The June Social History Happy Hour on June 17 is titled Mount Hood, the Active Volcano. Dr. Seth Moran, Research Seismologist, USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory, will discuss the historic and future volcanic activity of Mount Hood.

Social History Happy Hour is held on the third Saturday evening of most months. The programs normally are related to Mount Hood history. Doors open at 6:30 PM, $5 donation is asked. Beer, wine and sodas are available for purchase.

Special Notice: Tickets for the annual Steiner Cabins Tour will go on sale July 1, on the Museum’s website mthoodmuseum.org. The self-guided tour takes place on August 12. Participants can walk, bike, or drive a one-mile loop to tour five Steiner cabins, plus the Steiner Church.

The June 17, Social History Happy Hour program will address the past and future volcano activity associated with Mount Hood. A discussion of volcanoes involves some technical words most of us do not use normally. The history and timeline of volcanic activity is long and complex. Using information from three respected sources, we will provide a tutorial introduction to Mount Hood the volcano. First for a description of how Mount Hood was formed we will provide an excerpt from the 1940, Mount Hood, A Guide. This book was compiled by writers employed by the Work Projects Administration, during the Great Depression of the 1930s. These talented writers described the formation of Mount Hood in terms easily understood by common people.

Here is their description of how Mount Hood was formed:
For many millions of years two distinct bodies of land, or two islands, rose above the primal sea that covered what is now the state of Oregon. At the close of the Cretaceous period (66 million years ago) the Cascade Mountain Range began to rise from the sea. Mount Hood rose in successive outpouring of lava over a period of billions of years. In the process of formation, successive eruptions of the mountain scattered fragments over a wide area, especially to the south. Through long years of erosion only the tougher materials of Crater Rock and the north rim of the original crater, which is now the peak of the mountain, remains. The south wall of the caldera has worn away until little is left to indicate its ancient position. From its former height (12,000 feet) the processes of glaciation and weathering have reduced the peak to 11,245 feet of rugged grace and white beauty.

Mount Hood, as indicated by various fumaroles and gas vents is not completely extinct. Rather, it appears as a sleeping menace that might be awakened to fury by some future seismic disturbance. Within the crater of the mountain, principally at a point known as Devils Kitchen just above Crater Rock, and at inaccessible points on Steel Cliff, are numerous vents from which emit sulphureous gasses mingled with water vapor.
The previous two paragraphs were written in 1940. The following description of Mount Hood volcano is from Wikipedia and the scientists at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory. The last major eruptions occurred in 1781 and in 1805. The last minor eruption of Mount Hood was in 1907. Today, Mount Hood is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt, though based on its history, an explosive eruption is unlikely. Still the odds of an eruption in the next 30 years are estimated at between 3 and 7%, so the US Geological Service characterizes it as “potentially active” but the mountain is informally considered dormant.

The Museum has an Emergency Action Plan that addresses the full list of potential threats to the Museum and its valuable collection of historical objects. Should USGS predict Mount Hood may have an explosive eruption, the most valuable collection objects would be transported to secure storage in Madras. Should Mount Hood erupt, areas south and west would be impacted with debris and mudflows. Winds would carry the ash northeasterly. If that prediction is accurate, US 26 south east to Madras should be a good escape route from Government Camp.

Lloyd Musser is the volunteer curator at the Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum.