Excellent Location
Central Washington University is ideally situated in an area of diverse geology. The university lies on the margin of Columbia River Basalt plateau, adjacent to the crystalline core of the Stuart Range and the majestic volcanoes of the Cascade Mountains. Seismicity and active volcanism of the Cascadia subduction zone, periodic regional flooding, highly deformed rocks of northern Washington and British Columbia, the largest concentration of glaciers in the lower 48 states, and a water- and natural-resource based economy in central Washington provide ideal opportunities to study a wide variety of geologic problems and the mitigation of geologic hazards.
For more on the local geology, check out our very own Nick Zentner's videos!
Nick on the Rocks Series
Table Mountain and Mount Stuart are prominent features to the north of CWU's campus.
Geology 386 class posing in front of an ice-rafted boulder left over from one of the Missoula Floods.
Students inspect the mineral composition of the Swakane Gneiss on a field trip.