The 10 Tallest Volcanoes In Antarctica

Antarctica is the southernmost continent that is located around the South Pole of the world. The Southern Ocean surrounds the entire landmass. Antarctica has numerous islands, mountains, glaciers, ice sheets, and even volcanoes. Antarctica’s volcanoes are found on both the mainland and the islands of the continent. Some of the tallest volcanoes in Antarctica are as follows:

1. Mount Sidley

The 14,058 ft tall Mount Sidley is the tallest volcano in Antarctica. It is a dormant volcano that represents the continent in the list of the Volcanic Seven Summits. The snow-covered volcano is part of the Executive Committee Range that is located in the western Antarctic region of the Marie Byrd Land. The volcano features a massive 5 km wide caldera. Richard E. Byrd, an American explorer discovered the volcano while flying over it in 1934. Due to its extremely remote location, the volcano is less widely known. Even mountaineers are more familiar with the shorter Mount Erebus than Mount Sidley. The first recorded ascent to the summit of Mount Sidley happened on January 11, 1990. Bill Atkinson from New Zealand achieved this feat.

2. Mount Erebus

Antarctica’s second highest mountain, Mount Erebus, rises to an elevation of 12,444 ft. The mountain is regarded to be the southernmost active volcano of the planet. The volcano is located on the Ross Island of Antarctica. The mountain has been spewing out lava and ash for nearly 1.3 million years ago. An observatory based on the mountain collects valuable data regarding the volcano. The mountain was discovered in 1841 by Sir James Clark Ross and named after one of his ships. The first successful ascent to the summit of Mount Erebus was made in 1908.

3. Mount Frakes

The 12,057 ft tall Mount Frakes is a shield volcano that is located in the Marie Byrd Land’s Crary Mountains. It is the third tallest volcanic summit in the frozen continent. The mountain has been named after a US Antarctic Program geologist, Lawrence A. Frakes.

4. Toney Mountain

The fourth tallest volcano in Antarctica, the Toney Mountain has an elevation of 11,792 ft. This shield volcano is part of Marie Byrd Land’s Kohler Range. Glacial corries and parasitic vents characterize the slopes of the mountain which remains covered in ice all-year round. The Toney Mountain has been named after George R. Toney who served as the Byrd Station’s scientific leader in 1957.

5. Mount Steere

Mount Steere is the fifth tallest volcano in Antarctica. It has an elevation of 11,482 ft. The shield volcano is also a part of the Crary Mountains range. The mountain has been named after a biologist, William C. Steere, who was stationed at the McMurdo Station on the Ross Island.