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 Mutnovsky Volcano (full view from camp site) |
Day 21 (August 10): Kuril Lake – Ksudach caldera -Khodutka River -Mutnovsky Volcano plateau (by helicopter)
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It was an action-packed day. I packed after breakfast, got everything ready and sat on the deck watching a French film crew making a 3-D movie with the aid of a huge balloon. (I must have been too blissful and forgot my suitcase which was sitting right at the entrance). The helicopter took off without fanfare at 10:30am.
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Our first stop was at the huge Ksudach caldera where we had a fantastic view of the Kluchevskoye and Shtubel crater lakes. (We were supposed to visit this site on the way to the Kuril Lake if weather permitted)
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Then the helicopter flew us to the bottom of Khodutka Volcano for a bath in a thermal hot water of the Khodutka River. Water bubbles out on a section of tundra located just under volcano and forms a small stream. I got into the water which was damned hot. I almost jumped out immediately had I not landed soon enough on a cool spot with cold / icy water flowing through. It became a wonderful experience!
We boarded the helicopter an hour later and arrived at the Osvystannye campsite on the Mutnovsky Volcano plateau. Our tents had already been set up. In order to save time,the helicopter would give us a lift to a point close to the entrance of the gorge leading to the Volcano. This would save us walking some 5km.
 Starting point of the trek |
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The ancient Mutnovsky Volcano (2323m) located 70km south of PKC erupted 15 times in the last 150 years. We first traversed a 300-m long steep hillside, on a mix of blocky lava and banks of air fall ash. I hate walking on muddy, unstable and slippery ground without walking poles. Phil came to my rescue and I appreciated his firm hands that guided me through the steep and slippery trail.
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We followed a single trail along the gorge with banks of hard snow and ice for one kilometre before ascending a steep slippery muddy path with ice, snow, lava and gravels. On reaching the top, I found myself between the ice and the caldera wall passes beside various geothermal vents; these include fumaroles, mud pools and solfataras. Steam plume is rising out of the active volcano with a crater (or rather a nest of merged craters) of 1.5-2km in diameter and 300-600m in depth. The caldera floor is at an altitude of 1540m and its drainage flows in snow caves on the rock surface.
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I have been to Japan, Iceland and Chile and have seen geo-thermal activities. But I have never seen the activities as intense and constant as at the Mutnovsky Volcano. It is awesome to see such otherworldly landscape with steam vents hiss from cliff faces, bright coloured and over 20,000 years old pale rhyolite lavas and pyroclastics, countless bore holes with spouting steam. Sulfur deposits accumulate around fumaroles vents and a glacier looms overhead. The toxic gas is however dangerous: one can be killed if inhaling the gas for a few minutes! I could not breathe and had to run away as fast as I could for my life.
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As it was a grey and misty day, I found the towering rims on north and south sides of the volcano, the vapour, steam and mist, smell of all sorts of gas, hissing sounds and fast running streams forming a surreal, mysterious and captivating scene and atmosphere.
There were dozens of tourists at this amazing site. We stayed there for an hour before taking the same trail back. We made a side trip to see a spectacular waterfall before walking back to the campsite. As my legs were tired and the trail to the waterfall is steep, I did not go to the viewing platform though it may be only 250m away.
 Mihkail, the waterfall & Mutnovsky behind clouds (back) |
 Sunset : Dining tent and Mutnosky behind clouds |
I must have walked about 12km the whole day. My legs were tired and my knees hurting. I was hot and bathed in a nearby stream. The icy water was most refreshing. I had an excellent dinner with meat balls and new potatoes. An excellent day!