I will be arranging tours to a couple of these. If interested in one, email me with PSYTRAVEL: at the head of the subject.
Sibley Volcanic Preserve: I worked in Berkeley for 3 years, and it never failed to amaze me that most inhabitants of the area have no idea that there are four volcanoes in the east bay hills. The two most easily accessible are Little Grizzly Peak in Tilden and Round Top in Sibley. Of the two, Round Top is more obviously a volcano (and more fun). All of them are along the Hayward fault, and the last time the fault spawned an eruption was 9.5 million years ago (from the park brochure). The Wikipedia page is almost accurate...you can access the park from Orinda if you hike. Driving, you take Grizzly Peak Blvd to the T-bone with Old Tunnel Road and Skyline Blvd., which appears to be one road. Turn onto Skyline (right), the first bend is the entrance to Sibley's parking lot. Sibley is also dog-friendly, so long as you follow the rules...disposal bags and trash cans assist the effort. If you continue farther on Skyline, the next parking lot is for Huckleberry Volcanic Preserve. There are plants that only exist here, but that's for another post.
The Nine Sisters (also known as the Seven Sisters)and Morro Rock: If you go south on 101 from San Francisco, you can take the Morro Bay Exit (State Route 41) a few hours south and see The Seven Sisters, which extend south from Morro Bay. The most prominent feature (576 ft. tall) is Morro Rock, the remains of an underwater volcano. As you travel south on Highway One, the large hillssmall mountains you see between you and the ocean are each volcanoes, and a part of the string known as the Nine Sisters. AFAIK, this string is dormant.
Yellowstone Supervolcano: I have been watching this one since I saw info on the Discovery channel. It is geologically active, and large enough that when it goes off, it can destroy 2/3 of the continental US. Read this AP report from two days ago about what's been going on recently. Much thanks to the original Slashdot article.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
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