The Cascade Range includes many impressive stratovolcanoes along
its north-south extent, some active during the past few hundred
years. Mount Shasta in northern California is among the largest
and most active (over the past 4,000 years) of the volcanoes in
the Cascades. The summit peak stands at an elevation of 4,317
meters (14,160 feet) above sea level, and is formed by the
Hotlum cone—the location of the most recently recorded volcanic
activity (in 1786). Shasta’s summit is high enough to retain
snow cover throughout the year, and several small glaciers are
present along the upper slopes. Immediately to the west of the
summit peak (but still on the upper slopes of Shasta) lies the
Shastina lava dome complex, reaching 3,758 meters (12,330 feet)
above sea level. (Note that the image is rotated so that north
is to the lower left.) Two dark lava flows that originated from
the Shastina complex and flowed downslope (toward the northwest)
are visible in the lower center of this image. The flows
contrast sharply wi