I took this photo last April. Lake Almanor is about 35 miles from Susanville. During the summer the little town of Chester, CA becomes over run with vacationers. This lake has many gated home communities, mostly vacation homes.
We like to hike and picnic on the western side of Almanor near Prattville. The walking trail is paved and its an easy walk even with little kids. You can't see it in this photo, but Mt. Lassen over looks this area. Mt. Lassen is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range.
Lake Almanor is a man-made lake. The great meadow that existed before the lake was made was the home of Maidu Indians, then later grazing fields for cattle. In 1914, the rivers running through the meadow were dammed to form Lake Almanor by the Great Western Power Company. This created hydro-electric power and is still in use today. The lake was named for Guy Earl's three daughters, Alice; Martha; and Eleanor. Guy Pearl was with the Great Western Power Company. I don't know if he was an owner, but it make sense for one of the owners to name the lake.
Today Lake Almanor is a BUSY place June-August. Between cabin rentals and campgrounds, its a busy place. We are lucky to live nearby and can visit during the non-peak times.
