The Pacific Northwest is home to the Cascade Volcanoes. Between Southern British Columbia and Northern California is where the Cascades thrust out of the earth. All along the range majestic peaks climb towards the sky.
             The Gorda, Juan de Fuca, and Explorer plates are being pulled down into the Cascadia subduction zone and beneath the North America plate. As a result of this the Cascade range was formed, and is still being changed to this day by the interaction of these plates. Because of this specific type of interaction between the plates the Cascades are volcanic.
             Within the range there are varying types of volcanoes. Major peaks like Mt. Ranier and Mt. Hood are composite volcanoes. Lassen Volcanic National Park has good examples of many types of volcanoes. The peak we see today is a plug dome volcano. However, there are shield volcanoes, and cinder cones found throughout Lassen Volcanic National Park. Crater Lake is a great example of a caldera. All through the Cascade mountain range one can find all sorts of examples of different types of volcanoes.
             Volcanoes have no regard for human life, and they will erupt, change, and vent whenever it is necessary. The eruption of Mt. St. Helens in the early 1980s is a very good example of an extremely violent eruption. Surrounding forests were devastated and mudflows brought havoc to the lower laying areas around St. Helens. If St. Helens was near a major metropolitan area, or even a modest sized city, the damage would be almost immeasurable.
             Many Cascade Volcanoes are still very active. Mt. Ranier is near Seattle, and Mt. Hood is just east of Portland. If either of these volcanoes were to erupt the cities below would be directly in the warpath.
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