Today, Kamchatka researchers have not come to a consensus on the number of volcanoes on this earth. Some believe that there are no more than a hundred of them, others are sure that there are thousands of them. Such a wide spread in estimates is explained by a different approach to the issue: not all volcanoes in Kamchatka are active, many of them do not show their activity today, and therefore they are considered just mountains.
Nevertheless, experts consider such a concept as an "active volcano" to be relative. The thing is that a volcano is considered active if there is evidence that it has ever erupted. And it could have happened a hundred or a thousand years ago.
Koryakskaya Sopka is an active volcano located in Kamchatka, thirty-five kilometers north of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. It is classified as a stratovolcano.
Koryakskaya Sopka: where is the volcano located?
After many years of observation and research, scientists came to the conclusion that this volcano began to form in ancient times, or rather, in the Upper Pleistocene. At first, a lava mountain appeared on the site of the current volcano, two and a half kilometers high, which in the late Pleistocene acquiredmodern cone. It is composed of bas alt-andesitic and andesitic lavas.
Name history
On modern geographical maps, the name Koryakskaya Sopka is found. But the volcano did not always have such a name. In the 17th century, the famous explorer of Kamchatka, S. P. Krasheninnikov, in his research called the volcano Strelochnaya Sopka.
Locals from the surrounding villages found volcanic glass in these places. It was used in everyday life, in particular, for the manufacture of arrowheads. This may explain why this volcano in Kamchatka got its second name.
Much later, in the 19th century, local residents, nomadic with reindeer herds - the Koryaks, created a settlement at the foot of the mountain, which they began to call "Koryaks". Accordingly, the mountain was named Koryakskaya Sopka. It was fixed and preserved to this day.
Koryakskaya Sopka: Description
The volcano is part of the Koryaksko-Avacha system and is located in the Eastern Range. Outwardly, it is a ribbed cone of regular shape. On a clear sunny day, the Koryaksky Sopka looks majestic, the height of which reaches 3456 meters.
What is special about the hill?
Features of this giant are a large circus with a diameter of more than five hundred meters on the eastern and northern slopes, from which two huge glaciers and a cut top descend along the flanks. According to its type, the volcano belongs to stratovolcanoes. Its cone is composed of bas alt and andesite structures, as well as ash and lava.
It should be noted that the mountain has a rather large angle of inclination - up to twenty degrees at the bottom and up to thirty-five degrees at the top. The Kamchatka volcano has slopes, densely indented, furrows widening towards the foot, which were washed away by the flowing water. They are highly visible, even filled with snow and ice.
Crater
The modern crater of the volcano is located in the western part of the summit. Its diameter is two hundred meters. Its edges have been slightly destroyed by past eruptions. Another ancient crater is located on the northern side of the summit, where a circus has been preserved, more than a hundred meters deep and five hundred meters in diameter. Now it is occupied by a glacier.
The entire northern slope of the volcano is covered with snowfields and glaciers. They stretched to the very foot for four kilometers. And the lower slopes of the hill are covered with dense forests, consisting of stone birch and elfin cedar. Until now, this volcano in Kamchatka is active, although its size does not quite correspond to the intensity of eruptions.
Protected areas
Kamchatsky volcano Koryaksky is located in specially protected areas:
- Nalychevo Natural Park, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996;
- Three Volcanoes (biological) state reserve, established in 1994 to protect the black-capped marmot, bighorn sheep, ground squirrel and species of animals and birds prohibited for hunting.
Volcanic activity
Volcano Koryakskaya morenot well studied. Nevertheless, scientists managed to find out that over the past seven thousand years, seven eruptions have occurred on the summit - in 5050, 1950 and 1550 BC, and in 1890, 1926 and 1956. The last activity was recorded in 2008. Local residents observed a powerful emission of smoke and ash on the western slope. As a result, the ash plume stretched for more than 100 km.
The 1926 eruption was quiet. No explosions were observed, lava flowed out of the crater quite calmly. The second eruption, which began in 1956, was much more active. Experts say that it was explosive in nature. From the resulting gap, which was about five hundred meters long and about fifteen meters wide, a column of ash and gas escaped, rising to a height of one thousand seven hundred meters. At the same time, no lava outpourings were recorded.
Koryakskaya Sopka surprised the locals again in 2008. A new release of gases and ash created a plume that stretched for tens of kilometers. But there was no eruption after that. Despite the fact that the volcano is quite rarely active, it is included in the list of volcanoes of the decade. Since 1996, it has been included in the list of sixteen peaks that are studied by the UN Commission (IAVCEI). They are considered the most dangerous due to their proximity to settlements.
Local residents perceive the activity of the volcano quite calmly, they simply call it “Koryak”, and when it smokes, they say that the hill smokes. Snowboarders have long noted the melting of glaciers thatare on the ridge, which only confirms its activity. The famous Paratunsky warm springs begin from the hill.
Koryakskaya Sopka: Climbing
Now the volcano is at rest. On its slopes there are three outlets of fumarole gases, which in different years the temperature of which rises to +273 °C. Koryaksky volcano is popular among experienced climbers. The rather steep slopes of the mountain make the ascent quite difficult, requiring some preparation and skill. Unfortunately, several inexperienced mountain climbers who overestimated their strength died here.
As a rule, the Koryaksky Volcano, which is a local landmark, is not disturbed by ordinary tourists due to its steep slopes, deep barrancos, and? fortunately, mass ascents are not organized on it, as, for example, on the neighboring Avacha peak.
The first conquerors of the volcano
It is believed that the first to conquer the summit of the Koryaksky volcano was the naturalist and doctor of the Russian ship "Alexander" - F. V. Stein. This ascent took place at the end of September 1821. According to the surviving documents, it is known that in the 20th century the first climbed this volcano in 1934, led by a journalist from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Steblich.
Four years later, the first woman, Polina Sushkova, conquered the summit. Seven years later, this brave woman almost fell under the eruption of the Avachinsky volcano, which occurred in February 1945.
Volcano is locatedonly thirty kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Routes of various difficulty categories lead to its top - from 1B to 3A. Experienced climbers believe that technical climbing is not too difficult. However, it is characterized by great physical exertion due to the height difference.
The beginning of the ascent is carried out from the base camp, from which athletes go on the route. It is located at an altitude of nine hundred meters. Climbing to the top can be done in one or two days. A longer route is preferable, however, it has its drawbacks. First of all, this concerns the need to raise sleeping bags, a tent, a burner, food and water to a height of more than two thousand meters.
Climbing in one day, takes no more than eleven to twelve hours. The descent is faster, in about four to five hours. The best time for climbing the Koryaksky volcano is considered by climbers to be from mid-April to the end of June. At this time, there are no more severe frosts, and all the uneven terrain and loose rock are still reliably covered with a snow cover.
In addition, at this time, it is convenient to go down from the volcano on snowboards or skis. Climbing can be done by people who have basic mountaineering skills - be able to walk in a bundle, use an ice ax and crampons. Good physical shape is also very important. Experienced climbers recommend that beginners first try their hand at the Avachinsky volcano, whose height is 2751 meters.
Athletes leave for the route from the same base camp. For beginners, Avachinsky volcano is a kind of test and a goodtraining, before a more serious climb.
Don't forget about the special equipment you can't do without in the mountains. Here is an approximate list of necessary things:
- sleeping bag;
- tent;
- cats and ice pick;
- warm gloves;
- light down jacket;
- face mask (for wind protection);
- light gloves;
- thermal underwear;
- membrane pants;
- thermonos;
- climbing boots;
- snowboard or ski equipment (when planning a descent from a volcano),
- thermos (1 liter);
- sunglasses;
- trekking poles;
- sunscreen.
How to get there?
Peterpavlovsk-Kamchatsky is connected with Russian cities by air and sea communication. Yelizovo Airport, which serves the city, is international. Regular flights are made from it to many Russian cities: (Vladivostok, Moscow, Khabarovsk, St. Petersburg, Magadan, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk and others). In addition, domestic air transportation is carried out to Ust-Kamchatsk, Ozernovsky, Palana, Nikolskoye (Commander Islands), Ossora. From the suburban villages of Mokhovaya, Avacha, Nagorny, Dolinovka, you can get to the volcano by regular buses.
According to the reviews of everyone who happened to see the Koryakskaya Sopka, they are delighted with the extraordinary natural beauty and power. The volcano makes a great impression even on those tourists who do not climb, therefore, if you have the opportunity to visit Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, be sure to visit the hill.
