Felsite Peak facts for kids

Felsite Peak is a unique mountain in the Yukon Territory, Canada. It's actually what's left of an old volcano, now an eroded volcanic outcrop. You can find it in the Wrangell Volcanic Field, a region known for its volcanoes. Felsite Peak is located about 54 kilometers (34 miles) south of a place called Silver City. It's also 8 kilometers (5 miles) southwest of Snowshoe Peak and 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Pinnacle Peak.

Felsite Peak got its name from Felsite Creek, a nearby stream. This mountain has a special feature called a triple summit, meaning it has three main high points. These summits are on the east side of the Disappointment Glacier and at the very beginning of Felsite Creek.

How Felsite Peak Was Formed

Felsite Peak was created a very long time ago, during a period known as the Pliocene epoch. It formed because the Earth's crust melted deep underground. This melting happened due to a process called subduction. Subduction occurs when one large piece of the Earth's surface, known as a tectonic plate, slides underneath another. In this case, the Pacific Plate moved beneath the North American Plate.

The last time this volcano was active was also during the Pliocene. Felsite Peak, like many other volcanoes in the Yukon, is part of a massive chain of volcanoes called the Pacific Ring of Fire. This "Ring of Fire" includes over 160 active volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean.