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The Highest Island in Russia
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Nature, Regions, Travel
Atlasov Island, located 70 km south of Kamchatka, is the northernmost island of the Kuril Islands of Sakhalin Oblast. It is the surface portion of the Alaid volcano, whose eruptions led to the formation of the highest island in Russia and the 50th highest in the world.
The island is nearly round, with a diameter in the range of 13-17 km. The volcano is located exactly in the center, and the cone rises to over 2,300 meters. Rain clouds form lower down, so the summit is often hidden by clouds. Atlasov Island on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.
The island was named in honor of the pioneer Vladimir Atlasov, who saw the outline of the Alaid volcano in the Sea of Okhotsk from Kamchatka.
In 1875, according to the Treaty of St. Petersburg, the island, part of the Kuril Islands, was ceded to Japan in exchange for Sakhalin.
After Japan acquired the island, Japanese poets and artists flocked to see it. It was renowned for its cone-shaped form and the regularity of its lines. In 1926, Ito Osamu wrote that Alaid’s form is even more regular than that of the famous Mount Fuji, despite the latter being much taller.
In 1945, following the results of World War II, it came under the jurisdiction of the USSR.
Atlasov Island itself was formed during the Alaid eruption 40,000-50,000 years ago and gradually expanded during subsequent eruptions. The entire island is a classic, perfectly shaped stratovolcano – the kind of volcanoes usually depicted in pictures.
Alaid is one of the most active volcanoes in the Kuril Islands. It has erupted more than 10 times since the beginning of observations.
Atlasov Island is included in most Kuril Island tourist routes. People arrive by boat, view the volcano from a helicopter, and some tours even include climbing the Alaid volcano.
The research vessel Professor Khromov is part of the Far East Meteorological Service. The vessel has participated in numerous research expeditions. In 2023, it was converted to carry passengers.
There are 10 routes through national parks and nature reserves in the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, and Primorye, which are difficult to reach by land. This vessel operates more than 10 cruises annually, carrying over 500 tourists, including a visit to Atlasov Island.
Tags: Sakhalin oblast · Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk city
