Kamchatka - From the tours of 1996 and 1999

Kronotsky This volcano is located in the Kronotsky National Park, 3,528 m high and of the same beauty as the famous Mt. Fuji. No visitors are allowed to enter the Park. In a Russian National Park nature is totally protected from human influence, at least from a theoretical point of view.	On the slopes of Maly Semiachik The Maly Semiachik is in the direct neighborhood of Karymsky volcano. A warm acidic lake fills its crater. Click for more about this volcano.

Karymsky One of the most active volcanoes in Kamchatka and only 1,486 m high. A very young cone that erupted in 1996. The volcano remained in an active condition up till now (2005) and while this photograph was taken the volcano was erupting every two minutes.	Eruption plume Every eruption sends a comparably small ash and steam plume to heaven, blown eastward by a strong wind. The ash must have caused scratches on this slide and the whole film, although I have no idea how it got into my camera (?). Ash everywhere, on the leaves, on my clothes, in my hair, ears...

Karymsky at night The volcano seems to spit its ash directly at the moon. The thunder needs more than 20 sec to reach our location about 8 km away. Reality lacks synchronization when compared with a Hollywood movie.	Sunset Perhaps this beautiful evening sky looks more like a volcanic eruption.

Academy of Science Caldera This caldera just south of the Karymsky volcano is 4 km wide. Here the 1996 eruption began, killing all fish in the lake.	Karymsky River After leaving the caldera lake it forms some beautiful waterfalls. The water is muddy due to the recent volcanic activity (in 1999), fine ash causes the blue shade. The recent eruption and some hot springs heat the river up to a pleasant "walk thru" temperature; the stones are coated with an orange "anti-slip" mineral layer.

View from Maly Semiachik On a clear day the volcanoes are visible at long distances, making orientation very easy.	Koryaksky The Koryaksky (3,456 m) near Petropavlovsk from a northern direction, its summit still illuminated by the diving sun.

Stubel Crater A crater of about 1,200 m in diameter, created by a fierce eruption of the Ksudach volcano in 1907. The Ksudach is a wide caldera that was formed during many eruptions thousands of years ago.	Zheltovsky A dormant volcano in the southern part of the peninsula, 1,953 m high.