Kusawa Lake

Kusawa Lake is one of many large, long and narrow glacier-fed alpine lakes in the southern Yukon, most of which are part of the Yukon River system. Others include Teslin Lake, Atlin Lake, Tagish Lake, Marsh Lake, Lake Laberge, and Kluane Lake.

There is access to the lake via an unpaved road that branches from the Yukon Highway 1 Alaska Highway, which runs {{convert|20|km|mi||abbr=on}} north of the lake.[http://www.environmentyukon.ca/maps/view/detail/3/19/443/ Environment Yukon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016063745/http://www.environmentyukon.ca/maps/view/detail/3/19/443/ |date=2013-10-16 }}

Kusawa was derived from a Tlingit phrase, which means narrow lake.{{cite book|title=Yukon Places and Names|author=Coutts, Robert C.|publisher=Moose Creek Publishing|year=2003}} Because retreating glaciers often leave long and narrow lakes, there were at least four lakes which were once called Kusawa, including the present-day Kusawa Lake."The four known pre-1898 Kusawa Lakes were: First, the present-day Kusawa Lake at 60° N, 136° W." {{cite book|title=To the Chukchi Peninsula and to the Tlingit Indians 1881/1882|author=Krause, Aurel, and Arthur Krause|publisher=University of Alaska Press|year=1993|isbn=978-0-912006-66-6}}, at pp. 214, 216 (Westlicher Kussooaa); {{cite book|title=Yukon Places and Names|author=Coutts|year=2003}}, at page 166. Second, the present-day Surprise Lake. {{cite book|title=Seventh Report of the Geographic Board|author=Canada|year=1908}}, at page 72 (Surprise Lake [ex-Kusiwah Lake]); {{cite book|url=http://tlingitlanguage.com/media/placenames.pdf|title=Haa Léelk'w Hás Aaní Saax'ú|page=73 (#2: Koosawu Áa [Surprise Lake])|author=Thornton|year=2012|accessdate=2017-10-16|archive-date=2015-04-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150425151028/http://tlingitlanguage.com/media/placenames.pdf|url-status=dead}} Third, the otherwise unnamed lake near the head of the Chilkat River. Id., at page 57 (#15: Koosawu Áa [lake in upper Chilkat River]). Fourth, the present-day Bennett Lake. {{cite book|title=To the Chukchi Peninsula and to the Tlingit Indians|author=Krause and Krause|year=1993}}, at pp. 211, 230 (Kussooa [today Bennett Lake]). "In addition, both the portage between Lindeman Lake and Bennett Lake, as well as Bennett Lake itself, also bore the Tlingit name Ch'akúx Anax Dul.adi Yé [Place to Pack a Skin Canoe Over]. The Tagish name for Bennett Lake was Mén Chó [Big Lake]." {{cite book|title=Place-Names of the Tagish Region, Southern Yukon|author=Sidney, Angela|publisher=Council for Yukon Indians|year=1980}}, at ##108, 111. from List of White Pass and Yukon Route locomotives and carsThe corresponding body of water is located in former Southern Tutchone territory and has a separate Southern Tutchone name. The reason that the Tlingit name currently prevails is that the early English-speaking explorers and map makers hired mostly Tlingit guides, interpreters, and other informants. When these early explorers and map makers reduced their information to writing, the names used were those given by the Tlingit informants. The meaning of a Tlingt name often differed from the meaning of the corresponding Southern Tutchone name. See, {{cite book|title=Kluane Southern Tutchone Glossary|author=Tlen|year=1993}}, at pp. 42-50 (Tlingit Aishihik = Southern Tutchone Män Sho [Lake Big]; Dezadeash = Tatl’àt Mǟn [End of the Lake]; Hutshi = Chu Yena Mǟn [Water Where One Eats Lake?]; Kluane = Łù Àn Mǟn [Whitefish Place Lake]; Klukshu = Łu Ghą Mǟna [Fish for People are in the Lake]; Kusawa = Nakhų Mǟn [Raft-Crossing Lake]; Takhini = Gęl Ädhäl [Springs Hot]) From List of White Pass and Yukon Route locomotives and cars

About {{convert|6|km|mi||abbr=on}} east of the campgrounds on Kuwasa Lake is the site where the first of the Yukon Ice Patches was discovered in 1997 on mountain Thandlät.{{cite journal |last1=Kuzyk |first1=G.W. |last2=Russell |first2=D.E. |last3=Farnell |first3=R.S. |last4=Gotthardt |first4=R.M. |last5=Hare |first5=P.G. |last6=Blake |first6=E. |year=1999 |title=In pursuit of prehistoric c caribou on Thandlät, southern Yukon |url=http://www.tc.gov.yk.ca/publications/kuzyk_et_al_1999.pdf |journal=Arctic |volume=52 |number=2 |pages=214–219 |doi=10.14430/arctic924}} The Yukon Ice Patches are studied by archaeologists in partnership with six Yukon First Nations, on whose traditional territory the ice patches were found. They include the Carcross/Tagish First Nation, the Kwanlin Dün First Nation, the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the Kluane First Nation, and the Teslin Tlingit Council.{{cite journal |last1=Greer |first1=S. |last2=Strand |first2=D. |year=2012 |title=Cultural landscapes, past and present, and the South Yukon ice patches |journal=Arctic |volume=65 |number=1 |pages=136–152 |doi=10.14430/arctic4189|doi-access=free }} The wooden dart shaft fragment that was recovered was radiocarbon dated to 4360 ± 50 14C yr BP (TO 6870).{{cite journal |title=The Archaeology of Yukon Ice Patches: New Artifacts, Observations, and Insights |first1=P. Gregory |last1=Hare |first2=Christian D. |last2=Thomas |first3=Timothy N. |last3=Topper |first4=Ruth M. |last4=Gotthardt |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic65-S-118.pdf |journal=Arctic |volume=65 |number=1 |year=2012 |pages=118–135 |doi=10.14430/arctic4188}}{{rp|120}}

The Kusawa Lake Territorial Park, a protected area of {{convert|3082|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, is in the planning stage.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kusawapark.ca/assets/files/report-resources.pdf |title=Kusawa Lake Territorial Park |access-date=2017-12-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014015011/http://www.kusawapark.ca/assets/files/report-resources.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-14 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.env.gov.yk.ca/camping-parks/Kusawa.php |title=Kusawa park |agency=Environment|publisher=Government of Yukon |date=nd |access-date=December 2, 2017}}

The lake is dominated by Arctic grayling, herring, round whitefish, and American char.

There are no longer any caribou in the region but in her 1987 interviews, Elder Mary Ned (born 1890s-) also spoke about caribou being "all over this place." Evidence of this was proven by the nearby discovery of the Ice Patch artifacts...Oral history tells us that a corral, or caribou fence was located on the east side of the lake, between the lake and the mountain."{{cite web |url=http://kusawapark.ca/park/traditional-homeland |title=Traditional Homeland |publisher=Kusawa Park Steering Committee |date=nd |access-date=December 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329011526/http://kusawapark.ca/park/traditional-homeland/ |archive-date=March 29, 2017 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Cruikshank |first=J. |year=1985 |title=Contributions to the Oral History of the Kusawa Lake Region, Yukon Territory |agency=Archaeological Survey of Canada|pages=28}} From Mrs. Annie Ned prepared for Archaeological Survey of Canada, National Museums of Canada.{{cite book |title=Life Lived Like a Story: Life Stories of Three Yukon Native Elders |first=Julie |last=Cruikshank |publisher=UBC Press |date=January 1, 1991 |pages=428}}

• List of lakes in Yukon

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090207222912/http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/index_e.php National Resources Canada]

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Category:Lakes of Yukon