Mount Edgecumbe (Alaska)

For other mountains named Edgecumbe, see Mount Edgecumbe (disambiguation).
Mount Edgecumbe

Mount Edgecumbe in December 2004.
Highest point
Elevation 3,201 ft (976 m)
Prominence 3,201 ft (976 m)
Coordinates 57°03′05″N 135°45′31″W / 57.05139°N 135.75861°W / 57.05139; -135.75861Coordinates: 57°03′05″N 135°45′31″W / 57.05139°N 135.75861°W / 57.05139; -135.75861
Geography
Location Kruzof Island, Sitka City and Borough, Alaska, U.S.
Topo map USGS Sitka A-6
Geology
Age of rock < 600,000 yr
Mountain type Dacite stratovolcano
Last eruption 2220 BCE ± 100 years
Climbing
First ascent 1803 by Urey Lisianski
Easiest route Hike
A view toward Mount Edgecumbe
A snow-capped Mount Edgecumbe, with its companion Crater Ridge, as viewed from nearby Baranof Island.

Mount Edgecumbe is a dormant volcano located at the southern end of Kruzof Island, Alaska, of which it is the highest point. In the Tlingit language it is called L’ux.[1] Mt. Edgecumbe is a local landmark and a tourist attraction.

Naming

Mount Edgecumbe was named by British Captain James Cook in 1778 after a hill overlooking Plymouth Harbor, England, or possibly for George, Earl of Edgcumbe.[2] It had previously been named Montaña de San Jacinto (to La Pérouse "Mount Saint Hyacinth") in 1775 by Spanish explorer Juan de la Bodega to honor the saint whose day it was.[3]

Ascent

Mount Edgecumbe can be ascended by a 6.7 Miles (one way), difficult day hike - Muddy and wet in places, last 3 miles steep climb, bears may be present.[4] The trail and original cabin were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Eruptions

False eruption

On April 1, 1974, a local prankster named Oliver "Porky" Bickar flew in and ignited 100 old tires in the crater, convincing nearby residents of Sitka, Alaska that the volcano was erupting. Round the rim of the volcano someone had spraypainted "April Fool" in 50 ft letters. Bickar had been planning the prank for four years.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Joseph, Charlie; Brady, I.; Makinen, E.; David, R.; Davis, V.; Johnson, A.; Lord, N. (2001). "Sheet’kwaan Aani Aya". Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  2. ↑ Wagner, Henry (1937). The Cartography of the Northwest Coast of America to the Year 1800. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 385.
  3. ↑ Orth, Donald J. (1967). Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Geological Survey, Professional Paper 567. Washington: United States Government Printing Office.
  4. ↑ "Mount Edgecumbe Trail". http://www.sitkatrailworks.org/. Sitka Trail Works Inc. Retrieved 10 February 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  5. ↑ "Mount Edgecumbe". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  6. ↑ Lamont, Tom (1 April 2012). "The 10 best April fools". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2012-04-01.

External links

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