The summit crater of Erebus volcano with a dense volcanic plume being blown off to the north by strong winds. The highest point at 3794 m (12,448 ft) is right of center and capped by a small cloud. The prominent Side Crater is an old inactive explosion crater. In the right foreground is Ice Tower Ridge with many fumarole ice towers formed when volcanic gas leaking through fracture are frozen by the cold air temperatures and form irregular shaped towers of ice which are often underlain by ice caves.