🌋VolcanoAtlas

Frosty

Stratovolcano(es) in United States

Key Facts

Elevation

1,728 m (5,669 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano(es)

Location

55.067°, -162.835°

Region

Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

Frosty Peak, the youngest of two large volcanic structures of the Cold Bay Volcanic Center, is the westernmost Holocene volcano on the Alaska Peninsula, SW of the village of Cold Bay. This symmetrical late-Pleistocene to Recent stratovolcano is constructed within one of two coalescing craters. The western wall of the ice-filled northern crater is breached by a large valley glacier.

The symmetrical summit cone rises about 600 m above the floor of the southern crater. The oldest products of the roughly 100 km3 Cold Bay complex form the late-Pliocene to early Pleistocene Morzhovoi Volcanics at the southern end. Morzhovoi is an extensively eroded basaltic-to-andesitic stratovolcano with long U-shaped valleys extending from a central caldera.

Only remnants of the volcano remain, with isolated peaks, such as North and South Walrus Peaks, that are fragments of the original caldera rim.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

    Risk Level

    Population at RiskModerate
    Infrastructure RiskModerate
    Aviation RiskSignificant

    Geological Composition & Structure

    Rock Types

    Primary
    Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
    Silica Content
    Intermediate (57-63% SiO₂)

    Tectonic Setting

    Subduction zone
    Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

    Age & Formation

    Epoch
    Holocene
    Evidence
    Evidence Credible

    Eruption Statistics & Analysis

    MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
    Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
    Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
    Recent ActivityUnknownHistoricalHistorically active

    Monitoring & Alert Status

    Monitoring Networks

    Global Volcanism Program
    International eruption database

    Current Status

    Normal
    No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

    Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions

    Regional Volcanic Activity
    The North America Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

    Quick Info

    • Smithsonian ID: 312010
    • Evidence: Evidence Credible
    • Epoch: Holocene

    About the Photo

    Frosty is the youngest of two large volcanic structures of the Cold Bay volcanic complex, about 15 km SW of Cold Bay at the tip of the Alaska Peninsula. Frosty Peak was constructed within the southernmost of two coalescing craters during the late-Pleistocene to Holocene, and forms the high point of the complex.

    Photo by Christina Neal, 1997 (Alaska Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey).

    Basic Information

    This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.