Crater Lake National Park News
Crater Lake Institute – www.craterlakeinstitute.com
USGS volcanologist Charles Bacon gives Mount Mazama geologic history talk
Crater Lake Institute
June 23, 2009
By ROBERT MUTCH
 USGS volcanologist, Dr. Charles Bacon |
On a beautiful, clear June 23rd evening, United States Geological Survey volcanologist Charles “Charlie” Bacon gave a lecture in the historic Community House at the Rim Village in Crater Lake National Park. With a large and rustic rock fireplace as a backdrop, Dr. Bacon gave a digital slide show presentation, using several images from his new geological map of Mt. Mazama (New USGS geologic map of Mount Mazama and Crater Lake Caldera, Oregon, November, 2008)
A quick head count revealed that there were just over 100 people present. Attendees included National Park Service (NPS) employees, geology students, Crater Lake Lodge guests, and several other Crater Lake visitors. The remainder of the chairs had to be broken out and, still, many people stood along the walls, in the back of the room, and in the upstairs balcony. It was most definitely a packed house.
After an introduction from Eric Anderson, the park’s operations supervisor for interpretation, park superintendent Craig Ackerman presented Dr. Bacon with the Department of the Interior’s Superior Service Award from regional NPS director Jon Jarvis. Dr. Bacon was quite obviously touched by the award and after an acknowledgement and thanks, and many photos were taken, he began his talk on the geological history of Mount Mazama.
Dr. Bacon began with a few minutes background discussion on a history of the formation of Mt. Mazama, the geological history, as well as a discussion of the processes involved to bring about that mountain…in short, how that mountain developed over time.
The second portion of Dr. Bacon’s talk covered the eruption of Mount Mazama, the mechanics of how it happened and it’s impacts. Many features were pointed out to highlight the processes that were involved in Mount Mazama’s creation and eventual collapse.
After Dr. Bacon’s talk was completed there were a few minutes of questioning and answering. At the end of this question and answer period, the main doors were flung open and guests fought there way through the clouds of mosquitoes as they headed home.
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