V ~ Volcano

Without a doubt, the volcanoes of Washington State are a surprising lot.  Most people can look at Mts Baker , Rainier, Adams and St Helens and know just by appearance that they are volcanoes.  More surprising is Glacier Peak, a rough craggy mountain in the central Cascades.  This mountain does not have the classic cone shape that defines our other regional volcano's.

All have potential to erupt in the future.  Their eruptions are not set in any fixed rate of frequency, like some volcanoes of the world.  All produce lahars, flows of ice mud and gasses.  These mud flows are responsible for many of the flat fertile areas of western Washington.  The Osceola Mud flow of about 5000 years ago is said to have originated at the top of Mt Rainier, lowering it by 2000 feet and producing a mud reaching to Puget Sound.  It is said that it created up to 450 sq Km of new shoreline and in some places still measures 200 feet deep

There has been a lot learned from Mt St Helens both during its eruption and the subsequent growth phase.  Science of eruption improvement has advanced and data collected on St Helens has aided in predicting dangerous events in other areas of the world, no doubt saving many lives.

The above picture taken from Mt St Helens in July 2010.  Mt Rainier is seen in the distance, about 50 miles north.

Happy Anniversary, Old Girl

In Native lore Mt St Helens is a woman, Loowit.

She was fought over by Wyeast (Mt Hood)

and Klickitat / Pahto (Mt Adams)

Stories of these two rivals throwing fire and rocks at each other certainly tells of the geologic history of the area. In the book I, have Mt St Helens is the beautiful maiden who didn't act up.

A hole in the stories, since she certainly did and still does.

My pictures from July 2007

You hike starts in the woods at sunrise. Here you are just exiting and getting a look at the land to the west.

And begin climbing

And stopping to see where you have been. A good picture of new flows from 1980

The clouds come and go quickly here

The last 300 yards are like steep sand dunes

Like I said, the clouds come and go

Dome and steam

The west wall with the last of the ice

True summit






Proof

Mt Rainier about 50 miles north. Peek a boo visit

The easy way down

Ash everywhere

Thisw is the video I remember the most. This clip is from a broadcast 5 years ago with some footage I did not see in the original broadcast.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=njV9ski1gB4

and from NASA

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=43999