Volcanoes, Geysers, and Hot Springs

Located on the Ring of Fire​—a belt of high seismic activity rimming the Pacific Ocean—​Kamchatka has some 30 active volcanoes. Described as having “a perfect, incredibly beautiful cone,” the Klyuchevskaya volcano rises to a height of 15,584 feet [4,750 m] above sea level, making it the largest active volcano in Eurasia. Since 1697​—the year Russian explorers first set foot on Kamchatka—​more than 600 eruptions have been recorded on the peninsula.

In 1975/76, cleft, or fissure, eruptions in the Tolbachik area created a flaming “torch” over 8,000 feet [2,500 m] high! Lightning flashed in the ash clouds. Without letting up for almost a year and a half, the eruptions created four new volcanic cones. Lakes and rivers disappeared, and hot ash desiccated entire forests down to the roots. Vast stretches of countryside were turned into desert.

Fortunately, most eruptions have occurred far from inhabited areas, and very few people have been killed. But visitors have other reasons to be cautious, especially when going to the Valley of Death, which lies at the foot of the Kichpinych volcano. When the air is still, and especially during the spring thaw, poisonous volcanic gases concentrate in the valley, making it a death trap for wildlife. On one occasion, the valley was littered with the carcasses of ten bears and numerous smaller animals.

The vast crater known as the Uzon caldera features bubbling mud pots and steaming crater lakes that are alive with colorful algas.

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A SPECTACULAR CALDERA

Uzon caldera, the basin of an ancient volcano, is about six miles [10 km] across. Its steep walls embrace a “collection of everything that Kamchatka is famous for,” says a reference. The basin boasts hot and cold springs, cauldrons of bubbling mud, mud volcanoes, pristine lakes alive with fish and swans, and abundant vegetation.

The book Miracles of Kamchatka Land says that “there is hardly another place on Earth” where autumn is as beautiful as it is short. The scarlet tundra contrasts with the rich yellows and golds of the birch trees, while here and there the boiling earth emits pillars of white vapor that stand out against the deep-blue sky. And in the early morning, the forest “sings” as countless millions of hoarfrosted leaves fall to the ground with a tinkle, gently announcing winter’s imminence.

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A DEADLY LAKE!

In 1996 a volcano thought to be extinct erupted beneath Karymsky Lake, creating 30-foot [10 m] waves that flattened surrounding forests. In minutes the lake became too acidic to support life. Nevertheless, no dead animals were found near the lake, despite the volcanic fallout and the waves that swept the shoreline, explains researcher Andrew Logan. “Prior to the eruption,” he says, “several million fish (primarily salmon and trout) were known to live in Karymsky Lake. After the eruption the lake was devoid of life.” A number of fish may have survived, however. Scientists speculate that some kind of warning signal​—perhaps a change in water chemistry—​had alerted the fish, causing them to flee into the nearby Karymsky River.