About Fort Selkirk
Fort Selkirk is a volcanic field rising to 1,239 meters (4,065 feet) in Canada's North America Volcanic Regions. No historical eruptions have been recorded, though the volcano is classified based on geological evidence of past activity.
Geography & Climate
Fort Selkirk is located in Canada, within the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province of the broader North America Volcanic Regions. Situated at 62.93° N, 137.38° W in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a subarctic climate zone. With a summit elevation of 1,239 meters above sea level, Fort Selkirk is a moderately sized peak that remains accessible to hikers and researchers for much of the year. The volcanic landform is characterized as a cluster, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.
Geological Context
Fort Selkirk is an intraplate volcano, meaning it formed away from any plate boundary. These volcanoes are often powered by hotspots — plumes of abnormally hot mantle material rising from deep within the Earth. Hotspot volcanoes like Fort Selkirk tend to produce effusive eruptions with lava flows that can be relatively predictable, giving nearby communities in Canada more time to prepare. However, they can also produce explosive phases, particularly when magma interacts with groundwater. The dominant rock type is trachybasalt / tephrite basanite, 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.
GVP Reference Summary
The Fort Selkirk volcanic field near the junction of the Yukon and Pelly rivers in central Yukon is the northernmost Holocene volcanic field in Canada. It consists of a sequence of valley filling alkaline olivine basalt and basanitic lava flows succeeded by construction of three nephelinitic pyroclastic cones and lava flow aprons. The Ne Ch'e Ddhawa pyroclastic cone (Wootten's Cone) is composed primarily of hyaloclastite tuffs, breccias, and pillow breccias erupted subglacially during the late Pleistocene (Jackson, 1989). The youngest cone, Volcano Mountain, produced young nephelinitic lava flows that remain unvegetated and appear to be only a few hundred years old. However, dating of sediments in a lake impounded by the lava flows indicated that the youngest flows could not be younger than mid-Holocene and could be early Holocene or older (Jackson and Stevens, 1992).
— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program
0 Recorded Eruptions
No eruption records available for Fort Selkirk.
Real-Time Data
USGS Alert Level
Thermal Anomalies
Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Selkirk
Is Fort Selkirk an active volcano?+
Fort Selkirk is not currently classified as active. Its activity evidence is listed as "Evidence Uncertain." No recorded eruptions have been documented. However, no volcano is ever considered permanently extinct.
How high is Fort Selkirk?+
Fort Selkirk has a summit elevation of 1,239 meters (4,065 feet) above sea level. At 1,239 meters, it is a moderately sized volcanic peak, roughly comparable to Mount Vesuvius (1,281m).
What type of volcano is Fort Selkirk?+
Fort Selkirk is classified as a Volcanic field. Volcanic fields consist of clusters of small volcanic vents and cinder cones spread across a region. Rather than a single central vent, eruptions can occur at many points across the field.
Where is Fort Selkirk located?+
Fort Selkirk is located in Canada, in the North America Volcanic Regions. More specifically, it lies within the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province. Its exact coordinates are 62.930° latitude, -137.380° longitude.
Is it safe to visit Fort Selkirk?+
Fort Selkirk can generally be visited, but as with any volcano, visitors should check local conditions and any advisory notices before traveling. Canada may have specific regulations for accessing volcanic areas. Guided tours are often the safest and most informative way to experience a volcano.
