Trout Lake is a ribbon lake in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. Between the Selkirk Mountains to the west and the Purcell Mountains to the east, the lake is about long and wide. Lardeau Creek flows into the northern end and Lardeau River flows from the southern end. BC Highway 31 skirts the northeast shore. The northern end is about by road and ferry southeast of Revelstoke. Name origin In 1865, explorer James Turnbull noted in his diary a journey beside Lake de Truite, but did not indicate how he knew the lake's French name, only that the waters abounded in trout. No Sinixt or Ktunaxa name existed. The lake is labelled Lac des Truites on an 1871 map, Lardo Lake on an 1890 map, and Trout Lake in an 1889 newspaper article (which highlighted the immense size of the trout). Mining Although mining claims have surrounded the lake, the predominance of mining activity has been near Ferguson and Trout Lake at the northern end. The discovery of the Great Northern and Silver Cup mineral claims led to extensive prospecting from 1890 onward. In 1891, trails for miners were completed southeastward from Upper Arrow Lake and northwestward from Kootenay Lake. By the next year, horse packtrains operated from Thomson's Landing (Beaton). A sleigh road existed during the winter months. In 1893, packtrains commenced from Lardo (Lardeau). In 1894, wagon road construction from Lardo almost reached Trout Lake City and from Thomson's Landing was short of the town. The next summer, the road through the settlement was completed, replacing the packtrains with four-horse wagon teams. Over time, deterioration left only the Thomson's Landing road passable. Prior to the railway, inward journeys to the lake carried supplies, and the outward ones ore. The Broadview, the Silver Cup, the Nettie Lake, and Ajax were the more significant properties. (See mining maps). By 1908, only the Silver Cup remained operational, ceasing production in 1914. The True Fissure and Blue Bell developed 1916–1939. Sporadic mining occurred in the area during the 1940s and 1950s. The area experienced only limited production after the early years, but interest in development continues. Transportation In 1898, a steamboat service was introduced. The next year, a new wharf was completed at Trout Lake City and the survey crews from rival railway companies either chartered the steamboat or acquired available boats. The steamboat ran a regular service up