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Mt Baker Volcano | John Seach
Washington, USA
48.78 N, 121.82 W
summit elevation 3285 m
stratovolcano
Mt Baker is located 50 km east of Bellingham, Washington. It is one of the lesser known volcanoes in the USA. Mt Baker Volcano has been active during the last 10000 years. Fumaroles and dark vapours appeared abruptly in March 1975 at the volcano. There was minor melting of the summit glacier. The thermal activity was not accompanied by earthquakes ans no activity has been recorded since 1976.
The main current danger from Mt Baker is due to lahars which could damage dams. The mountain is drained in the north by North Fork Nooksack River, west by Middle Fork Nooksack River, and east by Baker River.
The eruption in 1843 caused fish kill in Baker River, created a forest fire, and deposited ash nearby. Steam emissions continued at Sherman Crater and Dorr fumarole field on the north flank until the 1940's and 1950's.
Features of the Volcano and Surrounds
Black Buttes: An eroded remnant of a former stratovolcano 3km west of Baker.
Dorr Fumaroles: The fumaroles are located NE of the summit and are a location where sulphorous gases are able to reach the surface.
Kulshan Caldera: The caldera is located NE of the volcano and is the result of a collapse from an ancient eruption.
Mazama Ash: These ash layers are located on the south flank of the mountian and are a result of a hydrovolcanic eruption 6,600 years ago.
Schriebers Meadow Cinder Cone: This cinder cone formed 9800 years ago. The satellite cone is 100 m high and 760 m wide. It has an associated 11 km long lava flow.
Sherman Crater: The crater is located 800 m south of the summit of Mt Baker. It is partially filled with ice. Snow avalanches have swept down Boulder Glacier at least six times since 1958.
Summit Cone: This crater is covered with snow and ice and little is know about its history.
Further Reading
Mullen, E.K. and McCallum, I.S., 2014. Origin of basalts in a hot subduction setting: Petrological and geochemical insights from Mt. Baker, Northern Cascade Arc. Journal of Petrology, 55(2), pp.241-281.
Eichelberger, J.C. et al. 1976. New fumarolic activity on Mt. Baker: observations during April through July, 1975. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 1(1), pp.35-53.
Coombs, H.A., 1939. MT. Baker, a Cascade Volcano. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, 50(10), pp.1493-1510.
Mt Baker Volcano Eruptions
1884?, 1880, 1870, 1869?, 1867?, 1865?, 1863, 1860?, 1859-60, 1858, 1856?,
1854,1852-53, 1850?, 1846?, 1843, 1820?, 1792.