Mount Edziza
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| Mount Edziza | |
|---|---|
 Mount Edziza as seen from Stewart-Cassiar Highway |
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| Elevation | 2,786 metres (10,781 feet) |
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Range | Interior Mountains |
| Prominence | 1750 m |
| Coordinates | |
| Type | Shield volcano, Stratovolcanoes, caldera |
| Age of rock | Miocene |
| Last eruption | 1340 BP |
Mount Edziza is a dormant volcanic complex in Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia, in the Pacific Northwest region of Canada. It is located 38 km southeast of Telegraph Creek. The complex is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes. It is perhaps the most spectacular volcanic edifice in British Columbia. It is a shield volcano that began erupting about 9 million years ago and continued activity until about 1340 years ago. It is surmounted by numerous cinder cones and blocky lava flows that still maintain their original forms. This is the second largest area of volcanic activity in the northern Stikine Volcanic Belt as well in Canada. The complex comprises a large plateau (65 kilometers long and 20 kilometers wide) made of predominantly basaltic lava flows with four large stratovolcanoes built on top of the plateau.
Numerous eruptions have occurred within the last 10,000 years including: Desolation, Mess Lake, Snowshoe lava fields, Kana Cone, Eve Cone, Cinder Cliff, Icefall Cone, Ridge Cone, Williams Cone and Walkout Creek. Many of the volcanic features in the volcanic complex are protected as part of Mount Edziza Provincal Park one of the larger provincial parks in British Columbia.
Mount Edziza is one of the top 10 Canadian volcanoes with recent seismic activity, the others include: Castle Rock, Hoodoo Mountain, Lava Fork Valley, Crow Lagoon, Mount Silverthrone, Mount Cayley, Mount Meager, Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Field and Mount Garibaldi.
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[edit] Hazards of Mount Edziza
Mount Edziza has had a long history of volcanism and has been producing basaltic lava flows, silica-rich trachytic lava flows, rhyolitic lava flows and explosive eruptions for the last 7-10 million years. The silica-rich compositions are similar with the most violent eruptions on Earth and scientists believe that there might be a large caldera under the ice cap of Mount Edziza. A large explosive eruption from Mount Edziza could produce an ash plume that would affect the northwestern part of Canada.
[edit] Recent Activity
The most recent activity at the Mount Edziza complex have been warm springs, several of which are found on Mount Edziza's western flank. The springs are near the youngest lava fields on the Mount Edziza plateau and are probably associated with the most recent volcanic activity at the Mount Edziza complex.
[edit] History
The Tahltan people, who now live in Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek and the Iskut, used obsidian from Mount Edziza to make tools and weapons for trading material. More recently, most of the plateau was made into a provincial park to preserve the volcanic and culture treasures unique to the northern British Columbia area.
[edit] Mount Edziza Volcanic Field
- Tsekone Ridge
- Eve Cone
- Sidas Cone
- Kana Cone
- Pillow Ridge
- Storm Cone
- Triplex Cone
- Moraine Cone
- Williams Cone
- Glacier Dome
- Pyramid Dome
- Sleet Cone
- Twin Cone
- Klastline Cone
- Sphinx Dome
- Cinder Cliff
- Triangle Dome
- Nanook Dome
- Ice Peak
- Icefall Cone
- Camp Hill
- Walkout Creek
- Cocoa Cone
- Tennena Cone
- Ridge Cone
- Sheep Track Pumice
- Coffee Crater
- The Saucer
- Pharaoh Dome
- The Neck
- Kena Cone
- Sezill Volcano
- Cache Hill
- IGC Centre
- Cartoona Ridge
- Tadeda Centre
- Armadillo Peak
[edit] See also
- Mount Edziza Provincial Park and Recreation Area
- Stikine Volcanic Belt
- Mount Edziza plateau
- List of volcanoes in Canada
