While Peter Lassen gets credits for the first Anglo person to visit Honey Lake Valley, that is not the case. Hudson Bay fur trappers, by the 1820s, had made their presence in Northern California. By the early 1830s they were exploring Northeastern California—more specifically Lassen and Modoc Counties. In the fall of 1832, Chief Trader John Work led a large party where in they encountered Goose Lake. For the most part they would follow the Pit River. However, one group made an expedition over the Warner Mountains and made a reference of three lakes—Surprise Valley. Later expeditions came through and by 1840 the fur trappers had designated the Honey Lake Valley as Hot Springs Basin. On a related note, it was relayed to me that at one archeological site in Lassen County contained Hudson Bay implements of the1830s.
In July 1844, William Thomas Hamilton (1822-1908), member of a fur-trapping group, was one such early day visitor to Honey Lake. Hamilton wrote in his memoirs: “We reached a beautiful valley called to-day Honey Lake Valley, but at that time without a name. We remained here three months, enjoying ourselves as only men can who love the grandeur of nature. Our time was spent in exploring, hunting, fishing, reading and practicing with all arms.”
A very interesting find on1840s history with a connection with the Honey Lake Valley. One of my research interests over the years has been California history during the 1840s.