FAQs about the Natural History of the Inside Passage

Mt. Edgecumbe Photo by Duncan Marriott

5. What is the most active volcano in Alaska? In Southeast Alaska?

There are 41 historically active volcanoes in Alaska. Written historical records began about 1760 when Russian sailors and fur traders first explored the Alaskan coast. The most active is Augustine, a 4,134-foot high conical-shaped island located in southern Cook Inlet, about 180 miles southwest of Anchorage. Augustine had significant eruptions in 1812, 1883, 1908, 1935, 1963-64, 1976, and 1986. As of March 31, 2006, low-level eruptive activity continues at Augustine Volcano.

Although there are several cinder cones and visible lava flows in Southeast Alaska, the only volcano is Mount Edgecumbe, a 3,202-foot crater on Kruzoff Island near Sitka. There are no historical records of volcanic activity for Edgecumbe and it is considered to be in a dormant state. Scientists believe that it was active in the Holocene Period (the past 10,000 years).

Additonal Resources:

Alaska Volcano Observatory

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