Kawdy Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kawdy Mountain |
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 1,936 m (6,352 ft) |
Prominence | 523 m (1,716 ft) |
Geography | |
Location | British Columbia, Canada |
Parent range | Kawdy Plateau (northern Stikine Plateau) |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Pleistocene |
Mountain type | Subglacial mound |
Volcanic arc/belt | Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province |
Last eruption | Pleistocene |
Kawdy Mountain is a unique mountain located in the wild and scenic northwestern part of British Columbia, Canada. It stands tall on the Kawdy Plateau, which is the northernmost section of a larger area called the Stikine Plateau. This mountain is special because of how it was formed.
What is Kawdy Mountain?
Kawdy Mountain is known as a subglacial mound. This means it's a type of volcano that erupted and grew underneath a thick layer of ice or a glacier. Imagine a volcano trying to erupt, but with a giant ice blanket on top! The ice shaped the mountain as the lava flowed.
How it Formed
Kawdy Mountain was formed during a very old time period called the Pleistocene epoch. This was a time when much of the Earth was covered in glaciers and ice sheets.
- The mountain is made up of different kinds of volcanic rocks.
- Near the top, you'll find layers of basaltic lava. These are dark, fine-grained volcanic rocks that flowed out like thick syrup.
- Below these lava layers, there are other types of broken-up volcanic rocks. These rocks point outwards, showing how the volcano pushed up from underneath the ice.
- The last time Kawdy Mountain erupted was also during the Pleistocene epoch.
Where is it Located?
Kawdy Mountain is part of a larger group of volcanoes called the Stikine Volcanic Belt. This belt is part of an even bigger volcanic area known as the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province.
- This whole region has many volcanic features.
- These volcanoes are forming because the North American tectonic plate is slowly stretching and moving towards the west.
- When the Earth's plates stretch, it can create cracks where molten rock, or magma, can rise to the surface and cause eruptions.
Kawdy Mountain is a great example of how powerful natural forces like glaciers and plate tectonics can shape our planet's landscape over millions of years.