Valley of 10,000 Smokes

See change from green foreground to rear layer of ash

The green mountain looking down to the barren valley (note moose antler in foreground)

Trail to the edge of the mountain before the descent

Marie & Eric emerging from the trail and reaching the valley

Murray & Eric sitting beside the wall of ash forming ravine

Solidified ash breaks off & 'calves' like a glacier

Murray with moose antlers found on beach at Brooks Camp

In June 1912, the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century occurred. It was preceded by severe earthquakes that shook the area for a week. Because the volcano was situated in an isolated area of the Alaskan peninsula across from Kodiak Island and in wilderness some 290 miles/ 470 km SW of Anchorage, not one person was killed. The Novarupta volcano erupted for 60 hours, expelling 30 times more larva than the destructive 1980 eruption of Washington state's Mt St Helens. The pyroclastic ash flow spread miles across a valley that has since been named the Valley of 10,000 smokes. Apparently, when the area was first studied 2 years following the eruption, there were thousands of 'fumaroles' or smoking holes dotting the valley, which vented steam from the ash. These continued smoking for 15 years before the heat underground settled, but the earthquakes and subsequent explosion had already changed the landscape there forever. 40 miles/65 km of lush green countryside was buried by volcanic rock & ash to a depth of 700' in some areas. Now the Ukak River and it's tributaries cut steep ravines through the accumulated layers of solidified ash.

While we were staying at Brooks Camp, a 7 hr day tour to the valley was included in our package. Marie & Eric (keen hikers) were keen to do the tour, and so Murray & I thought we would go along for the 23 mile bus ride, but I also packed a book plus my iPhone word scramble game as I figured I would leave the hike (classified as strenuous) to them. However, when we got there, and I saw the hike was only 1.6 miles, I figured I may as well make the most of the day and see what the valley was like down there. It was a glorious day, and after a lunch provided by the lodge, we adjusted our head nets and headed down to the valley. The valley itself showed the vast contrast between the green lush growth and the ash scarred landscape. When we reached the bottom and saw the water rushing by in a gorge carved into a wall of solid ash about 60-70' high, it was mind boggling. The original ground was buried far below what we could see. The effect of the force of nature was so evident here, and it made me realise how insignificant our time on earth is, in the whole scheme of things.