June 25, 2023 – Cascades Part 1: The Reticent Volcano

…the most dramatic and dangerous of these plate interactions occur in the Pacific Northwest. There, in a line from southern British Columbia to Northern California, a small piece of oceanic crust is being forced under the edge of the North American plate at the rate of a few inches per year.”
― Steve Olson, author of ‘Eruption: the untold story of Mount St Helen

When you put it like that, traveling along the Cascade Range from California to Washington takes on a whole new meaning. I am sure most people come to the Pacific Northwest not with plate tectonics in mind, but rather because the area in and around the Cascades is among the most beautiful regions in the country. Dramatic peaks, waterfalls, gorges, and craters (as in the deepest lake in the USA) bring people to the area to witness some of Earth’s best work. Among the dramatic landscapes that comprise the Cascade Range are the active volcanoes.

Relative to time eternal, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are small earthly events that can be comprehended within our meager human lifespans. They are distinct phenomena each with a beginning and an end. With that in mind, it is difficult to imagine the formation of mountains over time periods described by scientists in the millions and billions. Take the Cascades for example. These mountains were formed over millions of years when a very dense oceanic crust (the Juan de Fuca plate) forced its way under the less dense continental crust (North American Plate) pushing the crust upwards.

Characteristic of tectonic plates, the Juan de Fuca oceanic plate continues to move its way under the North American Plate. This causes temperatures and pressures to rise so high so that some of the rock, water and gases trapped below burst through the earth’s crust. Within the Cascade Range, there is something referred to as the ‘Ring of Fire’, an area containing a series of volcanoes and is also known for its frequent earthquakes. The Juan de Fuca plate is a restless one.

The southern most active volcano of the Cascade Range is Lassen Peak in northern California. And this is where we began our travels along a portion of the Ring of Fire. Comparatively speaking, our travels here are only an introduction to the dramatic and dangerous interaction between two earth plates. For example, we did not travel far enough north to view the most active volcano in the Cascades and most likely to erupt in the future, Mount St Helen. But we did visit Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park, Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon, and Lava Butte in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument near Bend, Oregon.

Amazing to me that 80% of the Earth’s surface is of volcanic origin. As we took in the view over the deep blue water surrounded by the Cascade Mountains, I couldn’t help but think how incomprehensible are the geologic forces that create such awe inspiring landscapes over millions of years. Below us are the continuous forces that shape the earth’s crust without us knowing it except when there is an eruption (or earthquake) to be witnessed and more recently, visually recorded instantaneously. Volcanoes can be considered a natural disaster to many, but they are ultimately what creates the majestic landscapes we travel far to see.

RV TIP

Several previous tips have been about useful gadgets to help with getting water into the RV and getting the waste out. I’ll continue with that one more time with this little recommendation –Thetford’s Drain Valve Lubricant. A little bit goes a long way, as I add it occasionally to each of the tanks, mostly the black tank. Pour about 1/2 cup down the toilet after emptying the tank. Your tank valves will thank you for that and make your life easier too!