by Nathan Policar

About the mountain• The highest and third most voluminous

volcano of the Cascade Range (14,410 ft above S.L.).

• Main cone of this stratovolcano has formed since 730,000 years ago.

• Potentially the most dangerous volcano in the Cascades because it is very steep, has large amounts of ice and snow, and near a large population.

About the mountain

• Volcanic activity began between one half and one million years ago.

• Potential impact on 500,000 residents of southwestern Washington, in addition to 2.5 million in the Seattle-Tacoma area.

Mt Rainier’s Topography

Geological Hazards• Active Volcano

(last eruption estimated 150 years ago).

• Erupts much less frequently than the Hawaiian volcanoes, but eruptions are vastly more destructive.

Geological Hazards• Hot lava and ash from Rainier's

eruptions have melted snow and glacier ice and triggered mudflows (lahars) in the past.

• Flows can sweep down river valley and cause massive destruction.

• Flows have traveled as far as the present day Puget Sound, and covered the lowlands east of Tacoma.

• The south part of Seattle is formed of prehistoric debris from Mount Rainier.

Washington and Mt. Rainier

•Mt. Rainier

• Seattle

• TacomaOlympia *

Washington and Mt. Rainier

•Mt. Rainier

• Seattle

• TacomaOlympia *

Mount Rainier National Park