Lava Meets Ice and Snow During the 2013 Veniaminof Eruption

A small lava flow and ash plume from the cinder cone within the Veniaminof caldera, seen on August 18, 2013. Image: Game McGimsey, AVO/USGS. Thanks to its remote location and Alaskan weather, we haven't been able to see a lot of what has been going on in the Veniaminof caldera eruption over the past few months. Sure, we're had some satellite views that show that ash is getting deposited on the snows of the area and a lava flow has been issuing from the cinder cone within the caldera, but precious few direct observations have been made. However, over the last month, we've been able to see what is occurring within the caldera. Just last week, Game McGimsey (AVO) and Ben Edwards (Dickinson College) took a spin in a helicopter into the caldera to see what has occurred (see above) -- and it has been a busy summer within the ...