{{short description|Active volcanic mountain in America, United States}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Mount Wrangell | image = Mount Wrangell.jpg | image_caption = Mount Wrangell seen from the west | elevation_system = NAVD88 | elevation_ft = 14,163 | elevation_ref = <ref name=PB>{{cite peakbagger|pid=434|title=Mount Wrangell, Alaska|accessdate=2016-01-06}}</ref> | prominence_ft = 5613 | prominence_ref = <ref name=PB/> | isolation = 14.79 mi (23.8 km) | isolation_ref = <ref name=PB/> | range = Wrangell Mountains | range_coordinates = | parent_peak = | listing = {{unbulleted list |North America highest peak 50th |US highest major peaks 36th |US most prominent peaks 84th |Alaska highest major peaks 13th }} | location = Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska, U.S. | map = USA Alaska | map_caption = Location in Alaska | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | mapframe-caption = Interactive map of Mount Wrangell | coordinates = {{coord|62.00572|N|144.01935|W|type:mountain_region:US-AK_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref= <ref name=PB/> | topo = USGS Gulkana A-1 | type = Shield volcano | age = Pleistocene | volcanic_field = Wrangell Volcanic Field | last_eruption = March–April 1930<ref name=AVO1>[https://avo.alaska.edu/eruption/wrangell-1930-3 Alaska Volcano Observatory Eruption Details: Mount Wrangell 1930/3], Retrieved May 25, 2026</ref> | first_ascent = | easiest_route = }} '''Mount Wrangell''', (Ahtna: ''K’ełt’aeni'', or ''K’ełedi'' when erupting)<ref name=ahtna>{{cite web|last1=Smelcer|first1=John|title=Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains in Ahtna Country|url=http://www.johnsmelcer.com/resources/Ahtna_Google_Earth_Maps.pdf|access-date=14 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819022424/http://johnsmelcer.com/resources/Ahtna_Google_Earth_Maps.pdf|archive-date=19 August 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a massive shield volcano located in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in southeastern Alaska, United States. The shield rises over {{convert|12000|ft|m|sigfig=2}} above the Copper River to its southwest. Its volume is over {{convert|220|cumi|km3|sigfig=2}}, making it more than twice as massive as Mount Shasta in California, the largest stratovolcano by volume in the Cascades. It is part of the Wrangell Mountains as well as the Wrangell Volcanic Field, which extends for more than {{convert|250|km|mi|-1|sp=us}} across Southcentral Alaska into the Yukon Territory in Canada, and has an eruptive history spanning the time from Pleistocene to Holocene.

==Description== Modern Mount Wrangell, built upon the remnants of a mid-Pleistocene volcano, has an eruptive history spanning from 750,000 years ago to minor phreatic eruptions in 1884.<!-- This ref needs page number.--><ref>Volcanoes of North America, Wood and Kienle</ref> The shield volcano features an ice-filled caldera {{convert|2.5|by|3.7|mi|km|0}} in diameter at the top of Wrangell's broad summit. The caldera was apparently formed by subsidence rather than large explosive eruptions. The caldera is in turn rimmed by three small craters, which often display fumarolic activity with steam plumes that can sometimes be seen from a distance. The main summit is on the north side of the caldera, while the west summit rises to {{convert|14013|ft|m|0}}. The summit region above {{convert|13000|ft|m|-2}} in elevation is over {{convert|2|by|5|mi|km|0}} in size. A very large cinder cone, {{convert|13009|ft|m|0|adj=on}} '''Mount Zanetti''', rises nearly {{convert|1000|ft|m|sigfig=2}} above the northwest flank of Wrangell and is the source of some lava flows.<ref name=richter1>Richter ''et al'', pp. 11&ndash;13</ref>

Mount Wrangell is almost entirely covered by an icefield that persists from year to year. The largest glacier on Wrangell is Nabesna Glacier, the source of the Nabesna River.<ref name=richter1/> Other glaciers on Mount Wrangell include Cheshnina Glacier, Chetaslina Glacier, Chichokna Glacier, Dadina Glacier<ref name=wrangelltopo1>{{cite web|title=Topographic map of Mount Wrangell|url=http://www.avo.alaska.edu/images/dbimages/1121192360__17.jpg|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|access-date=19 February 2013}}</ref> and Copper Glacier.

Wrangell was the first high volcano in the Wrangell range to be climbed. Its summit can be visited by ski-equipped airplane.<ref name=richter1/>

==Naming== Mount Wrangell [rang-guhl] was named after Russian Admiral Ferdinand von Wrangel (or Wrangell), governor of Russian America from 1830 to 1836. The Ahtna people call it K'elt'aeni, "the one who controls the weather," with the alternate name Uk'eledi, "the one with smoke on it" when it is active. On some pre-1900 maps Wrangell was labeled as Mount Tillman.<ref name=richter1/>{{Why|reason=Is there a known reason for this?|date=October 2023}}

==Volcanic activity== Wrangell is the only volcano in the Wrangell Volcanic Field to have had historically recorded eruptions, generally in the form of small steam and ash explosions. Reports of activity have been recorded in 1784 and 1884&ndash;85. The 1784 eruption and another stated to have occurred in 1760 are disputed.<ref name=avo1760>{{cite web|title=Wrangell reported activity: 1760 reported observed|url=http://www.avo.alaska.edu/volcanoes/activity.php?volcname=Wrangell&eruptionid=395&page=basic|work=Alaska Volcano Observatory|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|access-date=19 February 2013}}</ref> The 1884-85 eruption was reported by local prospector Jon Bremner.<ref name=avo1884>{{cite web|title=Wrangell reported activity: 1884 reported observed|url=http://www.avo.alaska.edu/volcanoes/activity.php?volcname=Wrangell&eruptionid=398&page=basic|work=Alaska Volcano Observatory|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|access-date=19 February 2013}}</ref> An 1890 report mentioned a visible glow.<ref name=avo1900>{{cite web|title=Wrangell reported activity: 1900 reported observed|url=http://www.avo.alaska.edu/volcanoes/activity.php?volcname=Wrangell&eruptionid=399&page=basic|work=Alaska Volcano Observatory|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|access-date=19 February 2013}}</ref> Wrangell's most recent eruption is suggested to have occurred in March and April of 1930. It was initially attributed to Mount Blackburn.<ref name=AVO1/>

The amount of geothermal heat being emitted by Wrangell increased from the 1950s to the 1980s, raising the possibility of a future eruption. The heat flux was high enough to melt ice around the craters and create ice caves and small lakes in the north crater, with about 100 million cubic meters of ice melted by 1986. Since then heat output has decreased and ice has reaccumulated.<ref name=richter1/>

Wrangell also occasionally emits ash, which can be seen coating the summit snow. The bulk of the mountain was built by large lava flows from 600,000 to 200,000 years ago. The summit caldera is believed to have collapsed within the last 200,000 years, and may have collapsed 50,000 years ago. Mount Zanetti is about 25,000 years old.<ref name=richter1/>

==Gallery== <gallery> File:WrangellZanettiWillowLake.jpg|Mount Wrangell and Mount Zanetti from Willow Lake at 1600 ft (500m). Although Mount Wrangell rises over 12,000 ft (3700 m) above this viewpoint, its great height is masked by the extreme width of its shield-like form. File:Mount Wrangell as seen from Chitina Airport.jpg|Mount Wrangell as seen from Chitina Airport File:Mount Wrangell topo.jpg|Topographic map of Mount Wrangell showing the summit caldera File:Mount Wrangell 1902.jpg|alt=Black and white photograph of Mount Wrangell showing a plume rising above the mountain peak and dark material coating the slopes.|A plume and ash-covered snow at Mount Wrangell were photographed by United States Geological Survey scientist W.C. Mendenhall in 1902.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wrangell |url=https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=315020 |access-date=2024-07-22 |publisher=National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution |website=Global Volcanism Program |language=en}}</ref> </gallery>

==See also== {{Portal|North America|United States|Alaska|Mountains|Volcanoes}} *List of mountain peaks of North America **List of mountain peaks of the United States ***List of mountain peaks of Alaska *List of Ultras of the United States *List of volcanoes in the United States {{Clear}}

==References== {{Reflist}} <!-- 2018-01-13: not clear as to how this was used as a reference 10. {{cite web|title=Top 10 tallest active volcanoes In The World|url=http://www.factsvita.com/top-10-tallest-active-volcanoes-world|accessdate=29 August 2014}} -->

==Bibliography== * {{cite book | author1-last = Richter | author1-first = Donald H. |author2-last=Rosenkrans | author2-first = Danny S. |author3-last=Steigerwald | author3-first = Margaret J. | title = Guide to the Volcanoes of the Western Wrangell Mountains, Alaska | publisher = USGS Bulletin 2072 | year = 1995 | url = https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b2072 | access-date = 2018-01-13 }} * {{cite book | last = Winkler | first = Gary R. | title = A Geologic Guide to Wrangell—Saint Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska: A Tectonic Collage of Northbound Terranes | publisher = USGS Professional Paper 1616 | year = 2000 | isbn = 0-607-92676-7 | url = https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1616/ }} * {{cite book | last = Richter | first = Donald H. |author2=Cindi C. Preller |author3=Keith A. Labay |author4=Nora B. Shew | title = Geologic Map of the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska | publisher = USGS Scientific Investigations Map 2877 | year = 2006 | url = https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2006/2877/ }} * {{cite book | editor1 = Wood, Charles A. | editor2 = Jürgen Kienle | title = Volcanoes of North America | publisher = Cambridge University Press | year = 1990 | isbn = 0-521-43811-X }} {{Clear}}

==External links== {{Sister project links}}

{{NA highest}} {{Alaska highest}} {{Alaska}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wrangell, Mount}} Category:Wrangell Mountains Category:Landforms of Copper River Census Area, Alaska Category:Shield volcanoes of the United States Category:Active volcanoes Category:Pleistocene shield volcanoes Category:Volcanoes of Alaska Category:Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve Category:Four-thousanders of the United States Category:Mountains of Unorganized Borough, Alaska Category:Volcanoes of Unorganized Borough, Alaska Category:Cinder cones of the United States Category:Polygenetic shield volcanoes Category:Pleistocene Alaska Category:Quaternary Alaska