| Mount Edgecumbe | |
|---|---|
Mount Edgecumbe in December 2004. |
|
| Elevation | 3,201 ft (976 m) |
| Prominence | 3,201 ft (976 m) |
| Location | |
| Location | Kruzof Island, Sitka City and Borough, Alaska, USA |
| Topo map | USGS Sitka A-6 |
| Geology | |
| Type | Dacite stratovolcano |
| Age of rock | < 600,000 yr |
| Last eruption | 2220 BC ±100 years |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1803 by Urey Lisianski |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Mount Edgecumbe is the current name of 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.
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]
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 while passing through 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 if there is bad weather. The top is barren and often windy.
The trail and original cabin were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
On April 1, 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.[5]
