5128 x 3453 px | 43,4 x 29,2 cm | 17,1 x 11,5 inches | 300dpi
Aufnahmedatum:
2002
Ort:
Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Weitere Informationen:
King Salmon, AK: Erosion has pared cliffs of ash into strange shapes, just one of the many unique views found on the NPS day-tour of The Valley of Ten Thousands Smokes, part of the Katmai National Park and Preserve. This park is so remote that it can be reached only by float plane. On June 6th, 1912, a previously unknown volcanic vent (Novarupta) erupted in the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th Century. The lush, green Ukak river valley was buried beneath hundreds of feet of incandescent ash at temperatures of up to 2000°F! This caused the water underneath the ash to become superheated and work its way up through the ash to the surface. These discharges of steam escaped from thousands of cracks and fissures to become fumaroles, giving the valley its name. Today, the valley floor has cooled significantly since the eruption and the "smokes" have disappeared. However, the "Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes" is the only substantial ignimbrite sheet to have formed during recorded history. Besides its beauty, the size of the eruption, collapse of a mountain, and its continued scientific value make this a unique feature in the world. It was this eruption that inspired Robert Griggs & the National Geographic Society to campaign for the establishment of Katmai National Monument so that future generations could explore this natural wonder. The Katmai National Park and Preserve, 290 miles southwest of Anchorage on the Alaskan peninsula, shows visitors a tiny edge of a wilderness studded with volcanic activity and brown bears. Brooks Camp is one of two public access points, both of which are primarily accessed by float plane.
