Heart Peaks

The late-Cenozoic Heart Peaks shield volcano, located NW of Level Mountain in NW British Columbia, is capped by rhyolitic lava domes. The basal shield rises above local topography and is composed of flat-lying basaltic and trachybasaltic lava flows and pyroclastics. The most recent eruptive activity is of dominantly Pleistocene age; late-stage Holocene activity is uncertain (Edwards and Russell, 2000; Edwards 2004, pers. comm.). The volcano rises above the Heart Peaks Plateau, which is sculpted on all sides by tributaries of the Inklin River. The colorful bright green and pink, steep-sided lava domes of the Heart Peaks Formation are formed of porphyritic rhyolitic and minor trachytic rocks and occupy the western side of the plateau.