| Mount Price | |
|---|---|
| Red Mountain Clinker Mountain | |
_(cropped).jpg) Mount Price behindGaribaldi Lake fromPanorama Ridge | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,049 m (6,722 ft)[1] |
| Coordinates | 49°55′03″N123°02′08″W / 49.91750°N 123.03556°W /49.91750; -123.03556[2] |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Thomas E. Price[2] |
| Geography | |
  Mount Price Location in British Columbia | |
| Country | Canada[3] |
| Province | British Columbia[3] |
| District | New Westminster Land District[2] |
| Protected area | Garibaldi Provincial Park[4] |
| Parent range | Garibaldi Ranges |
| Topo map | NTS 92G14Cheakamus River[2] |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | Less than 1.2 million years old[3] |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano[1] |
| Rock type(s) | Andesite anddacite[3] |
| Volcanic belt | Garibaldi Volcanic Belt[3] |
| Last eruption | 15,000–8,000 years ago[5][6] |
Mount Price is a smallstratovolcano in theGaribaldi Ranges of thePacific Ranges in southwesternBritish Columbia, Canada. It has anelevation of 2,049 metres (6,722 feet) and rises above the surrounding landscape on the western side ofGaribaldi Lake inNew Westminster Land District. The mountain contains a number of subfeatures, including Clinker Peak on its western flank, which was the source of two thicklava flows between 15,000 and 8,000 years ago that ponded against glacial ice. These lava flows are structurally unstable, having produced largelandslides as recently as the 1850s. A largeprovincial park surrounds Mount Price and othervolcanoes in its vicinity. It lies within an ecological region that surrounds much of the Pacific Ranges.
Mount Price is associated with a small group of volcanoes called theGaribaldi Lake volcanic field. This forms part of the largerGaribaldi Volcanic Belt, a north−south trending volcanic zone that represents a portion of theCanadian Cascade Arc. Mount Price began its formation 1.2 million years ago and continued intermittently until sometime in the last 15,000 years. Although the mountain is not known to have been volcanically active for thousands of years, it could erupt again, which would potentially endanger the nearby populace. If this were to happen, relief efforts could be organized by teams such as theInteragency Volcanic Event Notification Plan who are prepared to notify people threatened by volcanic eruptions in Canada.
Mount Price is located south ofWhistler on the western side ofGaribaldi Lake inNew Westminster Land District.[2] It lies within the Pacific Ranges Ecoregion, a mountainous region of the southernCoast Mountains characterized by high, steep and rugged mountains made ofgranitic rocks. Much of thisecoregion encompasses thePacific Ranges in southwesternBritish Columbia, although it also includes the northwesternmost portion of theCascade Range inWashington state. Several coastal islands,channels andfjords occur along the western margin of the Pacific Ranges Ecoregion. The Pacific Ranges Ecoregion is part of the Coast and Mountains Ecoprovince which forms part of the Humid Maritime and Highlands Ecodivision.[7]
The Pacific Ranges Ecoregion is subdivided into sevenecosections, the Eastern Pacific Ranges Ecosection being the main ecosection at Mount Price. This ecosection is characterized by a rugged landscape of mountains that increase inelevation from south to north; the northern summits contain largeicefields. A transitional climate between coastalmaritime and interior continental climates dominates the Eastern Pacific Ranges Ecosection. It is characterized by little precipitation and mild temperatures due to Pacific air often passing over this area. During winter, coldArctic air invades from theCentral Interior, resulting in extreme cloud cover and snow. A number of other volcanoes are situated within the Eastern Pacific Ranges Ecosection. This includesMount Meager, which lies near the headwaters of theLillooet River, andMount Garibaldi andMount Cayley, which lie in theSquamish River watershed.[7]
Several rivers flow through the Eastern Pacific Ranges Ecosection, including theFraser andCoquihalla rivers on its eastern side, theCheakamus, Squamish andElaho rivers on its western side and the Lillooet River in the middle. Coastalwestern hemlock forests dominate nearly all the valleys and lower slopes of this ecosection, the upper slopes containingsubalpinemountain hemlock forests and, to a lesser extent,Engelmann spruce andsubalpine fir forests.Alpine vegetation lies just above the subalpine forests, which is normally overlain by barren rock.[7] Wildlife such asgrey jays,chipmunks,squirrels,flickers,deer,mountain goats,wolverines,cougars andgrizzly andblack bears are locally present.[8] The communities of Whistler,Pemberton,Mount Currie,Hope andYale are situated within the Eastern Pacific Ranges Ecosection, all of which are connected to theLower Mainland by a network of highways.[7]
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Mount Price is one of the three principal volcanoes in the southern segment of theGaribaldi Volcanic Belt, the other two being Mount Garibaldi andThe Black Tusk.[3] Mount Price is also part of the Garibaldi Lakevolcanic field. This consists of several volcanoes and lava flows that formed in the last 1.3 million years; the oldest volcanic rocks are found at Mount Price and The Black Tusk. Several volcanic rocks with differing compositions are present in theGaribaldi Lake volcanic field. This includesandesite,dacite,basaltic andesite andbasalt.[3] It is unknown when the last eruption occurred but it may have been in the earlyHolocene.[a][1][3] Although nohot springs are known in the Garibaldi area, there is evidence of anomalously high heat flow in Table Meadows just south of Mount Price and elsewhere.[10]
Like other volcanoes in the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt, Mount Price formed as a result ofsubduction zone volcanism. As theJuan de Fuca Plate thrusts under theNorth American Plate at theCascadia subduction zone, it forms volcanoes and volcanic eruptions.[11] Unlike most subduction zones worldwide, there is no deepoceanic trench along thecontinental margin ofCascadia. There is also very little seismic evidence that the Juan de Fuca Plate is actively subducting. The probable explanation lies in the rate ofconvergence between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates. These twotectonic plates currently converge at a rate of 3 to 4 centimetres (1.2 to 1.6 inches) per year, only about half the rate of convergence from seven million years ago. This slowed convergence likely accounts for reducedseismicity and the lack of an oceanic trench. The best evidence for ongoing subduction is the existence of activevolcanism in theCascade Volcanic Arc.[3]
Mount Price attains an elevation of 2,049 m (6,722 ft) and is one of several Garibaldi Belt volcanoes that have been volcanically active throughout theQuaternary.[b][1][3] In contrast to moststratovolcanoes in Canada, Mount Price has a nearly symmetrical structure.[3] Its western slope is flanked by Clinker Peak, a 1,983 m (6,506 ft) highparasitic stratovolcano containing a breachedvolcanic crater.[1][3]Oxidation of Mount Price'svolcanic rocks has given the mountain a red colour.[12]
Mount Price stands within acirque-like basin cut into theplateau on the south side of the valley of Garibaldi Lake. This basin consists of a wall ofgranite, inclosing the volcano on its west and southwest sides. It is now almost completely filled up by Mount Price, but some small areas of its floor are exposed on the north side. The basin likely formed as a result of glacial action as its north side appears to have been almost certainly glaciated. It might otherwise have been attributed toexplosive volcanism, but there are no fragmental materials around its margin which would confirm this.[13]
At least three phases of eruptive activity have been identified at Mount Price.[3] The first eruptive phase 1.2 million years ago depositedhornblende[c] andesite lava andpyroclastic rocks on the floor of the cirque-like basin after anEarly Pleistocene[d] glacial event.[3][16] During theMiddle Pleistocene[e] about 300,000 years ago, volcanism of the second phase shifted westward and constructed the nearly symmetrical stratovolcano of Mount Price. Episodic eruptions during this phase of activity produced andesite and dacite lavas, as well aspyroclastic flows fromPeléan activity. Later, the volcano was overridden by theCordilleran Ice Sheet, which covered a large portion of western North America duringglacial periods of the Quaternary.[3]
After the Cordilleran Ice Sheet retreated from higher elevations less than 15,000 years ago, andesite eruptions of the third eruptive phase occurred from a satellite vent at Price Bay.[3][5][16] These eruptions resulted in the creation of a smalllava dome orscoria cone on Mount Price's northern flank with an elevation of 1,788 m (5,866 ft).[1][5][16] Possibly contemporaneous volcanism occurred at Clinker Peak with the eruption of two hornblende-biotite[f] andesite lava flows.[3] They are both at least 300 m (980 ft) thick and 6 km (3.7 mi) long, extending to the northwest and southwest.[3][16] Their unusually large thickness is due to themponding and cooling against the Cordilleran Ice Sheet when it still filled valleys at lower elevations.[16] Age estimates for this final volcanic phase have varied from 15,000 years ago to as recently as 8,000 years ago.[5][6]
A prominent feature of the Clinker Peak lava flows are the levees that demarcate thelava channels. The northwest lava flow forms avolcanic dam known asThe Barrier.[19] This retains the Garibaldi Lake system and has been the source of two largelandslides in the past. The most recent major landslide in 1855–1856 resulted from failure along vertical rock fractures.[20] It travelled 6 km (3.7 mi) downRubble Creek to the Cheakamus River valley, depositing 30,000,000 m3 (1.1×109 cu ft) of rock.[20][21] The southwest lava flow is in the upper reaches of the Culliton Creek valley and formsClinker Ridge.[6][19] Both lava flows form steep cliffs; the current face of The Barrier is a result of the mid-19th century landslide.[6]
Mount Price is one of the four highest threat volcanoes in Canada adjacent to major populations with critical civil and economic infrastructure, the other three being Mount Meager, Mount Garibaldi and Mount Cayley.[22] AlthoughPlinian eruptions have not been identified at Mount Price, Peléan eruptions can also produce large amounts ofvolcanic ash that could significantly affect the nearby communities of Whistler andSquamish. Peléan eruptions might cause short and long term water supply problems for the city ofVancouver and most of the Lower Mainland. Thecatchment area for theGreater Vancouver watershed is downwind from Mount Price. An eruption producingfloods andlahars could destroy parts ofHighway 99, threaten communities such asBrackendale and endanger water supplies fromPitt Lake. Fisheries on thePitt River would also be at risk.[19] Mount Price is also close to a majorair traffic route; volcanic ash reduces visibility and can cause jet engine failure, as well as damage to other aircraft systems.[23][24] Thesevolcanic hazards become more serious as the Lower Mainland grows in population.[19]
Because andesite is the main type of lava erupted from Mount Price, lava flows are a low to moderate hazard.[19] Andesite isintermediate insilica content, indicating it has a higherviscosity than basaltic lava but is less viscous than dacite orrhyolite lava. As a result, andesite lava flows typically move slower than basaltic lava flows and are less likely to travel as far from their source. Dacite and rhyolite lavas are normally too viscous to flow away from a volcanic vent, resulting in the formation of lava domes.[25] An exception is the 15 km (9.3 mi) long Ring Creek dacite lava flow fromOpal Cone on the southeastern flank of Mount Garibaldi, a length that is normally attained by basaltic lava flows.[19]
Concerns about The Barrier's instability due to volcanic,tectonic or heavy rainfall activity prompted theprovincial government to declare the area immediately below it unsafe for human habitation in 1980.[20] This led to the evacuation of the small resort village ofGaribaldi nearby and the relocation of residents to new recreational subdivisions away from the hazard zone.[19][20] The area below and adjacent to The Barrier has since been referred to as the Barrier Civil Defence Zone byBC Parks. Although landslides are unlikely to happen in the near future,warning signs are posted at the zone to make visitors aware of the potential danger and to minimize the chance of fatalities in the event of a slide. For safety reasons, BC Parks recommends visitors not tocamp, stop or linger in the Barrier Civil Defence Zone.[8]
Like other volcanoes in the Garibaldi Lake volcanic field, Mount Price is notmonitored closely enough by theGeological Survey of Canada to ascertain its activity level. TheCanadian National Seismograph Network has been established to monitor earthquakes throughout Canada, but it is too far away to provide an accurate indication of activity under the mountain. It may sense an increase in seismic activity if Mount Price becomes highly restless, but this may only provide a warning for a large eruption; the system might detect activity only once the volcano has started erupting.[26] If Mount Price were to erupt, mechanisms exist to orchestrate relief efforts. TheInteragency Volcanic Event Notification Plan was created to outline the notification procedure of some of the main agencies that would respond to an erupting volcano in Canada, an eruption close to theCanada–United States border or any eruption that would affect Canada.[27]
Mount Price and its eruptive products lie within aconservation area called GaribaldiProvincial Park.[4] Founded in 1927 as aClass A provincial park, this wilderness park covers an area of 194,650 hectares (481,000 acres). Lying within its boundaries are a number of other volcanoes, such as Mount Garibaldi and The Black Tusk. Located 70 km (43 mi) north of Vancouver in the glaciated Coast Mountains, Garibaldi Provincial Park contains diverse vegetation, iridescent waters and a rich geological history. The park also has abundant wildlife, such as squirrels, chipmunks,Canada jays and flickers. Garibaldi Provincial Park is named after Mount Garibaldi, which is in turn named after the Italian patriot and soldierGiuseppe Garibaldi.[8]
Mount Price has had at least three names throughout its history. It was originally namedRed Mountain for its red appearance, but the date of when this name was adopted has not been cited.[2] Another peak west ofOverlord Mountain was identified asRed Mountain on a 1923 sketch by Canadian mountaineerNeal M. Carter.[28][29] To avoid confusion, the name of that mountain was changed toFissile Peak on September 2, 1930, for itsfissility.[2][28] In 1952, Canadian volcanologistWilliam Henry Mathews identified Mount Price asClinker Mountain in theAmerican Journal of Science.[30]Clinker is a geological term used to describe rough lava fragments associated with'a'a flows. The fragments are characterized by several sharp, jagged spines and are normally less than 150 millimetres (5.9 inches) wide.[31]
Mount Price appeared on atopographic map ofGaribaldi Provincial Park in 1928.[32] It appeared on twoNational Topographic System maps in 1930 after a committee of the Garibaldi Park Board was set up to deal withnomenclature. The committee requested theGeographic Board of Canada to adoptMount Price for this mountain after Thomas E. Price, a former mountaineer and engineer of theCanadian Pacific Railway who was a member of the Garibaldi Park Board at the time of the park's formation in 1927. Price was born at Vancouver in 1887 and was a member of a mountaineering party that had climbed Mount Garibaldi by a new route in 1908.[2] Clinker Peak and Clinker Ridge were both officially named on September 12, 1972, to retain Mount Price's earlier name,Clinker Mountain.[33][34]
The Clinker Peak lava flows were one of the first described occurrences of lava having been impounded by glacial ice.[35] They were the subject of significant study by William Henry Mathews, a pioneer in the study ofsubglacial eruptions and volcano-ice interactions in North America. In 1952, Mathews cited substantial evidence supporting the conclusion that the Clinker Peak lava flows ponded against glacial ice. This included the existence ofglacially striated boulders in the lava flows,conformable relations withglacial till, abnormal structures indicative of extrusion into standing meltwater or against ice, and widespreadbreccia andpillows indicative of rapid quenching in meltwater or in water-soaked pyroclastic rocks under the ice.[30]
Daisy Lake Road, 30 km (19 mi) north of Squamish, provides access to Garibaldi Provincial Park from Highway 99.[3][36] At the end of this 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long road is the Rubble Creek parking lot from which the 9 km (5.6 mi) long Garibaldi Lake Trail extends to the Garibaldi Lake campground and ranger station.[3][4][36][37] A 5 km (3.1 mi) longhiking trail, known as the Mount Price Trail or the Mount Price Route, commences past the ranger station.[4][38][37] This poorly marked path ascends to the shore of Garibaldi Lake and then returns inland where it traverses south along the lava flow forming The Barrier. The terrain of this part of the route is relatively rough, involving substantialscrambling over boulders of the lava flow. Eventually the trail reaches open terrain north of Mount Price and approaches the base of the volcano. Climbing Mount Price or Clinker Peak involvesscree and snow plodding; both peaks do not require scrambling.[4]
