|
Volcanoes
Central Valley Range System
Poas Volcano
>more
Location: 37 km (23 mi.) north of
Alajuela, Poas National Park.
Altitude: 2704 meters (8,872 feet )
It is one of the few accessible active volcanoes in the Americas.
This volcano has three craters, only one of them active. The live volcano is
a crater, is 1.5 km (9/10 of a mile) wide and 300 meters (984 feet) deep. It
contains at its bottom the largest active boiling lagoon in the world, 350 m
(1,148 feet ) wide and a cone, bubbling constantly with fumarole and
geysers, 40 m (131 feet) above the level of the boiling lagoon. North of the
active crater is the long-extinct von Frantzius composite cone, the oldest
crater in the mountain range system. The dormant volcano is located 800
meters (1/2 a mile) southwest of the active crater. This fellow gave up the
fire and brimstone business some 7,500 years ago, and transformed itself
into a cold water lake 500 meters (1,641 feet) wide. Water from the lake
drifts down the mountainside to become the Sarapiqui River, flowing eastward
to the Caribbean coast.
Back in 1889, the volcano set off a powerful earthquake that knifed away a
part of a hill, forming a forming a land pot that filled with water becoming
Fraijanes Lagoon, a site that Costa Ricans have long treasured as a place to
go for a Sunday outing.
There have been other eruptions. In 1910 a huge ash cloud was blown 8,000
meters (26,248 feet) into the air, pluiform eruptions at the site creating
the largest geyser in the world has ever seen. The 1952-1954 eruptions put
up more ash clouds, the thick with fire rocks and underground noise. Since
1989, gas emissions have increased, creating acid rain that damaging
strawberry and coffee crops west of the volcano.
The best time to visit the Volcano – May to November, the earlier the
better. Your walks will take you to the active crater for a look at the
plumes of sulfuric smoke and water vapor, and along natural trails leading
to the Botos Lagoon.
Barva Volcano
Location: Between Irazu and Poas
Volcanoes, near Braulio Carrillo National Park.
Altitude: 2,906 meters (9,535 feet)
Camping: At the ranger station.
Barva Volcano, called "Cerro Las Tres Marias," is the remains of a calderic
structure that forms the end wall of a the Central Valley. The area is
famous for its panoramic views of surrounding cities and cattle farms, of
Cacho Negro Mountain (located northwest of Barva Volcano, known for its
perfect conical shape), and for its cypress and pines tree forests. The
Barva is believed to be the oldest volcano in Costa Rica, though it has not
been active since 1492. Many of the Barva Volcano's craters have filled with
clear, cold water, among them, Barva Lake 700 meters (2,297 feet) wide with
clear waters, and Danta Lake 500 meter (1,641 feet) wide. The jungle of
trees, moss and vegetation growing all around the area will make you feel
you've drifted into an enchanted land. It is a hiker's volcano, though
you'll need a four wheel drive vehicle to get you near enough to make the
climb to the top of the volcano.
You can also see the resplendent quetzal in this area.
Irazu Volcan
>more
Altitude: 3,432 meters (11,260 feet)
Location: Irazu National Park.
Irazu last erupted during President John F. Kennedy visit to Costa Rica on
March 19, 1963. It wasn't his fault. People living in the capital remember
this eruption as the one that covered the San Jose with a coat of gray ash.
The word Iztaru, meaning thunder or earthquake peak, was borrowed the
Indians who lived on the slopes the volcano. Irazu is made in an irregular
subconic shape, broken into five different craters by centuries of
eruptions. The main crater is 1,050 meters (3,445 feet) wide, it is circular
shape and 300 meters (984 feet) deep; Diego de La Haya, (named after Mr.
Diego de la Haya Fernandez, an Spanish Conquistador who reported volcanic
activity here during the 18th Century),which is 600 meters (1,969 feet) wide
and 100 meters (328 feet) deep; The other craters are Playa Hermosa, La
Laguna and El Piroclastico. Vegetable farms and pasturelands for cattle
abound in the rich, minerals soil around the volcano.
The best time to visit is early in the morning before any clouds can boil
in. On a clear day you can see the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean from this
location.
There is a paved road to the volcano from San Jose. It will take you about
an hour and half to get there. If you're lucky you will see Baird's tapirs,
Sooty-capped bush tanagers, and Nine-banded long-nosed Sooty robin, and for
flora, Amanita, Bromeliad B, Deer's potatoes, and Royal brooms.
Turrialba
Volcano
Location: This the last volcano in
the Central Volcanic mountain range system.
Altitude: 3340 meters (10,959 ft.)
The Spaniards called this volcano "Torre Alba" (Alba Tower) because of its
eruptions gave the impression of a huge white tower.
This large, extinct volcano stands to the northeast of Irazu, rising out of
the same base like a slightly shorter Siamese twin. Its chilly summit holds
three craters, but, since there are no paved roads to the top, it receives
few visitors. Nature lodges located in the area offer horseback excursions
to the top.
|
