About
Alaskan Volcanoes
Alaska
lies along an area called the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Volcanoes circle the Pacific Ocean from the tip of South
America, along the west coast of the U.S., through the Kamchatka
Peninsula, down through Japan, Indonesia, and the islands in the
South Pacific. Most all of Alaska's volcanoes are located along
the 1,500 mile Aleutian Arc that extends westward to
Kamchatka and forms the northern part of the Pacific Ring of
Fire.
The largest eruption
on Earth in the 20th Century occurred in Alaska at
Novarupta Volcano, near Mount Katmai, in June 1912. The eruption
created the Katmai Caldera and the Valley of Ten Thousand
Smokes. We offer a tour to Valley of 10,000 Smokes with our
Brooks Falls Bear Viewing
packages.
Major eruptions
along the Aleutian Arc occur almost every year. Due to their
remoteness, though, the effects of these eruptions are rarely felt by
residents. The most common disruption is the rerouting or
cancellation of air flights in and around the area effected by
the eruption due to the resulting ash clouds in the upper
atmosphere. The most recent eruptions during the spring of 2009
included the magnificent Mt. Redoubt.
Are there tours offered to Mt.
Redoubt?
Yes. We
offer a Ring
of Fire - Volcano Flight Seeing tour from Homer year
round. The tour flies over the Aleutian Range, and, depending on
volcanic activity, may include Augustine Volcano, Douglas Volcano,
Illiamna Volcano and/or Redoubt Volcano. During the summer, we
also offer bear viewing tours
to
Lake Clark National Park and
Redoubt Bay Lodge, both of which
fly over this region (but do not get as close to the volcanoes).
When the
volcano is dormant, the mountain appears the same as other
mountains in Alaska - covered in snow most of the year - with a
crater in the middle. When the volcano is active (as it currently
is), steam can be seen emitting from the top. Even when Mt.
Redoubt is erupting, though, it is unlikely that lava flow will be
seen.
Site updates:
Our website is currently being updated for
the summer of 2010. It is never too soon to plan your
vacation, so contact us today for your customized itinerary.
Brooks Lodge
and
Camp Denali
and other popular options sell out quickly so if you are
interested in these amazing destinations, let us know right away.
We
offer the widest selection of vacation experiences to Alaska found anywhere.
Combined with the
expertise of our professional team we can help you to explore
our beautiful state the way you want. If you do not see exactly what you
want on this web site, we are happy to create a custom package
to fit your interests.
Contact us today at 907 277 3000, email
mytrip@alaskatours.com, or
fill out our custom tour form here.
We look
forward to any opportunity to answer your questions about your
vacation plans to Alaska, and assisting you with your travel
arrangements.
Thank you.
The AlaskaTours.com Team
