Brushy Butte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brushy Butte |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,852 ft (1,174 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Shasta County, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Pleistocene |
| Mountain type | Shield volcano |
| Volcanic arc | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Last eruption | Pleistocene |
Brushy Butte is a small shield volcano located in northern California, U.S. It sits just east of another feature called Timbered Crater. This volcano is part of the larger Cascade Volcanic Arc, a chain of volcanoes that stretches across western North America.
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What is Brushy Butte?
Brushy Butte is a type of volcano known as a shield volcano. It is not very well-known or studied. Its highest point is about 3,852 feet (1,174 meters) above sea level. This makes it a relatively small volcano compared to some of its neighbors in the Cascade Range.
Where is Brushy Butte Located?
Brushy Butte is found in Shasta County, California. It is close to where Shasta County meets Siskiyou County, California. The volcano is also south-southeast of the Medicine Lake Highlands, which is a much larger and more famous volcanic area. Its location places it within the southern part of the Cascade Range, a major mountain range in North America.
Understanding Shield Volcanoes
A shield volcano gets its name because it looks like a warrior's shield lying on the ground. These volcanoes are built up over time by many flows of very runny lava. This lava spreads out far and wide, creating gentle slopes rather than steep, cone-shaped mountains. Think of pouring honey onto a flat surface – it spreads out thinly. That's how shield volcanoes form. Unlike explosive volcanoes, shield volcanoes usually have calmer eruptions.
When Did Brushy Butte Last Erupt?
Brushy Butte last erupted a very long time ago, during a period called the Pleistocene epoch. The Pleistocene epoch lasted from about 2.6 million years ago to about 11,700 years ago. This means Brushy Butte has not erupted in thousands of years. Today, it is considered an inactive volcano. Scientists study its past eruptions to understand more about the Cascade Volcanic Arc.
