Day 5 - Appalacian Mountains, Europe

Our last and final stop will be the Appalacian Mountains! We will go hiking/backpacking through these beautiful wonders of nature. These Appalacian Mountains prove the theory of continental drift and plate tectonics. A converging plate boundary created these mountains, and it appears that there is a perfect match to the rest of this mountain range on the opposite side of the ocean in North America.

Day 4 - Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Atlanctic Ocean

For out next stop, we will go to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This mind boggling physical feature is evidence to plate tectonics because it shows diverging plates. Actual mountains have been built under the sea, as well as above sea level due to this diverging plate boundary. Scuba diving is the only way we will be able to view this magnificent phenonmenon. So grab your gear and let's go!

P.S. WATCH OUT FOR SHARKS haha

Day 3 -- East Africa, East African Rift Valley

The next leg of our journey is the East African Rift Valley.

The Rift Valley is a diverging boundary that is located in East Africa. A rift valley is a spot where two plates are moving apart. This valley is actually being filled with water from oceans, seas, and rivers.

Africa is splitting apart at this point and the plates are moving away from their once known continent.

Day 2 -- Kauai, Hawaii

hawaiian islands

Our next destination shall be Kauai, Hawaii. Hawaii was created by a hotspot.

A hotspot is kind of like an underground volcano, so to speak. Magma starts to burn through the crust and it rises, forming volcanic island arcs. Thus, creating the Hawaiian islands.

Hawaii is still growing today and will keep growing in the future. Eventually the old islands that were created will weather away and new ones will keep forming.

Hawaii is made up of giant shield volcanoes that cover vast areas. Shield volcanoes consist of gently sloping sides and contain felsic lava.

shield volcano

Day 1 -- Skamania County, Washington

Our first journey is to Skamania County, Washington. Located here is Mount St. Helens. It is a massive active stratovolcano. Mount St. Helens is one of the United States' most famous volcanoes.
This famous volcano is made up of lava rock, layers of ash, pumice, and many other deposits. Mt St. Helens is a part of the Cascade mountain range. The Cascade Mountain Range is a volcanic chain that is a resultant of the Juan de Fuca plate, a dense basaltic rock oceanic crustal plate, submerging under a less dense granitic Continental crustal plate, known as the North American Plate. As the Juan de Fuca submerges, great amounts of pressure builds up and as a result volcanic chains are formed, thus resulting in Mount St. Helens.