Mount Cleveland

Mount Cleveland rises to about 1730 meters above sea level on Chuginadak Island and takes the form of a symmetrical cone built from andesite rock. The sides climb steeply toward the summit in a regular pattern.

A Coast and Geodetic Survey team gave the peak its current name in 1894 in honor of President Grover Cleveland. The mountain has erupted many times since then, including a 1944 event that caused the only known volcanic death in Alaska.

The Aleut people called the island Chuginadak, after their goddess of fire. They believed this deity lived inside the mountain itself.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory tracks activity here using satellite images, as the location is too remote for ground-based instruments and eruptions can affect air routes over the North Pacific. Visits are not possible due to the distance and unpredictable volcanic behavior.

A soldier left his assigned post during the 1944 eruption and died as a result, marking the only documented volcanic death in Alaska. The event took place when military installations were stationed on remote Aleutian islands.

Location: Aleutians West Census Area

Elevation above the sea: 1,730 m

Made from material: andesite

Part of: Aleutian Islands

GPS coordinates: 52.82222,-169.94500

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:26