La Réunion - On the Volcano
03.11.2011 -The day's goal was to look into the volcano Piton de la Fournaise. Easier said than done: a 5-hour hike awaited us. But first we had to circle half the island and drive up to the big outer crater. The way from the sea to the volcano was extremely varied: At times the landscape looked confusingly similar to the Swiss Mittelland, then it became more and more barren and resembled more a lunar landscape than an island. Arriving at the crater rim, we could hardly recognize it as such: A 200 meter high (or lower since we were still on top), green wall enclosed a huge plain in the middle of which the small-looking volcano protruded. Somehow the scenery reminded of Jurasic Parc. The adventure could begin!
Stopover on the way to the volcano.
Our group holding on to the impressions.
The landscape looked like somewhere in Switzerland.
The "Piton des Neiges" in the background of the plateau.
Like Switzerland only without the cowbells.
Another photo stop at the "Valle de la Riviere des Remparts" which had to be bypassed.
Low it went.
The clouds pushed in over the valley ridges.
View towards the sea.
Continue on the journey through scorched plateaus.
The sea beneath the sea of clouds in the background.
Shrubs and rocks up to the horizon.
Another bend, another stop.
View of the Route du Vulcan
The landscape becomes increasingly barren.
In front of us lies a huge, dusty crater that we still have to cross.
Humps of eroded craters rise out of the desert.
Unreal, rusty colours.
The crater rim is imposing.
View of the volcano arrived at Pas de Bellecombe.
The crescent-shaped rampart is open to the sea.
Last pit stop before the hike starts.
The volcano attracts busloads of tourists.
First stage goal: down into the crater.
The plateau is still holding back the moisture.
First sight: The small volcanic crater Formica Leo.
But the tourists also disappear on this small volcano.
Narrow stairs lead down.
The drive here took a good three hours, so we trudged off in the blazing midday sun at the outer crater rim. The first 200 meters down, on a narrow path through shady bushes to the outer crater level, was comparatively easy. But after that there was only solidified lava, no tree and thus no more cm of shade. We were literally grilled. Hats and long-sleeved clothing were good, but as it turned out afterwards, we would have been better off wearing long pants: Corinne and I burned our calves god-awful. They were still bright red a week later.
The solidified lava formations were impressive, but the actual volcano was unfortunately a disappointment. When Töni was there in 2007, the volcano was still active. Today the volcano's mouth was just a big hole with a lot of debris in it. Nothing with shining, billowing lava. So nothing like down from this hotplate! Again over the whole plain to the green rampart. And at the end, the sun was already slowly setting, up the 200 meters again. That gave me the rest. At the top we were able to get hold of a Coke just before closing time. Until the last of our group arrived, we have then but still organized a dozen Dodo beers. So no one had to die of thirst...
Those coming up from below catch their breath in the shade.
Two volcanoes in an even bigger volcano.
Shady.
On the crater floor, the perspective changes. View of the "Formica Leo
Next destination: Chapelle Rosemont
The path is clearly marked with white dots on the dark ground.
Lava solidified in the river.
The imposing crater rim from below.
View back up to the entrance from "Formica Leo".
The path and the people are already barely recognisable.
The dimensions are hard to grasp and must always be measured against the tiny people in the picture.
White dots: Our path.
We still have a long way to go.
Colours and shapes.
Like a stream of ants, we walk to the big ant hill.
Several young lava flows stand out clearly from older layers.
Hiking on the lava flow.
Mountains of lava.
The new, black lava has a completely different consistency than the old, grey one.
Obviously it's getting more dangerous.
View back to the starting point.
Panoramic pan along the crater rim to the opening.
Clouds and blue hues on the crater floor.
Red vent on the way up.
We reckon with the volcano rim behind every bend.
Finally on top. But no active lava. Unfortunately.
Good, Chris and I were behind the barrier.
Even the metre-long gap did not stop us from taking photos at the edge.
The colours were impressive.
From red to yellow to almost black. On the horizon you can see tourists.
Chris at the precipice.
Mm, okay, we only saw the board on the way back.
On the way home again. Whew, sooo far.
Molten and re-solidified rock.
In all variations.
"Piton des Neiges" behind the crater rim.
The shadows are already getting longer.
The sea of fog.
Panoramic shot.
Somehow we lost our way.
Shanon and Chris obviously do not take the danger seriously.
Shanon and Chris obviously do not take the danger seriously.
And the hardest part is still ahead of us: the ascent.
We were up there.
The light becomes more and more beautiful.
Last rays of sun before the ascent.
View back from the shadows to the volcano.
Our colleagues are catching up.
Step by step we drag ourselves back up.
Feather Cloud and Moon.
The woks are slowly eating their way into the crater.
Finally arrived at the top: Chris and Martijn pose in front of the volcano.
The sun is already about to set.
Dodo beer at sunset.
Night falls slowly.
We stop to take photos on the way back.
Mist and volcanic rock.
Martijn, Beni and Chris compete with each other.
Evening Red.
Venus.