Columbia River Basalt Group
Natural Resources Conservation Area
- Cascade Volcanoes (summitpost.org)
The Cascade Volcanos are some of the most sought after summits in the USA. The main reason being that many of them are solitary giants visible from metropolitan areas. But there are many other, lesser known and hidden peaks that await the intrepid climber. The singular grandeur, deep green forests, and stupendous amounts of snowfall make for a climbing experience that is unique to the world. There is one huge caveat to climbing the Cascade Volcanoes: the quality of the rock. Seldom is heard a climber raving about the high quality rock found, and nary a traveling climber wishes to visit this range to sample the ‘bullet’ ‘bombproof’ ‘solid’ stone. This page is organized from a climbers point of view, not that of a geologist. However, the geology affects the types of climbing found, so they have been grouped semi-arbitrarily into 3 categories based on the primary types of volcanoes, and the types of climbing found as a result. Glaciated Composite Peaks Shields and Plugs Buttes and Cones
- North Cascades (summitpost.org)
“I have roamed many foreign parts my boys, and many lands have seen. But Columbia is my idol yet, of all the lands she is queen.” -Parson Smith, June 8th, 1886 When trapper Allen (Parson) Smith carved those words into a tree 12 feet this side of the Canadian Border, he was one of the many who traveled great lengths to reap the rewards of the legendary North Cascades. The rewards of those days were pelts, furs, gold, copper, and many other minerals.
- On the west side of the Cascade Mountains, two lobes covered the Puget Lowlands. Along the north side of the Olympic Mountains the Juan de Fuca Lobe moved west, and between the Olympics and the Cascades the Puget Lobe moved south.
- Cytisus scoparius has been introduced into several other countries and continents, outside of its native range, and is commonly classified as a noxious invasive species in western North America, mainly in British Columbia (including on Vancouver Island), California, Oregon, Washington (west of the Cascades), the Sierra Nevada range, fragmented areas of North America’s eastern seaboard, as well as Australia (where it is a declared weed), New Zealand, and in India.
- The Marysville skyline is dominated by views of Mount Pilchuck and the Cascade Mountains to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the west.
- Mount Baker (usgs.gov)
- Cascade Range (Wikipedia)
The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as many of those in the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades. The small part of the range in British Columbia is referred to as the Canadian Cascades or, locally, as the Cascade Mountains. The highest peak in the range is Mount Rainier in Washington at 14,411 feet (4,392 m).
