Monitors delayed at Glacier Peak, WA's 'very active' volcano

New seismometers delayed at Glacier Peak, WA

Deadly lahars and flooding could wipe out the "bread basket of Western Washington." So, why are were plans to install new monitors delayed at the high-threat Glacier Peak volcano?

DARRINGTON, Wash. - The U.S. Geological Survey's Cascades Volcano Observatory is facing delays in installing new earthquake monitoring stations on Glacier Peak due to logistical setbacks and unforeseen challenges at remote sites.

"We had plans to install them a couple of summers ago, but a last-minute glitch with a helicopter vendor prevented us from actually doing installations," said Jon Major, from CVO. The delay has left the timing for future installations uncertain, as there are no immediate plans to fulfill the promise.

Glacier Peak in Snohomish County is currently at a "very high" threat for eruption — the top classification of threat levels, according to federal scientists.

usgs map of volcanic zone near glacier peak

Towns of Darrington, Rockport, Concrete, Sedro Woolley, Burlington, Mount Vernon and La Conner lie in the Sauk and Skagit river valleys, which have been inundated by lahars in the geologically recent past. Winds over Glacier Peak are usually directed (USGS)

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Currently, there is only one seismometer on the volcano to detect movement. Information from the additional monitors could be life-saving for the town of Darrington, only 20 air miles from Glacier Peak and in the Lahar hazard zone.

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In addition to the vendor issue, the installation crew encountered unexpected difficulties with the proposed sites.

"Our crews found out a few things they thought about the sites weren’t quite right," Major explained. "To put in GPS units, you need to have really solid bedrock, and the material at these sites wasn’t all that solid."

This discovery has forced the team to reconsider how they will approach installing the monitors, further complicating the process. Major reports it will not be until the summer of 2026 that teams can make it back out there.

The locations of the monitoring sites in far-off wilderness areas also present significant challenges.

"It’s a very remote area, and some of our sites take a couple of days to hike to," Major added.