Mount Cayley volcanic field
The Mount Cayley volcanic field (MCVF) is a remote volcanic zone on the South Coast of British Columbia, Canada, stretching 31 km (19 mi) from the Pemberton Icefield to the Squamish River. It forms a segment of the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt, the Canadian portion of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, which extends from Northern California to southwestern British Columbia. Most of the MCVF volcanoes were formed during periods of volcanism under sheets of glacial ice throughout the last glacial period. These subglacial eruptions formed steep, flat-topped volcanoes and subglacial lava domes, most of which have been entirely exposed by deglaciation. However, at least two volcanoes predate the last glacial period and both are highly eroded. The field gets its name from Mount Cayley, a volcanic peak located at the southern end of the Powder Mountain Icefield. This icefield covers much of the central portion of the volcanic field and is one of the several glacial fields in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains.
A view of the MCVF, with Mount Cayley obscured by clouds on the left. Mount Fee is the relatively small jagged peak to the far right.
Mount Fee rising above adjacent mountainous terrain. This view of the mountain is from the south.
Little Ring Mountain, the northernmost volcano in the MCVF. Like Ring Mountain to the south, the volcano gets its flat-topped, steep-sided structure from when magma intruded and melted a vertical pipe in the overlying Cordilleran Ice Sheet during the last glacial period.
Mount Fee rising over the lightly glaciated dome of Ember Ridge North.
Mount Cayley is an eroded but potentially active stratovolcano in the Pacific Ranges of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Located 45 km (28 mi) north of Squamish and 24 km (15 mi) west of Whistler, the volcano resides on the edge of the Powder Mountain Icefield. It consists of massif that towers over the Cheakamus and Squamish river valleys. All major summits have elevations greater than 2,000 m (6,600 ft), Mount Cayley being the highest at 2,385 m (7,825 ft). The surrounding area has been inhabited by indigenous peoples for more than 7,000 years while geothermal exploration has taken place there for the last four decades.
Mount Cayley as seen from the southeast. Summits left to right are Pyroclastic Peak, Mount Cayley and Wizard Peak.
Mt. Cayley massif, south aspect
Mount Cayley viewed from southeast showing light coloured breccia cut by a central spine of dacite which forms the summit ridge.
Panoramic view of the Mount Cayley volcano with Pyroclastic Peak on the left and Mount Cayley in the middle. View is westward 25 km (16 mi) from Whistler Mountain.