Phillip Elden: In my opinion, the Cascade Range is one of the most visually interesting landscapes in the entire world. So far, I’ve climbed six of the volcanic mountains with plans to scale more in the future.
Q: What is the major draw to this region?
Phillip Elden: The fragile nature of the Cascade Range is endlessly fascinating. After all, the Cascade Range features a series of active volcanoes, including Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Glacier Peak, Crater Lake and South Sister. All of these active volcanoes are considered to be a significant future threat.
Q: How does Mount St. Helens fit into the mix?
Phillip Elden: People forget the story of Mount St. Helens, which erupted just three decades ago. At the time, I remember how exciting yet terrifying it was to see such a massive explosion.
Q: What particular footage was so memorable from that time?
Phillip Elden: Seeing the north-facing side as it was sliding off was absolutely thrilling to me. All the clouds of smoke and ash were visually arresting, with effects found in faraway states like Oklahoma. Since then, I’ve been entranced with the experience of living here.
Q: Are volcanic eruptions common throughout the world?
Phillip Elden: The Cascades are considered a portion of the Pacific Ring of Fire. All of the mountains and volcanoes in this category are located near the Pacific Ocean. Every volcanic eruption in the contiguous United States since the early 19th century has occurred in the Cascade volcanoes. The two relatively recent examples were Lassen Peak, which took place from 1914 to 1921, and Mount St. Helens in 1980. Other small eruptions have occurred at Mount St. Helens since that devastating event.
