| Abstract: | In December 1963 rockfalls from Little Tahoma Peak on the east side of Mount Rainier volcano fell onto Emmons Glacier and formed avalanches of rock debris that traveled about 4 miles down the glacier and the White River valley. In this distance, the rock debris descended as much as 6,200 feet in altitude. Minor lithologic differences and crosscutting relations indicate that the rockfalls caused at least seven separate avalanches, having an estimated total volume of 14 million cubic yards. The initial rockfall may have been caused by a small steam explosion near the base of Little Tahoma Peak.
During movement, some of the avalanches were deflected from one side of the valley to the other. Calculations based on the height to which the avalanches rose on the valley walls suggest that their velocity reached at least 80 or 90 miles per hour. The unusually long distance some of the avalanches were transported is attributed to a cushion of trapped and compressed air at their base, which buoyed them up amid reduced friction. |
| Genre: | USGS Numbered Series |
| ProdID: | 34085 |
| Citation Author: | Crandell, Dwight Raymond; Fahnestock, Robert K. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | U.S. Geological Survey |
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| Citation Edition: | - |
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| Citation Language: | ENGLISH |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | |
| Citation LatN: | 0465500 |
| Citation LatS: | 0464500 |
| Citation LonE: | -1213500 |
| Citation LonW: | -1215000 |
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| Citation Online Only Flag: | |
| Citation Phsyical Description: | p. A1-A30 |
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| Citation Publisher: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Citation Series: | Bulletin |
| Citation Series Code: | B |
| Citation Series Number: | 1221-A |
| Citation Search Results Text: | Rockfalls and Avalanches from Little Tahoma Peak on Mount Rainier, Washington; 1965; B; 1221-A; Crandell, Dwight Raymond; Fahnestock, Robert K. |
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| Citation Year: | 1965 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Rockfalls and Avalanches from Little Tahoma Peak on Mount Rainier, Washington; 1965; B; 1221-A; Crandell, Dwight Raymond; Fahnestock, Robert K. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/1221a/report-thumb.jpg |
| URL (INDEX PAGE): | http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1221-A/index.htm |
| URL (DOCUMENT): | http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/1221a/report.pdf |
| Date Other: | Sat, 1 Jan 1994 00:00 -0600 |
| Publisher: | U.S. Geological Survey |
