Mount Rainier is the highest mountain in the Cascade
Range, standing at over 6000 feet from the base of the Columbia Crest . The picture below shows the Columbia Crest and the other glaciers and remnants of the cone after the explosion.
Mount Rainier is what is called a composite volcano, which is a "steep volcanic cone built by both lava flows and pyroclastic eruptions (Woods). " Due to eruptions in Holocene time, the volcanic cone and summit crater have been destroyed; the picture below illustrates the approximate maximum size of Mount Rainier.
These eruptions and lahars are not only in the past but have the potential and likelihood to occur again in the future. With Mt. Rainier, and active volcano just about 60 miles outside of Seattle, Washington, this poses high risk for surrounding areas. With this in mind, Mount Rainier National Park has volcano watchers that regularly monitor Mount Rainier on a daily basis. These volcano watchers are on the look for things like lava flows, ash falls, along with heavy rain or heavy snowfall that may cause avalanches or mudflows. It is extremely important that Mount Rainier National Park monitors the volcano for all of these things, in order to be fully prepared for any changes in activity and conditions that may dramatically effect the surrounding environment and life. (Harris, Tuttle, and Tuttle 511-513).
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| Geographic locations of Mt. Rainier's Glaciers and remnants of volcanic cone that were destroyed after explosive eruption. (Harris, Tuttle, and Tuttle 511) |
Mount Rainier is what is called a composite volcano, which is a "steep volcanic cone built by both lava flows and pyroclastic eruptions (Woods). " Due to eruptions in Holocene time, the volcanic cone and summit crater have been destroyed; the picture below illustrates the approximate maximum size of Mount Rainier.
 |
| The approximate maximum height that Mt. Rainier would stand if not for eruption in Holocene time. (Harris, Tuttle, and Tuttle 514) |
These eruptions and lahars are not only in the past but have the potential and likelihood to occur again in the future. With Mt. Rainier, and active volcano just about 60 miles outside of Seattle, Washington, this poses high risk for surrounding areas. With this in mind, Mount Rainier National Park has volcano watchers that regularly monitor Mount Rainier on a daily basis. These volcano watchers are on the look for things like lava flows, ash falls, along with heavy rain or heavy snowfall that may cause avalanches or mudflows. It is extremely important that Mount Rainier National Park monitors the volcano for all of these things, in order to be fully prepared for any changes in activity and conditions that may dramatically effect the surrounding environment and life. (Harris, Tuttle, and Tuttle 511-513).
Information and pictures from this post are credited to the following sources:
Harris, Ann G., Esther Tuttle, and Sherwood D. Tuttle.Geology of National Parks. sixth ed. . Dubuque,Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2004. 511-513. Print.
Wood, Dr. Chuck. "Definitions." Volcano World. Oregon Space Grant Consortium, 2011. Web. 17 Feb. 2012 <http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/glossary/1/letterc>.
Wood, Dr. Chuck. "Definitions." Volcano World. Oregon Space Grant Consortium, 2011. Web. 17 Feb. 2012 <http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/glossary/1/letterc>.
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