Warning: There are inherit dangers
when exploring lava tubes including cave-ins, rock falls, and
razor-sharp rocks. Before entering the lava fields, we
highly-recommend long pants,
closed-toe shoes, gloves, and hard-hat. Beware of your surroundings
and the location of each member in your party.
Lava tubes are constructed when the surface of a low-viscosity
lava flow cools forming a hard and continuous crust. This crust
thickens forming a solid roof which insulates the still-flowing
molten lava stream. When the eruption ends, the lava stream
continues to flow out the end of the tube leaving an empty void
under this solid basaltic rock surface.
Location A – N34 44.919, W116 22.304
– places you on the West-ridge of a collapsed formation.
Inspect the large trench before you both up-slope and
down-slope.
Location B – N34 44.940, W116 22.295
– places you at several lava tube openings. Compare the floor
surface with the wall and roof.
Logging requirements:
Send us a note with:
1. The text "GC24KBM Pisgah Lava Tubes" on the first line.
2. Post the number of people in your group with a group picture at
Location B.
3. At Location A, what is the estimated
width of this collapsed formation?
4. What is the difference in elevation between Location A and lava tube opening at Location B?
5. Is this collapsed formation one large lava tube or a series of
lava tubes? Why?
The above information was compiled from the
following sources:
- Lavic Lake, Global Volcanism Program,
http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1203-19-
- USGS definition of Pahoehoe,
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/images/pglossary/pahoehoe.php
- USGS definition of Lava Tube,
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/images/pglossary/LavaTube.php