Join geologist Kirt Kempter as he explores the geology of Western National Parks over the course of 2023, with an in-depth look at one location every month. Each program’s content is enhanced by geologic maps, photos, and Google Earth flyovers to reinforce geologic concepts and interpretations.
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Crater Lake, Oregon, and Lassen, California
Lassen Volcanic and Crater Lake National Parks represent spectacular volcanic features along the Cascade volcanic arc. Still active, these volcanoes are born from the ongoing subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate beneath the North American plate. A visceral eruption from ancient Mount Mazama approximately 7,700 years ago created a 5 by 6-mile wide caldera that today is filled with a pristine crater lake almost 0.6-miles deep. To the south, Lassen Volcanic Center has formed in the past million years, creating a landscape of volcanic domes, cinder cones, and lava flows.
Additional Geology of Western National Parks Programs
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