Mount Mazama

Mount Mazama
Crater Lake fills the caldera of Mount Mazama
Mount Mazama collapsed into a caldera, which filled with water to form Crater Lake
Highest point
Elevation8,157 ft (2,486 m)[1]
Parent peakMount Scott
ListingOregon Highest Peaks 76th
Coordinates42°54′59″N 122°05′04″W / 42.9165186°N 122.0844711°W / 42.9165186; -122.0844711[2]
Naming
Native nameTum-sum-ne (Klamath-Modoc)[3]
Geography
Mount Mazama is located in Oregon
Mount Mazama
Mount Mazama
Parent rangeCascade Range[1]
Topo mapUSGS Crater Lake East
Geology
Mountain type(s)Stratovolcano, caldera,[1] complex volcano, shield volcano
Volcanic arcCascade Volcanic Arc
Last eruption2850 BC[4]
Climbing
Easiest routeDrive

Mount Mazama (Tum-sum-ne in the Native American language Klamath[5]) is a complex volcano in the western U.S. state of Oregon, in a segment of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and Cascade Range. The volcano is in Klamath County, in the southern Cascades, 60 miles (97 km) north of the Oregon–California border. Its collapse, due to the eruption of magma emptying the underlying magma chamber, formed a caldera that holds Crater Lake (Giiwas in the Native American language Klamath).[6] Mount Mazama originally had an elevation of 12,000 feet (3,700 m), but following its climactic eruption this was reduced to 8,157 feet (2,486 m). Crater Lake is 1,943 feet (592 m) deep, the deepest freshwater body in the U.S. and the second deepest in North America after Great Slave Lake in Canada.

Mount Mazama formed as a group of overlapping volcanic edifices such as shield volcanoes and small composite cones, becoming active intermittently until its climactic eruption 7,700 years ago. This eruption, the largest known within the Cascade Volcanic Arc in a million years, destroyed Mazama's summit, reducing its approximate 12,000-foot (3,700 m) height by about 1 mile (1,600 m). Much of the edifice fell into the volcano's partially emptied neck and magma chamber, creating a caldera. The region's volcanic activity results from the subduction of the offshore oceanic plate, and is influenced by local extensional faulting. Mazama is dormant, but the U.S. Geological Survey says eruptions on a smaller scale are likely, which would pose a threat to its surroundings.

Native Americans have inhabited the area around Mazama and Crater Lake for at least 10,000 years and the volcano plays an important role in local folklore. European-American settlers first reached the region in the mid-19th century. Since the late 19th century, the area has been extensively studied by scientists for its geological phenomena and more recently for its potential sources of geothermal energy. Crater Lake and Mazama's remnants sustain diverse ecosystems, which are closely monitored by the National Park Service because of their remoteness and ecological importance. Recreational activities including hiking, biking, snowshoeing, fishing, as well as cross-country skiing are available; during the summer, campgrounds and lodges at Crater Lake are open to visitors.

  1. ^ a b c "Crater Lake". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "Mount Mazama". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  3. ^ "Origin Stories of the Lake". April 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "Crater Lake". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  5. ^ "Crater Lake and the Klamath".
  6. ^ "Origin Stories of the Lake". April 4, 2020.