What happens when Mount Rainier erupts in Washington?
Mount Rainier and Tacoma, Washington as seen from the shore along Commencement Bay. (Credit: Topinka, Lyn. Public domain.) When Mount Rainier erupts again, volcanic activity may affect people living in the surrounding areas, those visiting Mount Rainier National Park, and potentially those flying overhead.
How tall is the peak of Mount Rainier?
Mount Rainier and its associated geologic and glacial features At a height of 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the highest volcanic peak in the contiguous United States. It has the largest alpine glacial system outside of Alaska and the world’s largest volcanic glacier cave system (in the summit crater).
How many people have died on Mount Rainier?
The National Park Service has compiled a long list of death incidents on the mountain since 1897, starting three years after a major eruption. At least 400 (documented) people have died on Mount Rainier since then. The Oregonian picked out some of the ‘most notable’ incidents in a recent article.
Where is Mount Rainier located in Washington State?
Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier (pronounced: /reɪˈnɪər/) is the highest mountain of the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, and the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a large active stratovolcano located 59 miles (95 km) south-southeast of Seattle, in the Mount Rainier National Park.
Where are the mountain passes on Mount Rainier?
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) information on Chinook (SR410) and Cayuse (SR123) mountain passes on the east side of Mount Rainier National Park. Information on snow depth, current temperature, year-to-date precipitation and more at Paradise.
What is the SiO2 concentration of Mount Rainier?
The average SiO2 concentration of volcanic rocks from Mount Adams is 57-59 weight %, Mount Rainier is 61-62 weight %, and Mount St. Helens is about 64 weight %.
When did Mount Rainier first start to grow?
Growth stages of Mount Rainier, Washington showing times of heightened magmatic output and times of dike emplacement. (Public domain.) Around 500,000 years ago, Mount Rainier started to grow atop the eroded remains of an earlier ancestral Mount Rainier that was active 1-2 million years ago.