Photogallery -

Gulley City is a significant distance of 3 to 10 foot deep gullies one after another for almost a mile. One hiker wrote, "woes onto those who attempt to return home via gulley city." Can you locate the hikers in this image challenging themselves against the demands of Gulley City?

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai , Mageik Volcano

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Unmaintained trail into the Valley

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

An unmaintained trail works its way across Windy Creek and up into the famed Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. The trail disappears on the other side of the Buttress Range when it is blasted by high winds year round. Those fortunate enough to experience a trip into the Valley are NEVER dissappointed, although stories of cold, wet, and dusty expeditions are common.

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , VTTS , Katmai , trail

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Novarupta Dome

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Novarupta Dome (Volcano) exploded onto the Alaskan landscape in June of 1912. During the course of 60 hours between 3 to 6 cubic miles of material were ejected from this vent which filled the Ukak River valley, boiling water for decades following the eruption. Today, Novarupta retains heat from its magma chamber and releases steam when wet.

Novarupta , Katmai , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

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Mount Griggs at 7,600 ft named for Robert Griggs

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Mount Griggs is named after Robert Griggs "discoverer" of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Through the National Geographic Society and his efforts, Katmai National Monument was established in 1918 to preserve this volcanic wonderland.

griggs , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai

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Baked Mountain Huts in the VTTS

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

The Baked Mountain Huts in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes provide emergency shelter from Williwaws (severe wind storms usually from the east) which blow up ash and pumice with 40 to 100 mph winds. Please make room for other campers to take shelter, cook, store food, and relax in these common huts.

Katmai , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Baked Mountain Huts , VTTS

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The ash is slowly being eroded away.

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

An unknown volume of ash is eroded from the valley each year by the forces of wind and water. Interesting features are left behind occasionally like these "peaks" near Ukak Falls. Close to 100 years after the eruption, winds still remobilze the ash from 1912 and block the view up the valley. These duststorms are large enough to occasionally fool people into thinking another volcanic eruption is underway.

Ukak Falls , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , VTTS , Katmai

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Pyroclaustic flows were blocked by glacier moraine

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Novarupta's pyroclaustic flows came down the valley following the path of least resistance (similar to water) and got redirected by this glacier moraine. The ash was funneled into the moraine breach created by the Ukak river. Eventually the ash flow deposits reached the base of Mt Katolinat almost 13 miles from Novarupta itself.

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai

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Katmai Pass and Mageik Volcano

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Katmai Pass has historically been a easier route through the Alaska Range from the Pacific Ocean out to the Bering Sea. After the great eruption of 1912, this route has become very difficult to hike due to soft ash and shifting river channels.

mageik , volcano , Katmai Pass , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai

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Hikers on the way to Novarupta on Baked Mountain

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

"Baked" Mountain in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is sedimentary Naknek Formation (150 myo) covered by 1912 volcanic ash. Old rock meets new rock. It is a wonderful hike over Baked Mountain on the way to Novarupta Dome.

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Baked Mountain , Katmai

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Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes Sunset

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Sunset in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

sunset , volcano , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Mountain

The Lethe River bumps into the Buttress Range

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Due to the number of steep walled canyons in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, hikers can only easily hike up/down the valley rather than across the valley. Just after this point, the Lethe River moves away from the Buttress Range and opens up at the Six Mile crossing.

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Lethe River , Katmai , VTTS

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View up the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Clear days can be rare some summers in Katmai. Spectacular views of Mt Katmai, Mt Griggs, the Buttress Range, and Mageik Volcano await those lucky enough to be here on clear days. Distances can be tricky as Mt Katmai is at least 13 miles away, and appears to be a "short walk".

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai , Griggs Visitor Center , VTTS

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Rear View of Baked Mountain Huts

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

These old USGS research huts are available for public use in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Whenever possible, visitors are encouraged to sleep in tents outside to make room for everyone to cook, relax, and store food inside the huts. Be sure to close and secure shutters to prevent damage to these rarely maintained structures. Remove all refuse with you.

Baked Mountain Huts , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai

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Fording the dangerous Lethe River

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

The Lethe River is extremely cold and dangerous. When swollen, hikers have been swept off their feet and some never found. Hikers are advised to cross this river at Six-mile where it opens up briefly from its canyon to be wide and relatively shallow before disappearing into its canyon again.

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai , River Crossings

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Mt Katmai

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Mt Katmai sits at the head of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.

Katmai , volcano , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

Colorful ash Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Valley explorers encounter many unexpected joys including beautiful colors of volcanic ash.

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , mageik , Katmai

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Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes Griggs VC

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is frequently overcast. This landscape is other worldly and reveals the tremendous power of the earth's forces. This entire valley was filled with ash over the course of one 60 hour eruption in 1912 of Novarupta.

Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , VTTS , Katmai

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An old "Smoke" now cooled remains colorful

Source: Katmai National Park & Preserve

Steam leached minerals from the volcanic ash and deposited them into the colorful plumbing system as the steam cooled near the surface. Most of the "smokes" are gone without a consistent heat source, but their colorful evidence remains for intrepid adventurers to find in the valley today.

Fumarole , Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , Katmai

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