Kambalny, Stratovolcano in Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

Kambalny is a stratovolcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula with a prominent summit crater and several cinder cones dotting its slopes. The mountain's structure shows layered volcanic rock from repeated eruptions, creating a steep cone that rises dramatically from the surrounding terrain.

Kambalny formed about 8,000–7,500 years ago. Three large collapses of the edifice occurred around 6300 BP; the longest landslide travelled 20 km, and the collapse scar remains visible on the ridge. After activity in 1769, the volcano was quiet until a phreatic eruption began on 24 March 2017, sending ash for six days and disrupting air travel over the Pacific.

The name comes from Cossack pioneers, who called the volcano after the Kambalnaya River; the river was named for the abundance of flounder (kambala) near its mouth. The volcano lies in the South Kamchatka federal zakaznik, east of Koshelev volcano, with Lake Kambalnoye about 10 km to the south.

Reaching this remote volcano requires expedition-style travel with experienced guides, as the area is difficult to access and highly weather-dependent. Visitors should prepare for harsh conditions and follow local safety guidelines carefully.

The 2017 eruption was phreatic: ash rose from a funnel on the western crater flank and formed mud streams, and the plume drifted 255 km southwest, disrupting Pacific air travel. The volcano has no seismic station of its own and is watched by the Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team, which noted three days of increased seismicity beforehand.