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Mount Hood

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Mount Hood is a famous, active volcano in the Pacific Northwest.

Mount Hood, Oregon by William Keith, c1881-83
Mount Hood, Oregon by William Keith, c1881-83

It sits in the Cascade Range in the state of Oregon. The mountain is located east-southeast of Portland. It rests on the border of Clackamas and Hood River counties. Much of the mountain is part of the Mount Hood National Forest. Most of the area outside the ski resorts is a protected wilderness. This mountain is the highest peak in the entire state of Oregon.

Mount Hood 2619s
Mount Hood 2619s

This volcano was formed by a subduction zone near the Pacific Coast. This is a place where parts of the Earth's crust move under each other. The mountain has a summit that reaches very high into the sky. It is the fourth highest peak in the Cascade Range. There are 12 named glaciers and snowfields on the mountain.

These glaciers are large masses of ice. The peak also has vents that release gases like carbon dioxide. Some of these gases come from hot springs on the mountain sides.

Usgs mount hood glaciers
Usgs mount hood glaciers

People have been interacting with this mountain for a long time. Native Americans used a nearby pass called Lolo Pass to travel. They moved between the Willamette Valley and Celilo Falls. It is hard to know the exact indigenous names for the peak. Some stories say the mountain was formed by a battle between leaders. One legend says the peak was made for a brave named Wy'east.

European explorers first saw the mountain in 1792. Lt. William Broughton named it after a British admiral named Samuel Hood.

Northcote, Samuel Hood
Northcote, Samuel Hood

Lewis and Clark also saw the mountain in 1805.

Many people visit Mount Hood for fun and adventure. About 10,000 climbers visit the mountain every year. There are four different ski areas on its slopes. These include Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood Meadows, Skibowl, and Cooper Spur.

Mount Hood Landmarks
Mount Hood Landmarks

Timberline Lodge is a National Historic Landmark. It is special because it offers the only year-round lift-served skiing in North America. The mountain also has many hiking trails for people to explore. Some old shelters and cabins are still used by people today.

Scientists keep a close eye on the volcano to keep people safe. They know it is a potentially active volcano. The chance of an eruption in the next 30 years is between 3% and 7%.

Mount Hood, Oregon
Mount Hood, Oregon

The USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory monitors the mountain. They use seismometers to measure earthquakes in the ground. They also use GPS tools to see if the ground moves.

Mount Hood monitoring station
Mount Hood monitoring station

In 2020, three new monitoring stations were installed. These tools help experts watch for any changes in the volcano.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Mount Hood, Oregon by William Keith, c1881-83.jpg
Mount Hood, Oregon by William Keith, c1881-83.jpg
File:Mount Hood 2619s.jpg
Mount Hood 2619s.jpg
File:Northcote, Samuel Hood.jpg
Northcote, Samuel Hood.jpg
File:Albert_Bierstadt_-_Mount_Hood.jpg
Albert_Bierstadt_-_Mount_Hood.jpg
File:USS Mount Hood (AE-29), crop.jpg
USS Mount Hood (AE-29), crop.jpg
File:Mount Hood, Oregon.jpg
Mount Hood, Oregon.jpg
File:Mount Hood monitoring station.jpg
Mount Hood monitoring station.jpg
File:Installation-gps-mast-station-brsp-mount-hood.jpg
Installation-gps-mast-station-brsp-mount-hood.jpg
File:Mount Hood air delivery.jpg
Mount Hood air delivery.jpg
Mt Hood Aerial View.webm
File:Usgs mount hood glaciers.png
Usgs mount hood glaciers.png
File:Portland, Vancouver, and Mount Hood.jpg
Portland, Vancouver, and Mount Hood.jpg

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