I have never anywhere seen more perfectly defined moraines.

I climbed over the larger western moraine and found that it is partly merged into the eastern moraine of Emerald Bay to form a medial at least 300 feet high, and of great breadth.

From the surface of the little lake the curving branches of the main moraine, meeting below the lake to form a terminal moraine, are very distinct.
At the head of the lake there is a perpendicular cliff over which the river precipitates itself, forming a very pretty cascade of 100 feet or more.

On ascending the canyon above the head of the lake, for several miles, I found, everywhere, over the lip of the precipice, over the whole floor of the canyon, and up the sides 1000 feet or more, the most perfect glaciation.
There cannot, therefore, be the slightest doubt that this also is the pathway of a glacier which once ran into Lake Tahoe.

After coming down its steep rocky bed, this glacier precipitated itself over the cliff, scooped out the lake at its foot, and then ran on until it bathed its snout in the waters of Lake Tahoe, and probably formed icebergs there.