Mount Baker | U.S. Geological Survey Official websites use .gov .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS lock ( or means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Mount Baker Find U.S. Volcano Filters The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows. Get Help Earthquake Plots To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over. Map Layers Earthquake Colors Earthquake Depth Units Earthquake Time Units Results Filters The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows. Get Help Earthquake Plots To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over. Settings Map Layers Earthquake Colors Earthquake Depth Units Earthquake Time Units Map Legend Map Legend Results Mount Baker Science Data Maps Multimedia Publications News Connect Snow and ice-covered Mount Baker, located in northern Washington, is the highest peak in the North Cascades (3,286 m or 10,781 ft) and the northernmost volcano in the conterminous United States. Quick Facts Location: Washington, Whatcom County Latitude: 48.777° N Longitude: 121.813° W Elevation: 3,286 (m) 10,781 (f) Volcano type: Stratovolcano Composition: Andesite Most recent eruption: 6,700 years ago Threat Potential: Very High* *based on the National Volcano Early Warning System Summary Media Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details Mount Baker. Mount Baker is the only U.S. volcano in the Cascade Range that has been affected by both alpine and continental glaciation. The stratovolcano is composed mainly of andesite lava flows and breccias and was largely formed prior to the most recent major glaciation (Fraser Glaciation), which occurred between about 25,000 and 10,000 years ago. The most recent major eruption of Mount Baker, about 6,700 years ago, began with flank collapse events that resulted in lahars that moved down the Middle Fork and Nooksack Rivers as well as down the east flank (damming Baker River and creating Baker Lake) and ended with a widespread tephra fall. In 1975-76, Sherman Crater, immediately south of the summit, exhibited signs of renewed volcanic activity as a result of magma intruding into the volcano but not erupting. This activity resulted in monitoring that was more intense than previously applied at any other Cascade Range volcano and produced important baseline data against which recent research has been compared. Sherman Crater has been the site of increased steam emission since 1975. Although monitoring was increased as a result to the 1975-76 activity, much of it has been dismantled and monitoring at Mount Baker is now insufficient due to the threat that renewed activity would pose to nearby communities and regional infrastructure. Mount Baker is one of several Cascade volcanoes that are high priority to have their monitoring systems enhanced in the coming years. Status of (mostly) Washington's Volcanoes: Report to Emergency Managers 2020-2021 June 2, 2021 Status of (mostly) Washington's Volcanoes: Report to Emergency Managers 2020-2021 Which U.S. volcanoes pose a threat? December 19, 2018 Which U.S. volcanoes pose a threat? October 22, 2018 2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment 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... Authors John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. 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By Cascades Volcano Observatory Mount Baker Monitoring Chemistry and Temperature of Water at Mount Baker November 8, 2023 Monitoring Chemistry and Temperature of Water at Mount Baker By monitoring the changes in chemistry and temperature of water and steam at a volcano over time, scientists can obtain useful information about changes in volcanic activity. November 8, 2023 Deformation monitoring at Mount Baker Deformation monitoring at Mount Baker. By Cascades Volcano Observatory Mount Baker Deformation monitoring at Mount Baker November 8, 2023 Deformation monitoring at Mount Baker Deformation monitoring at Mount Baker. November 8, 2023 Earthquake Monitoring at Mount Baker The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) and CVO monitor seismicity at Mount Baker via a small network of two stations located within 20 km (12 miles) of the summit, as well as the broader regional PNSN network. By Cascades Volcano Observatory Mount Baker Earthquake Monitoring at Mount Baker November 8, 2023 Earthquake Monitoring at Mount Baker The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) and CVO monitor seismicity at Mount Baker via a small network of two stations located within 20 km (12 miles) of the summit, as well as the broader regional PNSN network. View All Quick Facts Location: Washington, Whatcom County Latitude: 48.777° N Longitude: 121.813° W Elevation: 3,286 (m) 10,781 (f) Volcano type: Stratovolcano Composition: Andesite Most recent eruption: 6,700 years ago Threat Potential: Very High* *based on the National Volcano Early Warning System Volcanoes Hazards Program Links Assess Prepare Forecast Activity Products Observatories About Was this page helpful?