Aiyansh Volcano Earthcache EarthCache
Aiyansh Volcano Earthcache
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The Tseax Cone (or Aiyansh Volcano) is one of Canada’s youngest volcanoes erupting only 235 years ago. Although it is currently dormant, it is still an active volcano. It is located at the south end of the Stikine volcanic belt that contains roughly 100 volcanoes, three of which have erupted in the last few hundred years. This volcanic range stretches from just north of Prince Rupert, into the Yukon Territory and the Alaska border. When the Aiyansh Volcano erupted, the lava flow destroyed several Nisga’a villages. It blocked the Tseax River flooding the valley which has formed what is now Lava Lake. What used to be a lush forest became a desert. The lava flowed in two directions, northwest and south covering 22 ½ kilometers. Today most of the area only has lichen growing on the lava beds with the odd lodgepole pine or alder here and there.
There are two different types of lava here in the park.
Pahoehoe has very smooth surface because the lava under the surface is very fluid. As it flows it advances as a series of toes that continuously break out from a cooled crust. Pahoehoe can very quickly turn into a’a if it loses heat quickly like when it runs down a steep slope.
A’a looks like loose, broken, sharp rocks that are full of bubbles from the toxic gas it is releasing. It’s a thick pasty lava that will trap bubbles within it as it cools.
To log this earthcache, email the owner
1) What lava formation is featured at this area?
2) How does is this formation created?
3) What type of lava is found at the coordinates, and what does it look like?
4) Not required, but appreciated, upload a picture from somewhere else in the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Beds. Please do not post pictures of the feature at the coordinates.
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