From Miller and others (1998): "Pavlof Volcano is a largely snow-covered, cone-shaped mountain with a high ridge extending to the southwest towards the rim of Emmons Lake Caldera. The
volcano is approximately 7 km in diameter and has active vents on the north and east sides close to the summit (McNutt and others, 1991). It is situated high on the northeastern flank of Emmons Lake Caldera along a northeast-trending alignment of vents that includes Pavlof Sister, and several intracaldera cones (Kennedy and Waldron, 1955). The
stratovolcano is relatively undissected and is mostly
Holocene in age. Pavlof lies within the Shumagin seismic gap (Davies and others, 1981)." The name Pavlof comes from Russian, translating to "Paul" or "Saint Paul". This volcano name was first published as "Pavlovskoi Volcan" by Captain Lutke in 1836.