Lake Helen (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Helen |
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Lake Helen as seen from the highway
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 Lake Helen
Location in California
Lake Helen
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lassen Volcanic National Park, Shasta County, California, US |
| Coordinates | 40°28′07″N 121°30′36″W / 40.46861°N 121.51000°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 8,200 ft (2,500 m) |
| Frozen | October/November to June - August |
Lake Helen is a beautiful, icy lake located high up in Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. It sits in a bowl-shaped valley called a cirque, which was carved out by a glacier long ago. This type of lake is also known as a tarn. The lake is about 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) above sea level. You can find it south of Lassen Peak and west of Bumpass Mountain. This area is part of the Shasta Cascades in Northern California. A road called Highway 89 runs right along its southern and eastern sides. The lake was named after Helen Tanner Brodt. In 1864, she was the first white woman to reach the top of Lassen Peak.
What's the Weather Like at Lake Helen?
Because Lake Helen is so high up, it's covered in ice and deep snow for most of the year. The lake usually freezes over in October or November. It stays frozen until July or even August!
Snowfall at Lake Helen
During winter, big storms from the Pacific Ocean bring a lot of snow to the lake. Lake Helen gets about 600 to 700 inches (15.24 to 17.78 meters) of snow each year. This makes it the snowiest place in California! The average snow depth at the lake is about 178 inches (4.52 meters). Sometimes, the snow can pile up to over 315 inches (8 meters) deep.
Views from Highway 89
