.g., 11S, 12T), a 2-letter 100-km square designation (e.g., LC, XN), and a 4-digit number. The first 2 digits of the number represent the 1,000-meter Easting and the second 2 digits the 1,000-meter Northing, as seen in the example Easting and Northing. Unlike latitude and longitude, the National Grid is rectilinear on a flat map, the units of abscissa and ordinate have equal lengths, and the units (meters) are measurable on the ground with a tape or by pacing.
___There is no private land on this map. All lands are public.
“Emerald Lake” is 11 km (7 miles) southeast of Jarbidge. It is a small lake on the east side of the divide between the Jarbidge River and the East Fork Jarbidge River north of Marys River Peak and south of Cougar Peak. It cannot be reached by fish swimming upstream. It is not shown on the 1:100,000-scale BLM map but is shown on The National Map (although not labeled) and on the 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle.
Visiting the lake requires a strenuous hike. The shortest route is up the Jarbidge River from Pine Creek Campground to “Jarbidge Lake” and then over the divide to “Emerald Lake”. Another route is from the Slide Creek Trailhead down Slide Creek and then up the East Fork Jarbidge River to the lake. Some people may be able to get to the lake and back in one day using the Jarbidge River trail but an overnight trip would be more practicable for most.
Elevation: 2,867 m (9,405′)
July 3, 1998
I didn’t plan this hike just for fairy shrimp but I saw the lake on the recreation map and thought it would be interesting to check. I had read that “Jarbidge Lake” has fish so that was of no interest. I started at the Camp Draw Trailhead and approached the lake from the southwest. What could have been a pleasant hike turned out to be exhausting as I had to post-hole through knee-deep snow over the crest of the range. Needless to say, I couldn’t see the trail and there were no tracks to follow. In spite of the snow, I somehow found the lake the next morning.
- Dimensions and depth not estimated due to extensive snowbanks.
- Water is clear but mostly covered by snow and ice.
- No fairy shrimp.
Looking south across a snowbound “Emerald Lake” with Marys River Peak in the background.
June 23, 2020
My 1998 visit had sparked my interest. I really wanted to know if “Emerald Lake” has fairy shrimp. It’s such a beautiful place and fairy shrimp would make it even better. My timing was good for this drier year. I hiked from the Slide Creek Trailhead and didn’t encounter much snow. There is some snow on the banks of the lake and some ice on the surface but this time it really looks like a lake.
- Less than 50 m long; deepest part can’t be seen from shore but is likely less than 300 cm.
- Although the water does look somewhat greenish from a distance, it is very clear.
- No fairy shrimp.
- Fish.
The lake has been stocked.
Looking south across “Emerald Lake” toward Marys River Peak in similar view to photo “Emerald Lake” 1998-07-03, #0222.
What Can We Learn from the Ponds in the Jarbidge Mountains?
One of the few ponds in the Jarbidge Mountains has been stocked with fish and hearsay indicates “Jarbidge Lake” has also been stocked.
Other possible fairy shrimp habitats are few and more difficult to get to, i.e., they are far from trails.
In spite of the lack of known fairy shrimp ponds, the Jarbidge Mountains offer alpine scenery and flower displays, rushing streams, and challenging hiking trails without crowds.