Natural attractions of Kamchatka, of course, are numerous volcanoes. One of the most famous of them is Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest active volcano in Russia and Eurasia.
Volcano legends
For the indigenous peoples of Kamchatka, this mountain is sacred. Some nationalities believe that when the Lord created the world, it was in this place that he held the Earth in his hands. For this reason, he was not able to carefully close the mountain. Since then, she has been constantly active.
Other nations retell a more romantic story about fire-breathing grief. The father of the beloved girl of the hero Tomgirgin set a condition: to be able to marry Itatel Tomgirgin only if he builds a huge yurt on the Klyuchevskaya Plain, so large that it can be seen from the coast. The problem was that there were mountains between the ocean and the valley. But the hero coped with the task - a yurt was built and the beautiful Itatel became the wife of Tomgirgin.
Immediately after the wedding, the newlyweds melted the hearth, and a pillar of fire shot high into the sky. Since then, always, when guests came to them, a couple kindled a fire.
Where is Klyuchevskaya Sopka located?
Like most fire-breathing mountains of the peninsula, Klyuchevskaya Sopka is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The volcano is located in the east of the peninsula. More than five hundred kilometers separate it from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and it is sixty kilometers from the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
History
The highest volcano in Russia arose six to seven thousand years ago. This is a stratovolcano complicated by slag cones. Their height varies from tens to two hundred meters. The volcano consists of lava flows and layers of ice. As a result of numerous eruptions, the volcano acquired the shape of a truncated cone. At the top, a crater in diameter is seven hundred and fifty meters.
From the 17th century to 1932, the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano in Kamchatka was formed solely due to summit eruptions. Its volcanic activity changed in 1932: additional side eruptions intensified near the slope of the volcano. In 1697, Kamchatka researcher V. Atlasov mentioned in his work the eruptive activity of the volcano. Since September 1935, volcanoes of the Klyuchevskaya group, including Sopka Klyuchevskaya, have been observed at the research station of the peninsula.
Volcano today
The height of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano is rather arbitrary. This is due to constant eruptions. It ranges within a hundred meters. According to official data, the height of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano does not exceed 4750 meters, however, it significantly increased in size - up to 4835 meters after the eruption in 2013. Researchers are confident that this indicator will change more than once.
This is an active stratovolcano, which rises near the village of Klyuch, which gave it its name. For many years, it fascinates not only local residents, but also specialists with its strict beauty. At the foot of the mountain, the most watery river of the peninsula, bearing the same name - Kamchatka, flows to the east. South of the volcano is a unique glade of edelweiss, the only one on the peninsula. At the foot of the highest volcano in Russia, coniferous forest grows.
The mountain outwardly resembles a regular snow cone, which is formed by lava flows, as well as bombs, slag, ash, pumice. The whole hill is covered with deep furrows that stretch from top to bottom. They narrow at the foot of the mountain. More than 15 km is the base of the volcano. A column of smoke is constantly above the central crater, and ash and volcanic bombs are frequent in the center.
On the slopes of Klyuchevsky, one can often see the discharge of jets of volcanic gas (fumaroles) and solfatars - through cracks steam and gas with sulfur content come to the surface. In addition to the main crater, the highest volcano in Russia has almost eighty slag cones and side craters. They are no less active than the main crater. The highest volcano in Russia with the nearby fire-breathing mountains is connected by a snow cover consisting of thirty glaciers, the total area of which is 220 km.
Unusual cloud
Often, experts observe an unusual natural phenomenon over the mountain - an unusual cloud covers the top of the mountain , which looks like a mushroom cap. Researchers explain its appearance by the accumulation of a large amount of moist air.
Eruptions
Klyuchevskaya Sopka is still a very young volcano. It formed only seven thousand years ago. Volcanologists explain this by its excessive activity. Over the past three centuries, about fifty fairly powerful eruptions have been recorded. In the last century, he erupted fifteen times. The indigenous inhabitants of the peninsula claim that in the history of the mountain there were cases when he continuously erupted flame and ash for three years. In its activity, Klyuchevskaya is second only to the Karymsky hill, also located in Kamchatka.
When Klyuchevsky's eruptions turn out to be too strong, huge lava flows descending along the valley reach the nearest villages. An activated volcano is dangerous for airlines, since the ash column reaches fifteen kilometers, and the trains of ash stretch for several thousand kilometers. Volcanologists say that it is almost impossible to determine their direction before the eruption.
The active, highest volcano in Russia could not go unnoticed by scientists. He began to study from the end of the XVII century. In 1935, a volcanological station began to operate in the village of Klyuchi, which is located 30 km from the volcano. The last eruption of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano occurred in April 2016.
A few weeks before the eruption, the number of minor earthquakes increased to hundreds. In addition, an increase in the internal noise that usually accompanies moving magma has been found. For five months, the volcano threw ash to a height of 11 km.
Ascents
Many amateur researchers know very well where Klyuchevskaya Sopka is located. For the first time the mountain was conquered in 1788 by a group of three people under the leadership of naval officer Daniil Gauss. It should be noted that the participants of this expedition had practically no experience in climbing, moreover, they climbed without guides and special ammunition.
Other ascents were not known until 1931, when a group of climbers died here during an avalanche. Today, this active volcano in Kamchatka is increasingly attracting the attention of tourists. This happens despite the fact that the treacherous fire-breathing mountain leads in the number of climbers who died on its slopes. Most often, the cause of tragedies is non-compliance with safety regulations. The volcano itself is also a threat. A case was recorded when, at night, with a strong explosion, a volcanic bomb flew from the bowels of the mountain and fell into a nearby tent.