Lightning Peak (British Columbia) facts for kids

Lightning Peak is a mountain in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Monashee Mountains. This peak is actually an old volcano! It is known for being an "eroded outcrop", which means it's a rocky part of the Earth's surface that used to be a volcano. You can even find a special gem called Peridot at this peak.

Discovering Lightning Peak

Lightning Peak stands tall at 2,139 meters (about 7,018 feet) above sea level. It is a unique part of the Chilcotin Group. This group includes many old volcanoes in British Columbia.

Where is Lightning Peak Located?

This interesting peak is found in the Midway Range. It is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of a place called Needles. It is also about 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of downtown Kelowna.

How Lightning Peak Formed

Scientists believe Lightning Peak formed a very long time ago. This happened during a period called the Pliocene epoch. The Pliocene was a time in Earth's history from about 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago.

The mountain formed because the Earth's crust was stretching apart. This stretching happened behind a "subduction zone" near the coast. A subduction zone is where one of Earth's large tectonic plates slides under another. This movement can cause volcanoes to form. Lightning Peak last erupted during the Pliocene.

What is the Pacific Ring of Fire?

Like many volcanoes in British Columbia, Lightning Peak is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. This "ring" is a huge horseshoe-shaped area around the Pacific Ocean. It has over 160 active volcanoes! It is also where many earthquakes happen. The Ring of Fire is a very active place for Earth's geology.

Finding Peridot at Lightning Peak

One cool thing about Lightning Peak is that you can find Peridot there. Peridot is a beautiful green gemstone. It is a type of mineral called olivine. Peridot forms deep inside the Earth. It is brought to the surface by volcanic activity. Finding it at Lightning Peak shows its volcanic past.