ENJOY EDGECUMBE TODAY
Alaska Volcano Observatory , the U . S . Geological Survey , BigTopo 7 , and AllTopo 7
Today , the Tlingít and many other peoples inhabit the land , and in just a 30-minute boat ride across Sitka Sound , you can explore the volcano on Kruzof Island . Sitka Alaska Outfitters offers a guided ATV tour on Kruzof Island , where you ’ ll get the opportunity to view Alaska brown bears in the wild . Tucked among the trees , just back from the rocky beach , is Fred ’ s Creek Cabin , a federal recreation facility that ’ s available to rent yearround . Camping and beachcombing are at your fingertips , and bears are often spotted walking the shoreline . This cabin , on the southeastern shore of Kruzof , is only 50 yards from the trailhead leading up to Mount Edgecumbe .
William Greer
As an ancient reminder of discovery and a recent ground for activity , Mount Edgecumbe is both a symbol of beauty and change . The volcano ’ s base and crater top , as well as the surrounding vegetation of Kruzof Island , are meant for careful exploration and the tender reminder that this land is magisterial and , as the Tlingít regard it , sacred .
EXPLORE THE SUMMIT
Sitka Trail Works explains that hikers can summit the volcano after an elevation gain of 3,200 feet . The nearly 7-mile ( one-way ) hike begins through muskeg , taiga forests , and muddy pathways . Once you pass the timberline , the terrain becomes barren and the trail steep . The rest of the hike is marked by cedar posts that are necessary guides if the fog rolls in and visibility becomes low . When you hike on a clear day , climbers are encouraged to trek any way to the top to help alleviate repetitive foot traffic . The commanding views from the top make the strenuous hike well worth it . The sights of the nearby caldera , vast ocean , and the tentacle-like pattern of the trees descending the mountain will properly ground you – or leave you feeling weightless .
RECENT RUMBLINGS
When you walk the grounds of Mount Edgecumbe , you witness firsthand how powerful land formation is . In fact , there has been recent activity beneath its surface . In April of 2022 , a swarm of earthquakes began under this stratovolcano . Though these disruptions don ’ t necessarily signal an imminent eruption , the Alaska Volcano Observatory did place a seismometer and GPS sensor on Kruzof to monitor and measure deformation beneath the surface . These earthquakes are likely due to movement of magma beneath and may not lead to an eruption , but since the volcano does not have a history of small earthquakes , monitoring is needed to discover the true origins of these recent activities .
VISITSITKA . ORG | 19