Dotsero Volcano

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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mcdonnellms
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Dotsero Volcano

Post by mcdonnellms »

I just found this while goofing around on Google Earth.

A small maar and scoria cone complex at Dotsero, near the junction of the Colorado and Eagle Rivers west of the Gore Range, is the only Holocene volcano in Colorado. Although Interstate highway 70 cuts across a lava flow from Dotsero, this volcanic center is one of the least known in the western United States. The most prominent feature of the Dotsero complex is a 700 m wide and 400 m deep maar that was erupted about 4150 radiocarbon years ago along a ridge consisting of evaporites and reddish oxidized sandstones of Pennsylvanian age. Small scoria cones were constructed along a NNE-SSW line on either side of the maar. Small lahars preceded eruption of a basaltic lava flow that traveled 3 km down two narrow V-shaped valleys and spread out onto the floodplain of the Eagle River, diverting the river to the south side of the valley. Older Pleistocene basaltic lava flows occur nearby at Willow Peak, McCoy, and Triangle Peak.

Has anybody been there? Who knew?

Image
Last edited by mcdonnellms on Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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jfox
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Re: Dotsero Volcano

Post by jfox »

mcdonnellms wrote:Has anybody been there? Who knew?
I have. I did.
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Scott P
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Post by Scott P »

Yes, there are several volcanoes in NW Colorado. Dotsero is just the most recently active one.
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gsliva
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Post by gsliva »

Yes it's on the Government's medium threat to erupt list.

http://www.postindependent.com/article/ ... /105110016
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Post by vr64ever »

Does anyone know where I-70 cuts through the lava flow?

That would be cool to see, I would think it is between Copper and Eagle but that is a pretty large area.
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Post by Scott P »

Does anyone know where I-70 cuts through the lava flow?
At Dotsero. That's why it's called the Dotsero Volcano, hee hee.

Dotsero is a small community just east of Glenwood Canyon. Exit 133, I-70.
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Post by vr64ever »

Scott P wrote:
Does anyone know where I-70 cuts through the lava flow?
At Dotsero. That's why it's called the Dotsero Volcano, hee hee.

Dotsero is a small community just east of Glenwood Canyon. Exit 133, I-70.
I guess that would make sense, but I thought this volcano was north of Steamboat, or is that another volcano?
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Dan the Mountain Man
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Post by Dan the Mountain Man »

gsliva wrote:Yes it's on the Government's medium threat to erupt list.

http://www.postindependent.com/article/ ... /105110016
That is hillarious! Most definately dormant! This is suspected to be a remnant from the failed rifting of the continent, (more commonly known as the Rio Grand Rift). The rift is much broader the futher south you go, (opens like a zipper to the north.) Not too worried about this one.

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TK
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Post by TK »

I know there was stuff in the area, but not this in particular. I'm pretty sure that volcanic activity helped form tons of the geothermic hot springs near by.

A different site I've always been curious about is that one lonely little cinder cone on the plains NE of the Spanish Peaks. It's just off I-25 and noticeably appears to be the only substantial hill East of the interstate for miles and miles. Anyone know anything about it?
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Post by Scott P »

Anyone know anything about it?
Huerfano Butte?

It is on private land, but we were told we could climb it. Just a short little thing, but interesting.
I thought this volcano was north of Steamboat, or is that another volcano?
:?:

Baker Peak north of Craig is a volcano and there are some dikes and throats south of Steamboat, and Whitely Peak way southeast of Steamboat, but I know of no real volcanoes north of Steamboat.

The Elkhead Mountains NW of Steamboat are made of old lava flows as are the Flat Tops to the SW and the Central Park Range to the SE, but almost nothing resembles a volcano anymore (other than Baker and Whitley Peaks which are a long way from Steamboat, and the stuff around Oak Creek which is closer). Nipple Peak north of Steamboat is probably the old throat of a volcano, but that's all I can think of to the north of Steamboat. There are lots of old lava plateaus around, but other than the other ones mentioned (which aren't to the north), they don't resemble volcanic cones anymore and have been dead for millions of years.
This is suspected to be a remnant from the failed rifting of the continent, (more commonly known as the Rio Grand Rift).
The Dotsero crater is much newer than most of the Rio Grand Rift and erupted something like 4000 years ago. 4000 years isn't that long ago in a geologic sense. It could go off again someday.:wink:
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Post by rlw49 »

What's a maar?
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