Grizzly Butte facts for kids

Grizzly Butte is a small, interesting volcano located in the beautiful northwestern part of British Columbia, Canada. It's a special kind of volcano called a shield volcano. This volcano formed during a recent geological time period known as the Holocene epoch. Grizzly Butte stands out from the land around it, just north of the Nazcha Creek. It is part of a larger group of volcanoes called the West Tuya lava field, which also includes West Vent and Volcano Vent.

Grizzly Butte is one of three small shield volcanoes found in the Tuya volcanic field. This field is part of an even bigger chain of volcanoes known as the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province.

What is Grizzly Butte?

Grizzly Butte is a relatively small volcano. It rises about 1,412 meters (that's over 4,600 feet) above sea level. It's not a tall, pointy volcano like some you might imagine. Instead, it has a gentle, sloping shape, much like a warrior's shield lying on the ground. This is why it's called a shield volcano.

Where is Grizzly Butte Located?

Grizzly Butte is found in a remote and scenic area of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It sits on a high, flat area known as the Kawdy Plateau. This plateau is part of the larger Stikine Plateau. The volcano is located north of a stream called Nazcha Creek. Its exact coordinates are 59 degrees North latitude and 130 degrees West longitude.

What is a Shield Volcano?

A shield volcano is a type of volcano known for its wide, gently sloping sides. It looks a bit like a shield placed on the ground. These volcanoes are formed by eruptions of very runny, liquid lava. This lava flows easily and spreads out over a large area. Over many eruptions, layers of this thin lava build up. This creates the volcano's characteristic broad, low profile.

Shield volcanoes are different from the cone-shaped volcanoes you often see in pictures. Those are called stratovolcanoes and are built from thicker lava and ash. The lava from shield volcanoes usually flows slowly. This means eruptions are often less explosive and dangerous than those from stratovolcanoes.

When Did it Form? The Holocene Epoch

Grizzly Butte is considered a very young volcano in geological terms. It formed during the Holocene epoch. The Holocene epoch is the current geological time period we live in. It began about 11,700 years ago, right after the last major ice age ended. This means Grizzly Butte erupted and took its shape relatively recently. It's a modern feature of the landscape.

Part of a Bigger Family: The Tuya Volcanic Field

Grizzly Butte is not alone. It's one of three small shield volcanoes that make up the Tuya volcanic field. This field is an interesting area with several volcanoes. The other two shield volcanoes in this field are West Vent and Volcano Vent. Together, these three volcanoes form what is known as the West Tuya lava field.

The Tuya Volcanic Field itself is part of an even larger volcanic region. This region is called the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province. This province stretches across parts of British Columbia and the Yukon in Canada, and even into Alaska in the United States. It's an area where many volcanoes have been active over millions of years. This shows that the Earth's crust in this region is still very active.