Atlin Volcanic Field
Encyclopedia
The Atlin Volcanic Field, also called the Llangorse Volcanic Field and the Surprise Lake Volcanic Field, is a group of late-Pleistocene
to Holocene
cinder cone
s that lies on the Teslin Plateau
east of Atlin Lake
, Canada. The largest volcanic feature is the 1880-m-high Ruby Mountain
which has been partially dissected by Pleistocene and post-Wisconsin glaciation. Two basalt
ic cinder cones at the heads of Cracker Creek
and Volcanic Creek
lie within glacially dissected U-shaped valleys and may be of postglacial age.
s working in the area reportedly were able to work during the dark nights, due to the glow of the eruption. The article also reported that a group of people were going down from the Yukon to investigate the eruption, but no further reports were apparently made. Several recent studies, including a summary by Edwards et al. (2003) published by the Geological Survey of Canada, have determined that Ruby Mountain was definitely not the site of a historic eruption. Nor were Cracker Creek or Volcanic Creek cones.
One possible explanation for the story is that placer miners found gold bearing gravels beneath an ancient lava flow at the base of Ruby Mountain, and were actively tunneling under the old lava flow to mine the gravels. As its name suggests, Ruby Mountain is ruby-colored due to the scoriaceous tephra that covers much of its summit. So, with miners working by the light of the summer sun shining off of the ruby-red flanks of the volcano, it's easy to see how such a rumor would have started. There have been no evidence of the eruption found in the region, however, the volcanic activity in the region is young enough to have been the site of an historical eruption, although the 19th century report of the eruption is considered uncertain.
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
to Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
cinder cone
Cinder cone
According to the , Cinder Cone is the proper name of 1 cinder cone in Canada and 7 cinder cones in the United States:In Canada: Cinder Cone In the United States:...
s that lies on the Teslin Plateau
Teslin Plateau
The Teslin Plateau is a plateau, of the Yukon Plateau physiographic section, in northern British Columbia, Canada, located north of the Nakina River between Atlin Lake and Teslin Lake....
east of Atlin Lake
Atlin Lake
Atlin Lake is a lake in northwestern British Columbia and is that province's largest natural lake. The northern tip of the lake is in the Yukon, as is Little Atlin Lake. However, most of the lake lies within the Atlin District of British Columbia...
, Canada. The largest volcanic feature is the 1880-m-high Ruby Mountain
Ruby Mountain
Ruby Mountain is a cinder cone in Stikine Region, British Columbia, Canada, located 23 km northeast of Atlin and south of Mount Barham. A recent collapse on the volcanoes eastern side created a large landslide which dissects this side of Ruby Mountain...
which has been partially dissected by Pleistocene and post-Wisconsin glaciation. Two basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic cinder cones at the heads of Cracker Creek
Cracker Creek Cone
Cracker Creek Cone is a small cinder cone in northwestern British Columbia. A large lava flow that partly filled Ruby Creek may have originated from this cone. The lower west side of the cone appears to be partly covered by glacial till suggesting that the cone is older than the most recent glacial...
and Volcanic Creek
Volcanic Creek Cone
Volcanic Creek Cone is a small cinder cone northeast of Atlin in northwestern British Columbia. There are two cinder cones and a lava flow at least 3 kilometers long which is present below parts of the tree covered area. The subdued form of Volcanic Creek cone is visible directly below the largest...
lie within glacially dissected U-shaped valleys and may be of postglacial age.
November 8, 1898 eruption
A Yukon newspaper reported in 1898 that an eruption was occurring near Atlin about 80 km south of Gladys Lake, near the end of the 19th century. MinerMiner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s working in the area reportedly were able to work during the dark nights, due to the glow of the eruption. The article also reported that a group of people were going down from the Yukon to investigate the eruption, but no further reports were apparently made. Several recent studies, including a summary by Edwards et al. (2003) published by the Geological Survey of Canada, have determined that Ruby Mountain was definitely not the site of a historic eruption. Nor were Cracker Creek or Volcanic Creek cones.
One possible explanation for the story is that placer miners found gold bearing gravels beneath an ancient lava flow at the base of Ruby Mountain, and were actively tunneling under the old lava flow to mine the gravels. As its name suggests, Ruby Mountain is ruby-colored due to the scoriaceous tephra that covers much of its summit. So, with miners working by the light of the summer sun shining off of the ruby-red flanks of the volcano, it's easy to see how such a rumor would have started. There have been no evidence of the eruption found in the region, however, the volcanic activity in the region is young enough to have been the site of an historical eruption, although the 19th century report of the eruption is considered uncertain.
Volcanoes
Volcanoes within the field include:- Volcanic Creek ConeVolcanic Creek ConeVolcanic Creek Cone is a small cinder cone northeast of Atlin in northwestern British Columbia. There are two cinder cones and a lava flow at least 3 kilometers long which is present below parts of the tree covered area. The subdued form of Volcanic Creek cone is visible directly below the largest...
- Cracker Creek ConeCracker Creek ConeCracker Creek Cone is a small cinder cone in northwestern British Columbia. A large lava flow that partly filled Ruby Creek may have originated from this cone. The lower west side of the cone appears to be partly covered by glacial till suggesting that the cone is older than the most recent glacial...
- Ruby MountainRuby MountainRuby Mountain is a cinder cone in Stikine Region, British Columbia, Canada, located 23 km northeast of Atlin and south of Mount Barham. A recent collapse on the volcanoes eastern side created a large landslide which dissects this side of Ruby Mountain...
- Llangorse MountainLlangorse MountainLlangorse Mountain is a mountain in northern British Columbia, Canada, located southeast of Atlin on the eastern side of the head of the Gladys River...
See also
- Northern Cordilleran Volcanic ProvinceNorthern Cordilleran volcanic provinceThe Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province , formerly known as the Stikine Volcanic Belt, is a geologic province defined by the occurrence of Miocene to Holocene volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest of North America...
- List of volcanoes in Canada
- Volcanism of Canada
- Volcanism of Western CanadaVolcanism of Western CanadaVolcanism of Western Canada produces lava flows, lava plateaus, lava domes, cinder cones, stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, submarine volcanoes, calderas, diatremes and maars, along with examples of more less common volcanic forms such as tuyas and subglacial mounds.-Volcanic belts:*Anahim...
- Volcanic history of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic ProvinceVolcanic history of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic ProvinceThe volcanic history of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province presents a record of volcanic activity in northwestern British Columbia, central Yukon and the U.S. state of easternmost Alaska. The volcanic activity lies in the northern part of the Western Cordillera of the Pacific Northwest...