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Mount Hood

Find U.S. Volcano

Mount Hood volcano, Oregon's highest peak, forms a prominent backdrop to the state's largest city, Portland, and contributes valuable water, scenic, and recreational resources that help sustain the agricultural and tourist segments of the economies of surrounding cities and counties.

Quick Facts

Location: Oregon, Clackamas/Hood River Counties

Latitude: 45.374° N

Longitude: 121.695° W

Elevation: 3,426 (m) 11,240 (f)

Volcano type: Stratovolcano

Composition: Andesite to Dacite

Most recent eruption: 1865 AD

Threat Potential: Very High*

*based on the National Volcano Early Warning System

Summary

Mount Hood has erupted episodically for about 500,000 years and hosted two major eruptive periods during the past 1,500 years. During both recent eruptive periods, growing lava domes high on the southwest flank collapsed repeatedly to form pyroclastic flows and lahars that were distributed primarily to the south and west along the Sandy River and its tributaries. The last eruptive period began in AD 1781 and affected the White River as well as Sandy River valleys. The Lewis and Clark Expedition explored the mouth of the Sandy River in 1805 and 1806 and described a river much different from today's Sandy. At that time the river was choked with sediment generated by erosion of the deposits from the eruption, which had stopped about a decade before their visit. In the mid-1800's, local residents reported minor explosive activity, but since that time the volcano has been quiet.

News

Monitoring stations detect small magnitude earthquakes at Mount Hood (December 8-13, 2023)

Monitoring stations detect small magnitude earthquakes at Mount Hood (December 8-13, 2023)

Mount Hood's June 5, 2021 Earthquake

Mount Hood's June 5, 2021 Earthquake

M3.9 earthquake and swarm occur at Mount Hood on June 5, 2021

M3.9 earthquake and swarm occur at Mount Hood on June 5, 2021

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

Authors
John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey

Geologic field-trip guide of volcaniclastic sediments from snow- and ice-capped volcanoes—Mount St. Helens, Washington, and Mount Hood, Oregon

This field guide for the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) Scientific Assembly 2017 focuses on volcaniclastic sediments from Mount St. Helens in Washington and Mount Hood in Oregon. The trip spends four days in the field and includes nine stops at each volcano. For completeness, this guidebook also includes sixteen optional stops in the Mount S
Authors
Thomas C. Pierson, Lee Siebert, Christopher J. Harpel, Kevin M. Scott

Field-trip guide to Mount Hood, Oregon, highlighting eruptive history and hazards

This guidebook describes stops of interest for a geological field trip around Mount Hood volcano. It was developed for the 2017 International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) Scientific Assembly in Portland, Oregon. The intent of this guidebook and accompanying contributions is to provide an overview of Mount Hood, including its chief geologic processes, ma
Authors
William E. Scott, Cynthia A. Gardner

Science

Hazards Summary for Mount Hood

Mount Hood is an active volcano close to rapidly growing communities, recreation areas, and major transportation routes and therefore imposes heightened risk.
link

Hazards Summary for Mount Hood

Mount Hood is an active volcano close to rapidly growing communities, recreation areas, and major transportation routes and therefore imposes heightened risk.
Learn More

Seismic Monitoring at Mount Hood, Oregon

Mount Hood seismicity is monitored by the PNSN and CVO via a regional network that includes 5 seismic stations within 12 miles of the volcano.
link

Seismic Monitoring at Mount Hood, Oregon

Mount Hood seismicity is monitored by the PNSN and CVO via a regional network that includes 5 seismic stations within 12 miles of the volcano.
Learn More

Lahars Pose the Greatest Hazard Risk at Mount Hood

Lahars can be generated by hot volcanic flows that melt snow and ice or by landslides (debris avalanches) from weakened rock forming the steep upper flanks of the volcano.
link

Lahars Pose the Greatest Hazard Risk at Mount Hood

Lahars can be generated by hot volcanic flows that melt snow and ice or by landslides (debris avalanches) from weakened rock forming the steep upper flanks of the volcano.
Learn More
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