When California's Ground Unexpectedly Exploded; The Lake City Craters

On March 1st 1951, a section of ground northwest of California's Lake City unexpectedly exploded. This carved out multiple several hundred-foot-wide craters in the ground which were accompanied by the ejection of 6 million cubic feet of rock and mud. What had just occurred was an unusual geologic phenomenon that had absolutely nothing to do with volcanic activity. This is the story of the Lake City Craters.

Note: Please do not trespass on the lands where this 1951 era explosion occurred, as it is private property!

Thumbnail Photo Credit: U.S. Geological Survey, Public Domain, https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/hyd.... Increased color saturation was added to this image, which was then sharpened, and then overlaid with text and GeologyHub made graphics (the image border & the GeologyHub logo).

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Sources/Citations:
[1] U.S. Geological Survey
[2] DONALD E WHITE; VIOLENT MUD-VOLCANO ERUPTION OF LAKE CITY HOT SPRINGS, NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA. GSA Bulletin 1955;; 66 (9): 1109–1130. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(195...[1109:VMEOLC]2.0.CO;2
[3] Benoit, Walter & Goranson, Colin & Wesnousky, Steven & Blackwell, D.. (2004). Overview of the Lake City, California geothermal system. 28. 311-315.
[4] Lisa A. Morgan, W.C. Pat Shanks, III, Kenneth L. Pierce, 2009. "Hydrothermal processes above the Yellowstone magma chamber: Large hydrothermal systems and large hydrothermal explosions", Hydrothermal Processes above the Yellowstone Magma Chamber: Large Hydrothermal Systems and Large Hydrothermal Explosions, Lisa A. Morgan, W.C. Pat Shanks, III, Kenneth L. Pierce

0:00 Unexpected Explosions
1:05 Aftermath
1:44 Modern Appearance
2:15 Hydrothermal Explosions
3:59 Scientific Model