:''For other mountains named Edgecumbe, see
Mount Edgecumbe.''
'Mount Edgecumbe' is the current name of a long-dormant
volcano located on
Kruzof Island,
Alaska,
USA, of which it is the highest point. It had for centuries been known to the native
Tlingit people as ''L'UX'', and was given the name 'Mount San Jacinto' ("Mount
Saint Hyacinth") by
Spanish explorer
Juan de la Bodega in
1775. It was subsequently renamed by
British Captain James Cook in
1778, probably for George, Earl of
Edgecumbe. Mt. Edgecumbe is a local landmark and a
tourist attraction.
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Ascent
Mount Edgecumbe can be easily ascended in a day hike. Although finding marine transportation from the nearby town of
Sitka to Kruzof Island is often the biggest obstacle, once hikers reach the island and the Mt. Edgecumbe's trailhead of Fred's Creek, the trip to the base of volcano is relatively flat passing over relatively open expanses of
muskeg. There is a three-sided shelter at about mile 3.5, halfway to the mountain and a small campsite right before the final ascent. At about mile six, the climb begins. Soon tree line is achieved and a series of posts guide hikers through the
scree. The top is quite barren and winds can be suddenly awoken so it is advisable to bring shelled clothing.
The trail and original cabin were constructed by the
Civilian Conservation Corps.
Eruptions
★
7220 BC
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3810 BC
★
2202 BC ±100 years
False eruption
On April 1st
1974, a local prankster named
Porky Bickar flew in and ignited 100 old tires in the crater, convincing nearby residents of
Sitka, Alaska that the volcano was erupting.
[1]
References
1. April 1, 1974
External links
★
Global Volcanism Program: Mount Edgecumbe
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Topographic map of Mount Edgecumbe (1:250,000 scale) from USGS Sitka and
Port Alexander
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Alaska Volcano Observatory
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