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| Cascade Range: A mountain range along North America's west coast that runs from British Columbia down through Washington and Oregon to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. It is famous for its chain of tall volcanoes known as the High Cascades. The Cascades are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is a ring of volcanoes located around the Pacific Ocean. All known historic eruptions in the continental United States have occurred in the Cascade Range. The two most recent were Lassen Peak in 1914 to 1921 and a major eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. Minor eruptions of Mount St. Helens have also occurred, most recently in 2005. Glacial Flour: Material consisting of clay-sized particles of rock (usually quartz and feldspar) generated by glacial erosion when the glacier grinds against the rock beneath it. It is carried via meltwater streams, where the particles travel in suspension, making the water appear cloudy. Moraine: A deposit of boulders, gravel, sand and clay carried and deposited on the ground by a glacier. Nisqually River: A river fed by the Nisqually Glacier on the southern side of Mt. Rainier that flows 81 miles northwest to Puget Sound. Old Growth Forest: (AKA: late seral forest, ancient forest, virgin forest, primary forest or ancient woodland) A forest that has attained great age and displays unique biological features. They usually contain large live/dead trees and logs, as well as possess multiple vertical layers of vegetation representing a variety of tree species and different age classes. Tundra: An area where tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. Dominant vegetation includes grasses, mosses, and lichens. |