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70-607: Gotchen Glacier is located on the south slopes of Mount Adams , a stratovolcano in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in the U.S. state of Washington . The glacier descends from approximately 8,200 ft (2,500 m) to a terminus near 7,400 ft (2,300 m) below, where an old terminal moraine and proglacial lake exist. Gotchen Glacier has been in a general state of retreat for over 100 years and lost 78 percent of its surface area between 1904 and 2006. This article about

140-588: A glacier in Washington is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mount Adams (Washington) Mount Adams , known by some Native American tribes as Pahto or Klickitat , is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range . Although Adams has not erupted in more than 1,000 years, it is not considered extinct. It is the second-highest mountain in Washington , after Mount Rainier . Adams, named for President John Adams ,

210-516: A population collapse as a result of an 1830 epidemic introduced by early colonizers. This is one of the reasons many early recorded observations include large shifts and changes in tribal populations. One of the first recorded sightings of the Lewis by a non Indigenous person was in 1792, when William Robert Broughton passed the mouth of the Lewis while exploring the Columbia River during

280-491: A group of small lakes, Chain of Lakes. The area offers developed and primitive camping as well as a good number of trails for hiking and backpacking. Most trails are open to horses and many outside the wilderness are open to motorcycles . More scenery similar to what is encountered in the Mount Adams Wilderness abounds. The area also offers boating and fishing opportunities on several of the lakes. On

350-686: A large cirque below the summit at about 10,000 feet (3,050 m), sandwiched between the North Cleaver on the west and the Lava Ridge to the east. It terminates at about 7,600 feet (2,320 m). The Lava and Lyman Glaciers are the source of the Muddy Fork of the Cispus River . The total glacier area on Mount Adams decreased 49%, from 12.2 square miles (31.5 km ) to 6.3 square miles (16.2 km ), between 1904 and 2006, with

420-623: A normal rate of one earthquake every 2-3 years, this is above background levels, and the most since recordkeeping began in 1982. The USGS plans to install temporary seismic stations around Mount Adams to better estimate the size and depth of these earthquakes. Like many other Cascade volcanoes, Mount Adams offers many recreational activities, including mountain climbing, backcountry skiing, hiking and backpacking, berry picking, camping, boating , fishing , rafting , photography , wildlife viewing, and scenic driving among other things. The 47,122-acre (19,070 ha) Mount Adams Wilderness along

490-560: A popular picnic and hiking area noted for its outstanding display of wildflowers, and exceptional views of Mount Adams and its glaciers, as well as Mount Hood to the south. Some areas of the Yakama Indian Reservation are open for recreation, while other areas are open only to members of the tribe. Each year, thousands of outdoor enthusiasts attempt to summit Mount Adams. The false summits and broad summit plateau have disheartened many climbers as this inscription on

560-465: A rock at Piker's Peak indicates. "You are a piker if you think this is the summit. Don't crab, the mountain was here first." Crampons and ice axes are needed on many routes because of glaciers and the route's steepness. Aside from crevasses on the more difficult glacier routes, the biggest hazard is the loose rocks and boulders which are easily dislodged and a severe hazard for climbers below. These falling rocks are especially dangerous for climbers on

630-485: A slide that occurred on Little Tahoma in 1963. The first occurred at the end of August and consisted of mainly snow and ice with some rock. It fell from a similar location and in a similar path to the slide of 1921. The second slide that year occurred in late October and originated high on Battlement Ridge just below The Castle. It consisted of mainly rock and flowed three miles down the Klickitat Glacier and

700-554: A small glacial tarn , Equestria Lake. In the Cascades , Adams Glacier is second in size only to Carbon Glacier on Mount Rainier . The Pinnacle , White Salmon , and Avalanche glaciers on the west side of the mountain are less thick and voluminous, and are generally patchy in appearance. They all originate from glacial cirques below the actual summit. Although the White Salmon Glacier does not originate from

770-400: A southerly direction. Three prominent ridges descend from the east side of the mountain. The Ridge of Wonders is farthest south and ends at an area away from the mountain called The Island. Battlement Ridge is very rugged and descends from high on the mountain. The farthest ridge north on the east side, Victory Ridge, descends from a lower elevation on the mountain than Battlement Ridge beneath

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840-474: Is a cinder cone on Adams' north side that was created in the late Pleistocene and stands 800 feet (240 m) above its lava plain. Lavas from its base flowed into the Cispus Valley where they were later modified by glaciers. At the 7,500 feet (2,290 m) level on Adams' south flank is South Butte. The lavas associated with this structure are all younger than Suksdorf Ridge but were emplaced before

910-577: Is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc , and is one of the arc's largest volcanoes, located in a remote wilderness approximately 34 miles (55 km) east of Mount St. Helens . The Mount Adams Wilderness consists of the upper and western part of the volcano's cone. The eastern side of the mountain is designated as part of the territory of the Yakama Nation . Adams' asymmetrical and broad body rises 1.5 miles (2.4 km) above

980-409: Is farther east than all the rest of Washington's volcanoes except Glacier Peak . Adams is one of the long-lived volcanoes in the Cascade Range , with minor activity beginning 900,000 years ago and major cone building activity beginning 520,000 years ago. The whole mountain has been completely eroded by glaciers to an elevation of 8,200 feet (2,500 m) twice during its lifetime. The current cone

1050-426: Is no trail. The 8–10 miles (13–16 km) section of the trail on the Yakama Indian Reservation may require special permits. Lewis River (Washington) The first inhabitants of the Lewis drainage were a number of Native American tribes. Tribal listings compiled by anthropologist Verne F. Ray mention a village about 5 miles (8.0 km) upstream from the mouth of the Lewis, which was originally populated by

1120-555: Is reflected in its 18 miles (29 km)-diameter base, which has a prominent north–south trending axis. Adams is the source of the headwaters for two major rivers, the Lewis River and White Salmon River . The many streams that emanate from the glaciers and from springs at its base flow into two more major river systems, the Cispus River and the Klickitat River . The streams on the north and west portions of Adams feed

1190-679: Is the second-most isolated, in terms of access, stratovolcano in Washington; Glacier Peak is the most isolated. Only two major highways pass close to it. Highway 12 passes about 25 miles (40 km) to the north of Adams through the Cascades. Highway 141 comes within 13 miles (21 km) of Adams as it follows the White Salmon River valley up from the Columbia River to the small town of Trout Lake . From either highway, travelers have to use Forest Service roads to get closer to

1260-705: Is the source of Little Muddy Creek, another tributary of the Klickitat. The north side is distinguished by two major glaciers, the Lyman and Lava Glaciers. Like the Adams Glacier , the Lyman Glacier is characterized by deep crevasses and many icefalls as it cascades down from the summit ice cap . It is divided into two arms by a very rugged ridge at 10,200 feet (3,110 m) and terminates at 7,400 feet (2,260 m). The Lava Glacier originates in

1330-825: Is the source of Morrison Creek; and, although it does not feed it directly, the Gotchen Glacier is the source of Gotchen Creek. Both creeks drain to the White Salmon River . The rugged east side has four glaciers, the Mazama Glacier , Klickitat Glacier , Rusk Glacier , and the Wilson Glacier . During the last ice age , they carved out two immense canyons: the Hellroaring Canyon and the Avalanche Valley. This created

1400-491: Is therefore made of easily eroded andesite fragments. Since its construction, constant emissions of heat and caustic gases have transformed much of the rock into clays (mostly kaolinite ), iron oxides , sulfur -rich compounds and quartz . The present eruptive cone above 7,000 feet (2,100 m) was constructed sometime between 40,000 to 10,000 years ago. Since that time the volcano has erupted at least ten times, generally from above 6,500 feet (2,000 m). One of

1470-631: Is very low and it is one of the quietest volcanoes in Oregon and Washington . It is monitored by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and the Cascades Volcano Observatory via a seismic station on the southwest flank of the mountain. During the month of September of 2024, the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory recorded six earthquakes ranging in magnitudes 0.9 to 2.0. With

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1540-531: The Adams , Klickitat , Lyman , and White Salmon ) originate from Adams' summit ice cap. On the northwest face of the mountain, Adams Glacier cascades down a steep channel in a series of icefalls before spreading out and terminating at around the 7,000 feet (2,130 m) elevation, where it becomes the source of the Lewis River and Adams Creek, a tributary of the Cispus River . Its eastern lobe ends at

1610-458: The Cowlitz , but transitioned after 1830 to a Klickitat population. Lewis and Clark encountered a tribe on the Lewis River that they referred to as "Cathlapotles," which are thought to be Chinook , but they also recorded a Sahaptin-speaking village near the mouth of the Lewis, which were likely Klickitat people. Like almost all Native tribes, Indigenous groups on the Lewis River experienced

1680-580: The Goat Rocks volcano was periodically explosive and deposited ash 2.5 million years ago that later solidified into 2,100-foot (640 m) thick tuff layers. In the area surrounding Mount Adams, many caves have formed around inactive lava vents. These caves, usually close to the surface, can be hundreds of feet (meters) deep and wide. A few of the more well known caves include the Cheese Cave , Ice Cave, and Deadhorse Caves. Cheese Cave has

1750-555: The Hudson's Bay Company and established a land claim near present day Woodland . Lewis became the county surveyor in 1856, and applied his own name to the river. The Lewis River rises in the Cascades in northeastern Skamania County , high on the west flank of Mount Adams , approximately 75 miles (121 km) northeast of Portland, Oregon . It flows generally southwest through Gifford Pinchot National Forest , across central Skamania County, passing south of Mount St. Helens . It forms

1820-639: The United States Forest Service (USFS) is required for activities above 7,000 feet (2,100 m) from June through September. On the north side, the Midway High Lakes Area , which lies mostly outside the wilderness area, is one of the more popular areas around Mount Adams. The area is made up of four large lakes, Council Lake, Takhlakh Lake , Ollalie Lake , and Horseshoe Lake ; one small lake, Green Mountain Lake; and

1890-713: The Vancouver Expedition . He named it Rushleigh's River at that time. At the time Lewis and Clark crossed the river, they had already named the Snake River the Lewis, and referred to the present-day Lewis as the Cathlapoote. Other historically recorded names include the Kattlepoutal and Washington River. The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 brought an influx of colonizers to the region, but just prior to that in 1845, Adolphus Lee Lewis retired from

1960-590: The Big Muddy Creek streambed. Both slides were estimated to have moved as much as 6.5 million cubic yards (5.0 million cubic meters) of material. The Indian Heaven volcanic field is located between St. Helens and Adams and within the Indian Heaven Wilderness . Its principal feature is an 18-mile (29 km) long linear zone of shield volcanoes , cinder cones , and flows with volumes of up to </ref>t|23|cumi|km3}} with

2030-649: The Big Muddy on its way to the Klickitat. The Wilson Glacier, like the Rusk Glacier, starts below the Roosevelt Cliff and is fed by avalanching snow and ice; however, the Wilson Glacier starts slightly higher at about 10,800 feet (3,290 m). It is also fed by an arm of the Lyman Glacier as it flows down from the summit ice cap. The Wilson Glacier terminates at 7,500 feet (2,290 m) where it

2100-552: The Cascade crest. Its nearly flat summit was formed as a result of cone-building eruptions from separated vents. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the western flank of the mountain. Mount Adams stands 37 miles (60 km) east of Mount St. Helens and about 50 miles (80 km) south of Mount Rainier . It is 30 miles (48 km) north of the Columbia River and 55 miles (89 km) north of Mount Hood in Oregon . The nearest major cities are Yakima , 50 miles (80 km) to

2170-964: The Cispus River, which joins the Cowlitz River near Riffe Lake , and the Lewis River. To the south, the White Salmon River has its source on the lower flanks of the west side of Adams and gains additional flows from streams along the southwest side of the mountain. Streams on the east side all flow to the Klickitat River. Streams on all sides, at some point in their courses, provide essential irrigation water for farming and ranching . The Klickitat and White Salmon rivers are nearly completely free flowing, with only small barriers to aid irrigation (White Salmon) and erosion control (Klickitat). The Cispus and Lewis rivers have been impounded with dams farther downstream for flood control and power generation purposes. Mount Adams

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2240-685: The Lewis River is at Columbia river mile (RM) 87 or river kilometer (RK) 140. Near the confluence with the Columbia River, the Lewis River is joined by the East Fork Lewis River . The main Lewis River, sometimes called the North Fork Lewis River, forms the boundary between Clark and Cowlitz counties, while the East Fork divides Clark County in half. The East Fork flows westward from headwaters on

2310-498: The Pinnacle, to the northwest and west, respectively. Stagman Ridge descends west-southwest from a point about halfway up the west side and turns more southwest at about 6,000 feet (1,830 m). South of Stagman Ridge lies Crofton Ridge. Crofton gradually becomes very broad as it descends southwesterly from the tree line. MacDonald Ridge, on the south side, starts at about tree line below the lower end of Suksdorf Ridge and descends in

2380-678: The Ridge of Wonders between the two. Of the four glaciers on the east side, the Mazama Glacier is the farthest south and begins between the Suksdorf Ridge and Ridge of Wonders at about 10,500 feet (3,200 m). Near its terminus, it straddles the Ridge of Wonders and a small portion feeds into the Klickitat Glacier. The glacier gains more area from additional glacier ice that collects from drifting snow and avalanches below

2450-445: The Suksdorf Ridge as the ridge turns south. The Mazama Glacier terminates at about 8,000 feet (2,440 m) and is the source of Hellroaring Creek, which flows over several waterfalls before it joins Big Muddy Creek. Klickitat Glacier on the volcano's eastern flank originates in a 1 mile (1.6 km) wide cirque and is fed by two smaller glaciers from the summit ice cap. It terminates around 6,600 feet (2,010 m), where it becomes

2520-607: The Windholes on the southeast side near Island Cabin Campground. Adams is made of several overlapping cones that together form an 18-mile-diameter (29 km) base which is elongated in its north–south axis and covers an area of 250 square miles (650 km ). The volcano has a volume of 70 cubic miles (290 km ) placing it second only to Mount Shasta in that category among the Cascade stratovolcanoes. Mount Adams

2590-500: The area around Mount Adams where visitors can find extensive vistas, local history, displays of wildflowers, lava formations, and several waterfalls . One such trail is the unofficially named "Round the Mountain Trail" that encircles Mount Adams and is approximately 35 miles (56 km) long. It is called the "Round the Mountain Trail" unofficially because it is made up of three different named trails and an area where there

2660-466: The base of Mount Adams, and filled existing depressions and ponded in valleys. Most of the volcano is made of andesite together with a handful of dacite and pyroclastic flows which erupted early in Adams' development. The present main cone was built when Adams was capped by a glacier system in the last ice age . The lava that erupted was shattered when it came in contact with the ice and the cone interior

2730-534: The boundary, along the Dark Divide on its north side, between Cowlitz County , to the north, and Clark County , to the south. Towns along the river include Cougar , Ariel , and Woodland . In its lower 10 miles (16 km), it turns sharply south, then west, and enters the Columbia from the east, opposite St. Helens, Oregon , approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Vancouver, Washington . The mouth of

2800-418: The early 21st century, glaciers covered a total of 2.5% of Adams' surface. During the last ice age about 90% of the mountain was glaciated. Mount Adams has 209 perennial snow and ice features and 12 officially named glaciers. The total ice-covered area makes up 9.3 square miles (24 km ), while the area of named glaciers is 7.7 sq mi (20 km ). Most of the largest remaining glaciers (including

2870-603: The end of the last ice age. Several relatively young obvious lava flows exist in the area around Adams. Most of these flows are on the north side of the mountain and include the flow in the Mutton Creek area, Devils Garden, the Takh Takh Meadows Flow, and the much larger Muddy Fork Lava Flow to the north of Devils Garden. Only one obvious flow appears on the south slopes of Adams, the A. G. Aiken Lava Bed. Other smaller flows exist in various locations around

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2940-421: The first occurring 520,000 to 500,000 years ago, the second 450,000 years ago, and the third 40,000 to 10,000 years ago. Most of these eruptions and therefore most of the volcano , consist of lava flows with little tephra . The loose material that makes up much of Adams' core is made of brecciated lava. Andesite and basalt flows formed a 20-to-200-foot (6 to 60 m) thick circle around

3010-432: The greatest loss occurring before 1949. Since 1949, the total glacier area has been relatively stable with a small amount of decline since the 1990s. Mount Adams is surrounded by a variety of other volcanic features and volcanoes . It stands near the center of a north–south trending volcanic field that is about 4 miles (6.4 km) wide and 30 miles (48 km) long, from just south of the Goat Rocks to Guler Mountain,

3080-660: The headwall of the White Salmon Glacier and was the largest avalanche on Adams in historic time. The slide fell about 1 mile (1.6 km) and its debris covered about 1 square mile (2.6 km ) of the upper Salt Creek area. Steam vents were reported active at the slide source for three years, leading to speculation that the event was started with a small steam explosion. This was the only debris flow in Mount Adams' recorded history, but there are five known lahars. Since then, thermal anomalies (hot spots) and gas emissions (including hydrogen sulfide ) have occurred especially on

3150-760: The highest peak, Lemei Rock . The shield volcanoes, which form the backbone of the volcanic field, are located on the northern and southern sides of the field. Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams are on the western and the eastern sides. To the east, across the Klickitat River , lies the Simcoe Mountains volcanic field . This area contains many small shield volcanoes and cinder cones of mainly alkalic intraplate basalt with fractionated intermediate alkalic products, subordinate subalkaline mafic lavas, and several rhyolites as secondary products. There are about 205 vents that were active between 4.2 million and 600 thousand years ago. Seismic activity around Adams

3220-420: The largest bore of the caves near Adams with a diameter of 40–50 feet (12–15 m) and a length of over 2,000 feet (610 m). Ice cave, which is made up of several sections created by several sinkholes , has an ice section that is 120 feet (37 m) long and 20–30 feet (6.1–9.1 m) in diameter and noted for its ice formations. From the same entrance, the tube continues another 500 feet (150 m) to

3290-644: The many streams of the Salt Creek and Cascade Creek drainages, which flow into the White Salmon River . The Pinnacle Glacier is the source of a fork of the Lewis River as well as Riley Creek, which is also a tributary of the Lewis River. The south side of the mountain along Suksdorf Ridge is moderately glacier-free, with the only glaciers being the relatively small Gotchen Glacier and the Crescent Glacier . The south side, however, does have some perennial snowfields on its slopes. The Crescent Glacier

3360-467: The more recent flows issued from South Butte and created the 4.5-mile (7.2 km) long by 0.5-mile (0.8 km) wide A.G. Aiken Lava Bed. This flow looks young but has 3,500-year-old Mount St. Helens ash on it, meaning it is at least that old. Of a similar age are the Takh Takh Meadows and Muddy Fork lava flows. The lowest vent to erupt since the main cone was constructed is Smith Butte on

3430-434: The mountain as well. The many other vents and volcanoes encompassed by the Mount Adams field include Glaciate Butte and Red Butte on the north, King Mountain, Meadow Butte, Quigley Butte, and Smith Butte on the south, with others interspersed throughout. Located about 25 miles (40 km) north of Adams is Goat Rocks Wilderness and the heavily eroded ruins of a stratovolcano that is much older than Adams. Unlike Adams,

3500-645: The mountain. The main access roads, FR 23, FR 82, FR 80, and FR 21, are paved for part of their length. Almost all other roads are gravel or dirt, with varying degrees of maintenance. Access to the Mount Adams Recreation Area is by way of FR 82, which becomes BIA 285 at the Yakama reservation boundary. BIA 285 is known to be extremely rough and often suitable only for trucks or high-clearance vehicles. Two small towns, Glenwood and Trout Lake , are located in valleys within 15 miles (24 km) of

3570-491: The north, as well as Mount St. Helens to the west, all in Washington; and Mount Hood , Mount Jefferson , and the Three Sisters , all to the south in Oregon . Contrary to legend, the flatness of Adams' current summit area is not due to the loss of the volcano's peak. Instead, it was formed as a result of cone-building eruptions from separated vents. A false summit, Pikers Peak , rises 11,657 feet (3,553 m) on

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3640-691: The northeast, and the Portland metropolitan area, 60 miles (97 km) to the southwest. Between half and two thirds of Adams is within the Mount Adams Wilderness of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest . The remaining area is within the Mount Adams Recreation Area of the Yakama Indian Reservation . While many of the volcanic peaks in Oregon are located on the Cascade Crest, Adams is the only active volcano in Washington to be so. It

3710-477: The northwest false summit and was created by erosion from the Adams and White Salmon glaciers. On the east side, The Castle is a low prominence at the top of Battlement Ridge. The summit crater is filled with snow and is open on its west rim. Prominent ridges descend from the mountain on all sides. On the north side, the aptly named North Cleaver comes down from a point below the summit ice cap heading almost due north. The Northwest Ridge and West Ridge descend from

3780-406: The other Cascade volcanoes. However, since the interior of the main cone is little more than a pile of fragmented lava and hydrothermally altered rock, there is a potential for very large landslides and other debris flows. In 1997, Adams experienced two slides seven weeks apart that were the largest slides in the Cascades , ignoring the catastrophic landslide eruption of Mount St. Helens , since

3850-405: The precipitous Roosevelt Cliff. Lava Ridge, starting at about the same location as the North Cleaver, descends slightly east of north. Several rock prominences exist on the lower flanks of Adams. The Spearhead is an abrupt rocky prominence near the bottom of Battlement Ridge. Burnt Rock, The Hump, and The Bumper are three smaller rocky prominences at or below the tree line on the west side. In

3920-415: The precipitous east faces and the steep headwalls of the north and west sides. Routes in those areas should only be climbed early in the season under as ideal conditions as can be had. Other hazards faced by climbers on Adams include sudden storms and clouds, avalanches , altitude sickness , and inexperience. Climbing Mount Adams can be dangerous for a variety of reasons and people have died in pursuit of

3990-460: The source of Big Muddy Creek, a tributary of the Klickitat River . The Rusk Glacier does not start from the summit ice cap but starts at 10,500 feet (3,200 m) below the Roosevelt Cliff and is fed by avalanching snow and ice from the summit cap. It is enclosed on the south by Battlement Ridge and Victory Ridge on the north and terminates at about 7,100 feet (2,160 m). It is the source of Rusk Creek, which flows over two waterfalls before joining

4060-669: The south side of Adams, the Morrison Creek area provides additional opportunities for hiking, backpacking, biking , and equestrian sports with several long loop trails. A few small and primitive campgrounds exist in the area, including the Wicky Creek Shelter. Generally, there are trailheads at these campgrounds. On the southeast side of the mountain, the Mount Adams Recreation Area , another very popular area, offers activities such as hiking , camping , picnicking , and fishing . The area features Bird Creek Meadows,

4130-415: The south side of the nearly half-mile (800 m) wide summit area. The true summit is about 600 feet (180 m) higher on the gently sloping north side. A small lava and scoria cone marks the highest point. Suksdorf Ridge is a long buttress descending from the false summit to an elevation of 8,000 feet (2,000 m). This structure was built by repeated lava flows in the late Pleistocene . The Pinnacle forms

4200-507: The south slope of Adams. The last lava known to have erupted from Adams is an approximately 1000-year-old flow that emerged from a vent at about 8,200 feet (2,500 m) on Battlement Ridge. The Trout Lake Mudflow is the youngest large debris flow from Adams and the only large one since the end of the last Ice Age . The flow dammed Trout Creek and covered 25 miles (40 km) of the White Salmon River valley. Impounded water later formed Trout Lake. The Great Slide of 1921 started close to

4270-493: The summit ice cap , it does begin very high on the mountain at about 11,600 feet (3,540 m). In the early 20th century, a portion of it descended from the summit ice cap, but volume loss has separated it. Some of its glacial ice feeds the Avalanche Glacier below it to the southwest while the rest tumbles over some large cliffs to its diminutive lower section to the west. The White Salmon and Avalanche Glaciers feed

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4340-418: The summit plateau and indicate that Adams is dormant , not extinct . Future eruptions from Adams will probably follow patterns set by previous events and will thus be flank lava flows of andesite or basalt . Because the primary products were andesite, the eruptions that occur on Adams tend to have a low to moderate explosiveness and present less of a hazard than the violent eruptions of St. Helens and some of

4410-455: The summit while many others have had close calls. There are 25 main routes to the summit with alternates of those main routes. They range in difficulty from the relatively easy non-technical South Spur (South Climb) route to the extremely challenging and dangerous Victory Ridge, Rusk Glacier Headwall, and Wilson Glacier Headwall routes up Roosevelt Cliff. While the summit is the main draw for many who visit Adams, many trails pass through

4480-430: The summit, Glenwood on the southeast quarter and Trout Lake on the southwest quarter. The mountain's size and distance from major cities, and the tendency of some people to forget or ignore Mount Adams, has led some people to call this volcano "The Forgotten Giant of Washington". On a clear day from the summit, other visible volcanoes in the Cascade Range include: Mount Rainier , Mount Baker , and Glacier Peak to

4550-411: The vent farthest south in the field. This field includes over 120 vents; about 25 of these are considered flank volcanoes of Mount Adams. The largest flank volcano is a basaltic shield volcano on Adams east base called Goat Butte. This structure is at least 150,000 years old. Little Mount Adams is a symmetrical cinder cone on top of the Ridge of Wonders on Adams' southeast flank. Potato Hill

4620-430: The west slope of Mount Adams offers an abundance of opportunities for hiking , backpacking , backcountry camping, mountain climbing and equestrian sports. Trails in the wilderness pass through dry east-side and moist west-side forests, with views of Mt. Adams and its glaciers , tumbling streams, open alpine forests, parklands, and a variety of wildflowers among lava flows and rimrocks . A Cascades Volcano Pass from

4690-583: The west. Deadhorse Cave is a massive network of lava tubes. It is the most complex lava tube in the United States with 14,441 feet (4,402 m) of passage. These caves are all just outside of Trout Lake . These and many other caves in the Trout Lake area were at one time part of a huge system that originated at the Indian Heaven volcanic field . The most obscure caves around Adams are

4760-699: The western flanks of Lookout Mountain in Skamania County. Parks along the East Fork include Moulton Falls, Lucia Falls, Lewisville, and Paradise Point. A variant name of the East Fork is the South Fork Lewis River. The North Fork is impounded for hydroelectricity and flood control in its middle course by Swift Dam , forming Swift Reservoir ; Yale Dam , forming Yale Lake ; and Merwin Dam , forming Lake Merwin . Horseshoe Lake in Woodland

4830-450: Was built during the most recent major eruptive period 40,000–10,000 years ago. Standing at 12,281 feet (3,743 m), Adams towers about 9,800 feet (3,000 m) over the surrounding countryside. It is the second-highest mountain in Washington and third-highest in the Cascade Range . Because of the way it developed, it is the largest stratovolcano in Washington and second-largest in the Cascades, behind only Mount Shasta . Its large size

4900-611: Was created by the subduction of the Juan de Fuca Plate , which is located just off the coast of the Pacific Northwest . Mount Adams was born in the mid- to late Pleistocene and grew in several pulses of mostly lava -extruding eruptions. Each eruptive cycle was separated from one another by long periods of dormancy and minor activity, during which, glaciers eroded the mountain to below 9,000 feet (2,700 m). Potassium-argon dating has identified three such eruptive periods;

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