Mageik

Geography & Climate

Mageik is located in United States, within the Alaska Peninsula Volcanic Arc of the broader North America Volcanic Regions. Situated at 58.20° N, 155.25° W in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a subarctic climate zone. At 2,165 meters above sea level, Mageik rises above the surrounding terrain into montane or subalpine conditions. The elevation creates distinct ecological zones along its flanks, from forested lower slopes to exposed rocky terrain near the summit. The volcanic landform is characterized as a composite, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.

Geological Context

Mageik sits in a subduction zone, where one tectonic plate dives beneath another, creating intense heat and pressure that generates magma. Subduction zones are responsible for many of the world's most explosive volcanoes and deadliest eruptions. For communities in United States near Mageik, this tectonic setting means the volcano is capable of producing powerful explosive eruptions, pyroclastic flows, and lahars that can threaten populated areas within tens of kilometers of the summit. The dominant rock type is andesite / basaltic andesite, a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock that forms from rapidly cooling, low-viscosity lava. Basaltic eruptions tend to be less explosive and produce fluid lava flows that can travel long distances. While less immediately dangerous than explosive eruptions, basaltic lava flows can destroy structures and infrastructure in their path, and volcanic gases released during these eruptions can affect air quality over a wide area.

Eruption History Summary

Mageik has 12 recorded eruptions in the geological database, spanning from 8670 BCE to 1946 CE. The most powerful recorded event was an explosive event producing ash plumes up to several kilometers in 1946 CE, reaching VEI 2 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. This level of eruptive frequency indicates a persistently active volcanic system that warrants ongoing monitoring. The most recent eruption in 1946 CE places this volcano within the modern era of volcanological observation.

Significance

With 12 recorded eruptions, Mageik has a substantial eruptive history that provides valuable data for understanding volcanic behavior and assessing future hazards in the North America Volcanic Regions region.

GVP Reference Summary

Mount Mageik is a broad ice-capped stratovolcano at the head of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes across Katmai Pass from Trident volcano. Four small overlapping peaks form the broad summit, three of which lie along a NE-SW trend south of the northern peak. The central summit consists of a lava dome, while the E, SW, and N volcanoes are capped by fragmental cones with ice-filled craters. The three westernmost summits are glaciated and of primarily Pleistocene age, but the East Mageik summit cone was the source of at least six Holocene eruptive episodes and fed Holocene lava flows that descended toward Katmai Pass and cover the NE-to-SE flanks of the volcano. A 300-m-wide explosion crater between the east and central summits that formed about 2,400-2,500 years ago contains a shallow, acidic lake and many superheated fumarole jets. Three Holocene debris avalanches from S-flank failures descended into the Martin Creek drainages, one perhaps reaching the coast. Reports of observed eruptions during 1927-1946 CE are considered uncertain (Miller et al., 1998; Hildreth and Fierstein, 2000).

— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program