Glacier Peak
Find U.S. Volcano
Glacier Peak is the most remote of the five active volcanoes in Washington State, and more than a dozen glaciers descend its flanks, prompting its name.
Quick Facts
Location: Washington, Snohomish County
Latitude: 48.112° N
Longitude: 121.113° W
Elevation: 3,213 (m) 10,541 (f)
Volcano type: Stratovolcano
Composition: Dacite
Most recent eruption: 1,100 years ago
Threat Potential: Very High*
*based on the National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
The peak wasn't known by settlers to be a volcano until the 1850's, when Native Americans mentioned to naturalist George Gibbs that "another smaller peak to the north of Mount Rainier once smoked." Glacier Peak is not prominently visible from any major population center, and so its attractions, as well as its hazards, tend to be overlooked. Yet since the end of the most recent ice age, this volcano has produced some of the largest and most explosive eruptions in the conterminous United States. Within this time period, it has erupted multiple times during at least six separate episodes. Glacier Peak and Mount St. Helens are the only volcanoes in Washington State that have generated very large explosive eruptions in the past 15,000 years.
News
Status of (mostly) Washington's Volcanoes: Report to Emergency Managers 2020-2021
Which U.S. volcanoes pose a threat?
Publications
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners. This update
