Mount Erebus Active Volcano Overlook

Mount Erebus rises 12,448 feet above Ross Island and carries one of the only persistent lava lakes on the planet inside its summit crater. It’s been erupting more or less continuously since at least 1972. Ice fumaroles — spires of volcanic steam frozen into bizarre shapes — ring the upper slopes and make the mountain look genuinely alien. On clear days you can see Erebus from McMurdo Station 25 miles away, with the plume trailing south. This is the dominant geographic feature of the entire Ross Sea region.

Summit access is restricted to permitted scientific teams — no casual overland approach exists on Ross Island’s terrain. New Zealand’s Antarctica New Zealand and the US Antarctic Program both operate research programs on Erebus. The lower flanks have been accessed by ski and snowmobile from McMurdo during approved expeditions. If you’re on the ice for any operational reason, this mountain sets the horizon and demands your attention every single day.

World's southernmost active lava lake.