THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



167 



THE KATMAI CRATER (UPPER) COMPARED TO KIEAUEA CRATER (LOWER) 



Until the National Geographic Society explorations, Kilauea of Hawaii had been con- 

 sidered the greatest active crater on earth, but it is now proven to be far exceeded in size by 

 the world's youngest of volcanic vents, the Katmai crater, which is not yet six years old (see 

 page 168). 



Knowing that the size of the volcano 

 was beyond my powers of comprehen- 

 sion, and having no means of ascertain- 

 ing the dimensions, I did not dare in 1916 

 to report my real judgment of its depth, 

 for fear that in the excitement of the 

 moment I should have made some wild 

 exaggeration that would put me in an 

 embarrassing position when the actual 

 dimensions were obtained. The facts 

 prove that even our largest estimate of 

 depth was far short of the truth ! 



I dared not then make any comparisons 

 with the other great craters of the world ; 

 but now, with the data of Maynard's ac- 

 curate survey at hand, such a comparison 

 furnishes the best means of conveying an 

 impression of the magnitude of Katmai 

 itself. 



DIMENSIONS OE THE CRATER 



The survey shows that the width of 

 the crater rim, as seen from below, which 

 includes all of the concavity on top of the 

 mountain, is 3 miles. The circumfer- 

 ence, measured along the highest point of 

 the rim, is 8.4 miles. The area is 4.6 

 square miles. The precipitous abyss, 

 which does not extend to the rim on the 

 southwest side, is somewhat shorter, 

 measuring 2.6 miles in length, 7.6 miles 

 in circumference, and 4.2 square miles in 

 area. The milky blue lake in the bottom 

 is 1.4 miles long and nine-tenths of a mile 

 wide, with an area of 1.1 square miles. 

 The little crescent-shaped island in the 

 lake measures 400 feet from point to 

 point. The precipice from the lake to the 

 highest point of the rim is 3,700 feet. 



