Pavlof Volcano

volcano, Alaska, United States

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Pavlof Volcano, volcanic peak of the Aleutian Range, southwestern Alaska, U.S. Situated about 580 miles (930 km) southwest of Anchorage, on the west side of Pavlof Bay, it lies near the southwestern tip of the Alaska Peninsula. Rising to more than 8,260 feet (2,518 metres), Pavlof is one of the tallest volcanoes in Alaska. It is also one of the most consistently active, having had about 40 eruptions recorded since 1790. Just northeast of Pavlof Volcano stands its “twin,” a volcano known as Pavlof Sister (7,028 feet [2,142 metres]). Pavlof Sister is also active, but no eruptions have been reported there since 1762. Built high on a base of older volcanic rock, the two symmetrical, cone-shaped peaks are a prominent feature of the landscape.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.