Journal: News & Comment

Ring of fire

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Driving down to Cannon Beach, Oregon and back this past week reminded me what a volcanic region we live in here in Cascadia.

Mt. Baker is visible from much of Greater Vancouver, looming to the southeast across the border in Washington State. By the time you reach Everett, north of Seattle, Baker is still visible to the northeast, and soon you can see the biggest of the Cascade peaks, 4200-metre Mt. Rainier, which defines the horizon of Seattle and Tacoma. Further south is the blasted hulk of Mt. St. Helens, and across the line near Portland is Mt. Hood.

Any of those mountains (as well as a number of others, such as Glacier Peak, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, Lassen Peak, and volcanoes in the Garibaldi group here in B.C.) could join St. Helens in being active at nearly any time. Baker smokes and steams occasionally. Just a warning.

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