part of the Pacific Ocean 's Ring of Fire , the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean . All of the eruptions in the contiguous United States over the last 200 years have been from Cascade volcanoes . The two most recent were Lassen Peak from 1914 to 1921 and a major eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 . Minor eruptions of Mount St. Helens have also occurred since , most recently from 2004 to 2008 . The Cascade Range is a part of the American Cordillera , a nearly continuous chain of mountain ranges ( cordillera ) that form the western " backbone " of North America , Central America , and South America
major eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
Cascade Range