Ubehebe Crater.  Can you see the students that hiked to the bottom of the crater?  Didn't think so.

Paula and Andy  point out the some of the perils of volcanology.

by Rachel B.

Ubehebe Crater was formed when rising magma met water-saturated bedrock and alluvial fan sediments. This resulted in an explosion powered by steam which essentially blasted the confining rock away, exposing layers of strata. This powerful type of volcanism is known as maar volcanism, and is characterized by the formation and release of steam as violent eruptions. This particular eruption is believed to have taken place about 2000 years ago, making it a relatively young volcanic feature of Death Valley. It is the largest crater in a region characterized by similar formations making up the Ubehebe crater system.