Did You Know There’s More Than One Volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park?

Photo by Austin Schmid

Did you know that Lassen Peak is not the only volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park? While it is certainly the most popular due to its size and the recency of its eruption, there are actually many volcanic vents in the park. If you look at the image below, the white dots represent where the vents are located.

Amazingly, there are over 20 volcanic vents in the park (it’s hard to differentiate but I counted 22 vents) and that is not only fascinating as it is equally alarming. With Mount Shasta and Lassen Park, we are basically surrounded by volcanoes.

Lassen Volcanic National Park lies at the southern end of the Cascade Range and at the western limit of the Basin and Range Province. This intersection of two very unique volcanic regions has led to a great diversity of geologic features within the park.

This region has been volcanically active for roughly three million years. As the Juan De Fuca Plate continues to subduct beneath North America, more magma will continue to come to the surface to make new volcanoes. Lassen is one of only a few places in the world where all four types of volcanoes can be seen – Cinder Cone, Composite, Shield and Plug Dome.

Cinder Cone Volcano

Cinder cone volcanoes are built by gaseous lava particles violently ejected high into the air from a single vent, similar to a popcorn popper. The lava shatters into small fragments that solidify in the air and fall as cinders around the vent. As the cinders accumulate, they pile up to form a circular or oval shaped cone.

Cinders, more properly known as scoria, are made of a low density basalt that has a bubbly or vesicular texture. As the lava cools quickly in the air, gases are trapped within the rock, creating this texture. Similar to pumice, some cinders will float. Most cinder cone volcanoes have bowl shaped craters at the summit and lava flows are commonly emitted from their bases.

Learn about the The Tricky Trek to the Summit of Lassen’s Cinder Cone

Composite Shield Volcano

Brokeoff Mountain

Sometimes called stratovolcanoes, these are generally steep-sided symmetrical cones of large dimensions formed from multiple eruptions that deposit layers of lava, ash, and cinder—comparable to a tiered cake. This is the most well known type of volcano in the Cascade Range. Once standing over 11,000 ft (3,300 m) tall, Brokeoff Volcano, also known as Mount Tehama, has been eroded away by hydrothermal activity and glaciers over the past tens of thousands of years.

Long ago, Brokeoff Mountain, Pilot Pinnacle, Mount Diller, and Mount Conard were all part of Mount Tehama. Today, these individual mountains are all that remain of the composite volcano. Mount Tehama once covered an area approximately 13 miles (21km) wide. If standing today, the park highway would go straight through the center of the mountain.

Learn about the Breathtaking Views you can Find at the Top of Lassen’s Brokeoff Mountain

Shield Volcano

Shield volcanoes are formed almost entirely of fluid lava that builds up gradually from thousands of lava flows – like layers of paint on a canvas. The build up creates a broad, gentle sloping cone with a profile like a viking shield – hence the name. The highly fluid lava flows, known as basalt lava, spread out over wide areas, then cool as thin, gently dipping sheets.

The largest known volcanoes are shield volcanoes and include such famous examples as Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii and the largest mountain in the solar system – Olympus Mons on Mars.

Plug Dome Volcano

Lassen Peak Eruption. Photo by B.F. Loomis

Plug dome volcanoes are formed by nonexplosive outpourings of viscous lava that piles up around a vent, but can be preceded or followed by explosive eruptions. Domes commonly occur within a crater or along the flanks of larger composite volcanoes. Growth occurs largely from within by expansion of lava that is too thick to flow. As it grows, the outer surface cools and hardens, then shatters, spilling loose fragments down its sides.

At 10,457 ft (3187 m), Lassen Peak is one of the largest plug dome volcanoes on earth. A smaller dome formed inside Lassen’s crater. During its last eruption, a large explosion shattered the dome causing hot blocks of lava to fall from the peak, creating the Devastated Area. Lassen Peak is considered the most likely volcano in the Cascade Range to erupt in the coming century.

Learn about Hiking to the Summit of Lassen Peak. Or check out video of the Lassen eruption:

Think volcanoes are cool? Well you’re gonna be blown away when you read about how 4 Volcanos Surrounding Northern California Are Some Of The Most Dangerous in America

Active NorCal

Telling the Stories of Northern California

130 Comments

  1. Hey there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading through your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Thanks a ton!

  2. I’ve read several just right stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how so much attempt you put to create any such great informative web site.

  3. What’s up to all, the contents present at this web site are actually remarkable for people experience, well, keep up the nice work fellows.

  4. Hi there, I found your blog by the use of Google even as searching for a comparable topic, your web site got here up, it appears good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

  5. My brother suggested I might like this website. He was totally right. This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

  6. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!

  7. This design is wicked! You obviously know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!

  8. Hello! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from an established blog. Is it tough to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any tips or suggestions? With thanks

  9. Simply wish to say your article is as amazing. The clearness in your post is simply excellent and i can assume you are knowledgeable in this subject. Well with your permission allow me to clutch your RSS feed to stay up to date with coming near near post. Thank you one million and please continue the gratifying work.

  10. I have been surfing online more than 2 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be much more useful than ever before.

  11. Hey! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!

  12. An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a friend who had been doing a little research on this.
    And he actually ordered me breakfast due to the fact that I found
    it for him… lol. So let me reword this….
    Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending some time to talk about this matter here on your site.

  13. Hi there I am so glad I found your website, I really found you by error, while I was browsing on Askjeeve for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a marvelous post and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don?t have time to read through it all at the minute but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep up the fantastic jo.

  14. Hello there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!

  15. You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the article you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.

  16. I like the valuable information you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I will learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!

  17. Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your weblog.

    You have some really great articles and I think I would
    be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d absolutely love to write some material for your blog in exchange
    for a link back to mine. Please blast me an email if interested.
    Thank you!

  18. I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this increase.

  19. Excellent post. I used to be checking continuously this blog and I am inspired! Very useful information specially the last part 🙂 I deal with such info a lot. I used to be seeking this particular info for a long timelong time. Thank you and good luck.

  20. I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website. I’m hoping to view the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own website now 😉

  21. Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this site. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very hard to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and visual appearance. I must say you have done a amazing job with this. In addition, the blog loads very fast for me on Opera. Outstanding Blog!

  22. Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any suggestions for inexperienced blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.

  23. I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is required to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100% positive. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Appreciate it

  24. hi!,I really like your writing so much! percentage we communicate more approximately your post on AOL? I need an expert in this area to solve my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look forward to see you.

  25. I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any fascinating article like yours. It’s lovely worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made just right content as you did, the net will be much more useful than ever before.

  26. Hi my loved one! I want to say that this article is awesome, great written and come with almost all important infos. I’d like to peer more posts like this .

  27. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

  28. I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website. I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my very own website now 😉

  29. I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an impatience over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this increase.

  30. We are a gaggle of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with useful information to work on. You have performed an impressive process and our whole community will probably be grateful to you.

  31. Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thanks, However I am experiencing issues with your RSS. I don’t know why I am unable to subscribe to it. Is there anybody else getting the same RSS problems? Anybody who knows the solution will you kindly respond? Thanx!!

  32. of course like your website however you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very bothersome to tell the truth then again I will certainly come back again.

  33. Hey There. I found your blog the use of msn. This is an extremely well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thank you for the post. I will definitely comeback.

  34. I used to be recommended this website by way of my cousin. I am now not sure whether this submit is written through him as no one else realize such precise approximately my problem. You are wonderful! Thank you!

  35. Hey there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back often!

  36. Howdy! I know this is somewhat off-topic but I had to ask. Does operating a well-established blog like yours take a lot of work? I’m completely new to blogging but I do write in my diary on a daily basis. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my experience and views online. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips for new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!

  37. Its like you read my mind! You seem to understand so much approximately this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I feel that you could do with some p.c. to drive the message house a bit, however other than that, this is wonderful blog. An excellent read. I’ll definitely be back.

  38. I am curious to find out what blog system you are working with? I’m experiencing some minor security problems with my latest site and I would like to find something more safe. Do you have any solutions?

  39. We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done an impressive job and our whole community will be grateful to you.

  40. I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be much more useful than ever before.

  41. Thanks for a marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you can be a great author.I will make sure to bookmark your blog and will often come back someday. I want to encourage continue your great job, have a nice morning!

  42. Excellent post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed! Very useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was seeking this particular info for a long time. Thank you and good luck.

  43. My spouse and I stumbled over here different website and thought I may as well check things out. I like what I see so now i’m following you. Look forward to looking at your web page again.

  44. Hello there! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share. Thanks!

  45. It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!

  46. I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Fantastic work!

  47. Hello! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to look it over. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Wonderful blog and outstanding design and style.

  48. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top button