Tateyama Alpine Route in ten stages
In the early 1970’s, a 37 km (23 mile) long east–west route was created in the northern part of the Northern Japan Alps. This Alpine Route reaches an elevation of 2450 m (8,000 ft) and provides access to impressive mountain scenery. Although the infrastructure is somewhat dated, the route remains a popular tourist activity. To preserve the natural setting and...
Volcanoes, onsens, and Japan’s first geopark
Hanging out around active volcanoes, and the calderas of volcanoes that previously blew themselves up, has certain advantages. One clear benefit is that the hot magma associated with active volcanism heats groundwater that can rise to the surface to create hot springs. Hokkaido is crazy with hot springs. In Japan, onsen refers to the springs themselves and to the hotels...
Why are there so many hot springs in southeastern British Columbia?
When the Pacific NW chapter of the American Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) announced a new field trip—"Southeast British Columbia (BC) Hot Springs Geology Tour"—I eagerly signed on! The 12-day trip promised we would "spend our days looking at geology and our evenings soaking in hot water! But I wondered—natural hot springs are most commonly found in areas of active...
About the Blogger
Karen (here with Mt. Shasta in background) is a geology professor emerita who aims to provide a "pocket geologist" for world travelers. Follow the blog to explore the landscapes of our planet and figure out what causes them to look the way they do.