The Farm Home

By Mrs. A.J. Wilder, Rocky Ridge Farm

On the southern coast of Alaska is the greatest, natural wonder of the world, only recently discovered and not yet fully explored: a region where icebergs float in hot water, while hot streams flow out from underneath banks of snow; where large glaciers of solid ice lie next to steaming fissures and the camper may have cold storage in a cave of ice at the back of his tent and cook his food over a steaming hot hole in the ground at the front of it: where a careless step may plunge one thru the earth’s crust into molten masses beneath and where the sold rock pouts steam.

The Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes was formed by a volcanic eruption of Katmal mountain in 1912. The whole top of the mountain was blown off in this explosion and the dust and ashes and gases thrown into the upper atmosphere, by the terrific forces loosed affected the weather conditions of the whole world.

The Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes acts as a safety valve for the whole volcanic region surrounding Mt. Katmal. The valley was discovered and named by an exploring party in charge of Professor Griggs, sent out by the National Geographic Society in 1916. The next year it was partly explored and it is hoped to complete this great scientific research work during the present year.

One thousand seven hundred square miles of this Alaska wonderland has just recently been set aside, by President Wilson, as the Katmal National Monument, to be a national park for all the people for all time.

When transportation to this region has been made easier it will be the great natural wonder playground of America, in time taking the place of the Yellowstone, where the geyser fields are dying, while that of the Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes is only in process of development.

To quote from President Wilson’s proclamation—“The results of this eruption are still fresh offering excellent opportunities for studying the causes of the catastrophe and its results and affording a conspicuous object lesson to visitors interested in the operation of the great forces which have made and are still making America.”

Here the workings of nature in making land habitable for man may be studied at first hand to better advantage than anywhere else on the earth. Nothing like it has ever before been seen by human beings. Only the geologist finds records of such in the rocks of prehistoric ages when the world was new and in process of formation.

From the summit of Katmal Pass the Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes lies below the observer and all the volcanoes of the world set down close together side by side would be less of a spectacle than is spread before him. One of its discoverers says they named the valley too hastily; that there are at least a million smokes.

The valley is so hot that all water is instantly evaporated and for this reason there are no hot springs or geysers. Instead, hot smoke and steam and gases rise from the millions of vents in clouds and columns. The smoke from one vent registered 434 degrees of heat and milted zinc easily. The gases are smelled 20 miles from th4 valley.

It is not known whether the vents are chimneys thru  which escape the gases, steam and vapors from a vast molten mass which has risen from the depths of the earth and nearly burst thru the crust in a body, or whether they are caused from the evaporation of surface water by the heated products of the volcanic eruption. A watch is being kept to learn which is true.

Across the head of the valley stands Mt. Magirk, its three peaks smoking away continuously into the clods above. There are three glaciers on its sides reaching down to the level of the valley where they stop abruptly as tho their lower edges were melted away by the heat.

Near the foot of these glaciers is a fissure from 200 to 400 feet wide with one of its perpendicular walls 35 feet higher than the other. The depth of the fissure cannot be learned for it is filled with a beautiful lake the water of which is a clear green. Along its sides are many snowdrifts which feed the lake but although filled by the water from melting snow, the water of the lake is warm.

Another wonder of the valley is called Falling Mountain. From the sides of this mountain hundreds of tons of rock shoot off daily. During the three years that it has been under observation there has not been more than 5 minutes at a time during which its slopes were quiet. Steam is continually rising form this mountain and even spouts out of the solid rocks after they have been dropped into the valley below. The cause of these falling rocks is not known but it is hoped that it will be discovered by the expedition of this year.

Novarupta is a small volcano opposite Falling Mountain. The force of the volcano seems not to have been sufficient to have cleared the crater and the lava has cooled in the throat of it in the form of a plug 12 feet in diameter and rising 250 feet above the floor of the crater. There is molten lava beneath.

The floor of the valley is a maze of vents thru which it is difficult for the explorers to pick their way. The smoke comes roaring out of these vents around them as they work and rises in columns 2 miles high when the winds are still

Gases incrust the mud of the valley with deposits in all colors of the rainbow. Prevailing hues are caused by the gray and green and yellow alums which are in crystal formation like mosses growing on the ground. Large spots of ground are burned to a bright read and all shades of the color, causes by varying intensity of heat, which are very beautiful. These vary from orange and brick red to bright cherry reds, purples and down to black with here and there streaks of blue. Around some of the large vents the ground is a dull pink with spots of brilliant orange and yellow. In some places the deposits are of a white chalky nature. These white vents are lightly tinted with yellow and pink, a very delicate coloring. In other spots the blue mud is covered by a rich chestnut brown crust. Crystals of pure sulfur can be gathered by the bushel.

So far, no one ever has entered this valley and viewed its wonders except the members of the exploring parties sent out by the National Geographic Society but as it is more accessible than was Yellowstone Park at the time it was reserved as a national park, the time will soon come when the Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes will be on the tourist routes and for generations travelers will be astounded by its wonders.

Mrs. A.J. Wilder. "The Farm Home." Missouri Ruralist (June 20, 1919): 19.

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