Thanks for the background info, Penny. You've inspired me to order "Fire Mountain." I've always been interested in the Cascades, but up to now mostly about the subduction zones which are responsible for the volcanos.

I agree that any major eruption would have attracted a great deal of attention before the ultimate event. Volcanology's predictive abilities have come a long way since Mt. St. Helens (where the scientists didn't really do too bad), and even Pinatubo (where they did very well).

Mike Williams