California (4,322 m) – Largest Volcano by Volume in North America
Mount Shasta is an immense, dormant stratavolcano and one of the tallest peaks in the state of California. One of the most active volcanoes in the western United States, it erupts on average every six centuries, with the last eruption being about two hundred years ago. Shasta is one of the tallest mountains in the Cascades range and one of the most visually distinct in California.
The area around Shasta has been inhabited by Nativa American tribes for thousands of years. The mountain was deemed to be sacred by local Klamath tribesmen. European explorers arrived in the area in the early 1800s, though it is possible that French explorers witnessed the last eruption in 1786. Shasta became famous thanks to its proximity to the rich fields of the 1849 Gold Rush. The mountain was first scaled in 1877.
Mount Shasta has been a popular wilderness destination ever since the arrival of the railroads in the late 19th century. Although located in an isolated part of Northern California, Shasta is extremely accessible thanks to its proximity to I-5 just a few miles away. The gateway to Mount Shasta is the town of the same name, approximately 200 miles north of Sacramento, the closest major city.
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