Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Lake Helen, Lassen Volcanic National Park

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Frozen Lake Helen with Turquoise Melting Snow and Lassen Peak, early summer
After the steaming beauty of Bumpass Hell, and the beautiful and peaceful Manzanita Lake, another feature in Lassen Volcanic National Park is Lake Helen. Lake Helen is a glacial lake which is located to the South of the Lassen Peak and west of Bumpass Mountain in the Shasta Cascades region of Northern California. Because Lake Helen is at high elevation, at over 8000 ft, it is covered with snow for most of the year. Ice in this lake usually stays until July- August, and forms again October. The lake would probably look prettier when most of the water has melted, showing a deep blue color and reflections of the mountains. The deep blue color is due to the minerals present in it and its depth which reaches 110 ft.
Face of Lassen Peak, early summer
The Lassen Peak in the background is the most dominant feature of the park and it is also the largest plug dome volcano in the world, which erupted in 1914. Lassen Volcanic is one of the few areas in the world where all four types of volcanoes ( cinder cone, plug dome, shield, and strato) can be found.  But Lassen Volcanic National Park is not just about volcanoes, mudpots, hot spring, hissing fumaroles and other volcanic geology, the park also boasts a rich diversity of plant and animal life. The great biodiversity here is due to 2 factors: its geographic location and the abundance of its habitats. Lassen Volcanic lies at the crossroads of three great biological provinces: the Cascade range to the North, the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the South and the Great Basin Desert to the East. 
Here are two more pictures of Lake Helen with the other mountains surrounding it. 
Lake Helen and Broke Off Mountain, early summer
Turquoise Melted Snow @ Lake Helen, early summer
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18 comments:

  1. Hey betchai, another beauty of nature here! I'll be scared to go near the water...sooo deep. You always have good captures, it's like I'm visiting places with you seeing all your shots =)

    Enjoy your weekend!

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  2. It never occurs to me that California and the surrounding area would have snow..

    Your wonderful photos remind me of winter here!

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  3. It is so strange to see snow in the summer; probably because I live in the desert. Amazing how deep the lake is. I like the turquoise color of the melted snow. Fascinating post.

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  4. That's one good thing about living close to this area is that we are never too far away from snow. The photos are excellent betchai, thank you.

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  5. Such a wonderful place.I'd love to see how it looks like when all the ice have melted.

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  6. Such beautiful images,the turquoise melting snow is awesome.

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  7. Nice beautiful pictures of Lake Helen with the mountain in the background. Love it! : )

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  8. It's my second time here and your photographs are really captivating. you really take lovely photos. I'm so impressed at the shots.

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  9. The photo of the Turquoise Melted Snow is lovely. I would love to see this place.:)

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  10. I can expect wonder after another from mother nature, and I get series of surprise from your blog.

    Your second picture looks very much like a Chinese ink and wash painting.

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  11. Betchai,

    You've been tagged on Wandering Thoughts..

    Your blog has a new look, and I like it!

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  12. I really like the picture with the cracked ice and the blue water underneath. I like that blue color.

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  13. I love the new layout, and look. It is perfect for you, with your love of the wild flowers, and nature. Lake Helen sounds lovely

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  14. Miss Beth,
    Your pictures here really appears very cold! Probably due to the high contrasts and the glowing whites... :D

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  15. thanks a lot everyone, thank you also for noticing the new look in my site :)

    actually mark, it is not cold anymore, it is like winter wonderland in spring like temperature, it is very sunny (as you notice from the very blue sky), and snow being a very good reflector of heat always glow, that is why it is always advised to wear your glasses when hiking in snow as the glare from it can be blinding too.

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  16. Wow! A new site! It looks very fresh and clean...I like it.

    These photos are gorgeous and perfect timing for the hot weather here. These are so wintry...

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  17. Love Turquoise Melting Snow :) Looking at the photos make me think of Christmas...it is almost Christmas...I remember last year around this time we were already so busy planning our grand EB :) and it is always a Joy for me to remember that everything started with me viewing your wonderful Joys of Simple Life. Love the new theme too...and the photo link to "meeting Betchai,"...that awesome, awesome jumping shot with the awesome awesome view
    ! :) great morning on your side of the world...:)

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THANK YOU SO MUCH!!