Time for a closer look at one of those Canadian volcanoes we were introduced to a while back.
That’s not the Mountain King up there. He is one of the people trying to figure out and explain this active volcano to interviewers.
Mount Edziza is too varied and sprawling — and big, definitely big! — to get a good single image of it for the top of this page. Even on satellite views, it blends in with the mountain ranges around it.
Fortunately, you can see it all in the following video.
This look at Mount Edziza presents the volcanic complex in an unusual but very Canadian way — how many volcano videos have you seen that give a fire mountain its own musical theme? — through the lens and also through the eyes of people who are drawn to Edziza or who, like Oscar, have a long family history with it.
I don’t know whether obsidian really is the sharpest material on Earth, but it is used in modern surgery sometimes.
More information:
- Wikipedia page; the obsidian has its own page
- BC Parks page
- This might be a research paper from that team of volcanologists, since Dr. Edwards is lead author and it mentions Pillow Ridge
A little lagniappe:
It isn’t easy to reach Edziza by foot, though this bushwacker didn’t undergo the eight-month preparation for such a trip as described above by Oscar.
But then, he’s not going for obsidian.
At least he has mosquito netting!
Local people would have brought along many Rocco’s, though larger ones, capable of carrying packs. They would have taken a drier route, too. But again — no netting, fully furnished vans, or waterproof sandals.
Flight To Wonder 