We had a 5.7 earthquake a few days ago. No big deal, as the epicenter was south of us, so it just jolted us good. Now we’re being told that Mt. Redoubtis about to blow, but of course nobody knows what the intensity will be. This is much more serious than when Mt. Augustine blew a couple of years ago, as Redoubt is only about 100 miles southwest of here. When it blew in the 80s, it blanketed Anchorage with a nasty coat of ash. As most people know, volcanic ash is not water soluble, so it never really goes away, and it creates a major cleanup hassle. It’s also very abrasive to things like car finishes.
So today I’ll be trying to pick up some duct tape for the windows and doors, extra engine filters for the car, and dust masks/respirators, just in case the prevailing winds bring the fallout our way again.
It could be worse, I suppose. Mt. Spurr is right across Cook Inlet from us and could cause serious problems if it blows.
Somebody forgot to sacrifice the virgin? Oh. Wait. I forgot that you’re in Alaska.
That’s a beautiful mountain. From the photo it doesn’t look like it’s in a populated area. Is it? Are people being evacuated?
So what’s Gov. Palin gonna say when it blows? Something like, “That volcano there, also it’s a mountain, well, God decided to send us a message. See that ash cloud there? That’s the message, also. The message is a warning to terrorists who want to destroy our country. We’ll smite you with our ash, also.”
Nothing down there but bears and other critters. Ash fallout is the worst problem, and in the case of a major eruption, towns like Kodiak, Seward, etc. could really get buried, as they are very close to Redoubt.
If you think that one is pretty, take a look at Mt. Shishaldin in the Aleutian Islands, or the Aniakchak caldera. You can actually fly into Aniakchak and raft out of the caldera through an old fissure in the mountain wall. The caldera was a wildlife paradise prior to the 1931 eruption, and was extensively photographed by Bernard Hubbard, S.J. both before and after.
I remember Redoubt almost getting that KLM. A guy I later worked with at ARCO Alaska was flying back from Redoubt after fishing one of its rivers that weekend and thought there was a storm building behind him because things started getting dark way too early.
It is a pretty mountain and along with Augustine one of the scenic highlights on the drive down to Homer.
That is one gorgeous drive on a clear day. The volcano chain looks like it’s a mile away, tops. We’ll all be fine, regardless of what happens. The worst will be a major cleanup nuisance, as no matter what you do, it’s impossible to keep the ash out of your house, and it’s very corrosive. Got the duct tape and respirators today, but they were out of engine filters.
