No latest activity reported for Adams.

Below is a summary of eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI).

The following references are the sources used for data regarding this volcano. References are linked directly to our volcano data file. Discussion of another volcano or eruption (sometimes far from the one that is the subject of the manuscript) may produce a citation that is not at all apparent from the title. Additional discussion of data sources can be found under Volcano Data Criteria.

Hammond P E, Pedersen S A, Hopkins K D, Aiken D, Harle D S, Danes Z F, Konicek D L, Stricklin C R, 1976. Geology and gravimetry of the Quaternary basaltic volcanic field, southern Cascade Range, Washington. {In}: {Proc 2nd United Nations Symp Devel Use Geotherm Resour, San Francisco}, Washington D C: U S Government Printing Office, 1: 397-405

Harris S L, 1988. {Fire Mountains of the West: the Cascade and Mono Lake Volcanoes}. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press, 379 p

Hildreth W, Fierstein J, 1997. Recent eruptions of Mount Adams, Washington Cascades, USA. {Bull Volc}, 58: 472-490

Hildreth W, Lanphere M A, 1994. Potassium-argon geochronology of a basalt-andesite-dacite arc system: the Mount Adams volcanic field, Cascade Range of southern Washington. {Geol Soc Amer Bull}, 106: 1413-1429

Hopkins K D, 1976. Geology of the south and east slopes of Mount Adams volcano, Cascade Range, Washington. {Unpublished PhD thesis}, Univ Washington, 143 p

IAVCEI, 1973-80. Post-Miocene Volcanoes of the World. {IAVCEI Data Sheets, Rome: Internatl Assoc Volc Chemistry Earth's Interior}.

Katsui Y (ed), 1971. List of the World Active Volcanoes. {Volc Soc Japan draft ms}, (limited circulation), 160 p

Wood C A, Kienle J (eds), 1990. {Volcanoes of North America}. Cambridge, England: Cambridge Univ Press, 354 p

Although lower in height than its neighbor to the north, Mount Rainier, massive Mount Adams rises above a lower topographic base and is second in volume only to Mount Shasta among volcanoes of the Cascade Range. The Mount Adams volcanic field includes the 200 cu km Mount Adams complex andesitic-dacitic stratovolcano, elongated along a NNW-SSE line, and more than 60 flank vents. Volcanism began about 940 thousand years ago (ka), with three main cone-building stages occurring at about 500, 450 and 30 ka. Adams was active throughout the Holocene, producing two dozen minor explosive eruptions from summit and flank vents. Six Holocene lava flows are located on the flanks between 2100 and 2600 m altitude. The most voluminous Holocene lava flows, some of which traveled 10 km or more, were emplaced between about 7 and 4 ka. The latest eruption about 1000 years ago produced a minor tephra layer and possibly a small lava flow down the east flank.