author
Dwight R. (Dwight Raymond) Crandell
1923–2009
Best known for helping foresee the danger at Mount St. Helens, this American volcanologist wrote with the clarity of a field scientist and the urgency of someone who knew landscapes could change lives. His books and reports opened up the geologic stories of the Pacific Northwest for both specialists and general readers.
1 Audiobook
The Geologic Story of Mount Rainier A look at the geologic past of one of America's most scenic volcanoes
by Dwight R. (Dwight Raymond) Crandell
About the author
Dwight Raymond "Rocky" Crandell was an American volcanologist, born in Galesburg, Illinois, on January 25, 1923, and remembered especially for his work on volcano hazards in the Pacific Northwest. After serving in World War II as an Army lieutenant, he returned to academic life and later earned a doctorate from Yale.
Crandell spent much of his career with the U.S. Geological Survey, where his research focused on volcanic history, landslides, mudflows, and the long-term risks surrounding mountains such as Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, and Mount Shasta. Working with Donal R. Mullineaux, he became widely known for correctly warning that Mount St. Helens was likely to erupt before the end of the twentieth century.
As an author, he produced influential government reports and accessible geologic books, including The Geologic Story of Mount Rainier. He died on April 6, 2009, at age 86, but his writing and hazard research still stand as part of the foundation for how scientists and the public think about volcanic risk.