Vilyuchinsky volcano climbing. Vilyuchinsky volcano in Kamchatka (Vilyuchinskaya Sopka). Vilyuchinsky in winter and summer

Volcano Vilyuchinsky(Vilyuchinskaya Sopka) is a volcano in Kamchatka, located southwest of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, beyond Avacha Bay. The volcano is part of the group of so-called “Home volcanoes”, i.e. volcanoes that are visible from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Avachinsky Volcano is located 50 km from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The volcano is an extinct stratovolcano, represented by a regular cone with a height of 2175 m above sea level. The slopes of the volcano are cut by deep barrancos radiating from the top, some of them originating from the middle of the slope. The upper cavities on the northwestern slope are filled with ice and firn. There are hot springs in the southeastern part of the Vilyuchinsky volcano. At the bottom of the cone there is a picturesque waterfall. This is a favorite holiday destination for snowboarders and is suitable for downhill skiing and snowmobiling.

Snow avalanches on Vilyuchinsky volcano

The volcano has always been considered an avalanche hazard. The relevant services monitor and warn tourists about the possibility of avalanches. The tragic avalanche of the Vilyuchinsky volcano in 2017 occurred on April 9. That day there were about 40 tourists on the slope, who saw 2 people disappear in the snow on the northern slope. Lack of communication delayed search efforts. Witnesses had to get to the bottom to call for help. About 40 pieces of equipment and more than 100 rescuers took part in rescuing the victims. The bodies of the father and child were discovered by the end of the day on April 10 at a depth of 8 meters, which did not give any chance of survival. According to the accident investigation commission, the avalanche on the northern slope of the Vilyuchinsky volcano could not have been triggered by the victims themselves while riding a snowmobile. They were fifth in the column of snowmobiles, and the four previous ones covered a rather narrow section of the route as usual. The victims did not have avalanche transceivers, and rescue work was carried out using probes throughout the entire area of the avalanche. The avalanche was most likely caused by temperature changes, because it was warm on that tragic day.

Vilyuchinskaya Sopka volcano on the map

Video volcano Vilyuchinskaya Sopka

Vilyuchinskaya Sopka, located in Kamchatka, is located near the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The geological formation rises between the basins of the Vilyuchi and Bolshaya Saranaya rivers. Vilyuchinsky stratovolcano stands at the source of the river. Paratunka.

The hill belongs to the category of extinct. It is a conical formation of regular shape. The absolute height of Vilyuchinsky volcano is 2175 m.

The Vilyuchinsky volcano is named after the bay of the same name. Until 1830, when Russian explorers P. Ilyin and P. Skrypov named the bay Vilyuchinskaya, the area was called Niyakshin (Itelmen name). The best view from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Vilyuchinskaya Sopka opens from the city center, from the top of Nikolskaya Sopka.

Description

The western part of the peak is truncated. It looks like a cluster of remains interspersed with snow layers and glaciers. Lava and pyroclastic flows present a multi-colored landscape. This may be due to the fumarole effect of the active volcanic phase.

The slopes of Vilyuchinskaya Sopka are cut by radially directed barranoxes. Some of them start from the top, others from the middle of the slope. The recesses of the upper cracks are filled with firn deposits and glacial layers.

The rock composition of the volcano is represented by pyroclastic deposits and andesite-basalts. The lower part is composed of olivine basalts, then andesitic rocks of various compositions rise upward. The eastern slope contains traces of solfatara activity. Today, these sulfur fumaroles are not active, only visual evidence remains. There are hot springs in the southeast. Gas emissions have been repeatedly observed at the top of the volcano. At the very foot of the cone there is a waterfall.

Climbing Vilyuchinsky volcano

Vilyuchinskaya Sopka is not considered the most difficult to climb on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The most popular route for climbers has a difficulty category of 2A. The one-day route is suitable for all tourists in good physical shape without special skills (but it is advisable to have mountaineering training). Tourists must be healthy - without cardiovascular diseases or joint diseases. The ascent takes about 5 hours, the descent without stopping takes 3.5 hours. The total length of the route is 12 km. The elevation difference is almost 2000 meters. Typically, excursion tours from Kamchatka tour operators include a stop for swimming in the Upper Paratunka springs.

The northwestern route (the most popular) begins at the trail to the Vilyuchinsky waterfall. Next, the trail goes into a wooded area of dwarf alder. Next, after the forest, you need to focus on the snowfield - with a slight climb you will reach the Vilyuchinsky waterfall along the snowfield. There are several sites above the Vilyuchinsky waterfall - if you are planning an overnight trip, you can pitch a tent here. Then the path goes through the snowfield: if the snow is dense, then you can do without crampons. Above you will need crampons and trekking poles.

To complete the route, you will need special equipment and clothing: trekking shoes (worn out) that secure the ankle; windproof windbreaker; Sunglasses; headdress; sunscreens; trekking poles; cats.

In winter, the slopes of the Vilyuchinsky volcano turn into freeride areas. Access to the slopes is carried out by helicopters and also by snowmobiles. The longest descent reaches a length of 6 km. The steepness of the slopes varies from 15 degrees to 35 degrees.

Panoramic view of the surrounding area and the volcano from the observation deck at Vilyuchinsky Pass

How to get to Vilyuchinsky volcano in Kamchatka

You can get to the foot of the Vilyuchinsky volcano by car. The asphalt road goes past the fork to the village of Termalny, then a dirt road to the beginning of the trail. You can leave your car in the spontaneous parking lot at the beginning of the trail.

Tourists without a car need to take a bus to the village of Termalny and get off at the “Road to Mutnovka” fork (the stop is located just before the village of Termalny). After the stop, a dirt road begins, quite dusty in the summer. Therefore, it is better not to walk here, but to try to catch a ride. In the summer, especially on weekends, quite a few cars pass here. Moreover, the road along the dirt road takes 28 km.

An alternative to hitchhiking is a taxi. You can order a taxi ride from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the foot of the Vilyuchinsky volcano through the Yandex.Taxi application or through local services by phone.

Video about Vilyuchinsky volcano

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Mutnovsky Volcano (Mutnovskaya Sopka) is located 80 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. It is often called the “Small Valley of Geysers”. A very beautiful road leads to Mutnovsky volcano. That’s what I’ll tell you about today.

A dirt road leads to the volcano area, the end point of which is Mutnovskaya geothermal power plant(Mutnovskaya GeoPP), generating energy from the heat of the Earth. Along the way - Paratunka where we are already.

Looking from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, on the other side Avacha Bay What attracts attention is a very beautiful volcano of regular shape - . But I didn’t even imagine that he would be so beautiful up close!

There were clouds swirling around, which kept covering its top.

Gradually, one of them transformed into something suspiciously reminiscent of a UFO. However, it was just an ordinary cloud. In addition to the bizarre cloud, the photo also shows a waterfall cascading from under the glacier.

Soon it disappeared, turning into a whirlwind like this:

As it turned out later, such clouds often foreshadow a storm. Meanwhile, we drove on in our camper car. However, they did not have time to drive far when they saw a family of bears - a mother bear with cubs, who were climbing a steep slope on the opposite side of the gorge.

Still, it’s interesting to watch bears when they are far away. I really wouldn’t want to come face to face with them. However, I already wrote about this in a post.

Storm in the mountains, overnight in snowfall and clear morning

The weather began to deteriorate. At first the sky began to be covered with clouds...

And then a real storm began with strong winds and snowfall (this was in August).

It was already approaching evening, and we began to look for a place to stay for the night. Finally, we found a fairly secluded valley, protected from the wind. Judging by the number of tents, it was very popular with tourists that night. It was difficult to pitch the tent - the wind was so strong. We fell asleep to the sound of wind and rain.

The next morning the sky cleared. On the Vilyuchinsky volcano a cloud rested quietly:

Waterfall near Mutnovsky volcano

Before going to Mutnovsky himself, we went to a nearby waterfall. Water was pouring down from a great height and there was a terrible noise. Somewhere in the water dust a rainbow sparkled.

The ancient stones are overgrown with plants, showing the contrast between the temporary and the eternal (if the stones of Kamchatka can be called eternal).

Having enjoyed the breathtaking spectacle, we went to our goal - Mutnovsky volcano. The volcano itself consists of several cones united into a single massif and belongs to the thyroid type. Its height above sea level is 2323 m. Mutnovskaya Sopka has erupted 16 times over the historical period of time, and now another volcanic activity is observed there - fumaroles and hot springs.

The path to Mutnovsky volcano

There was a cloud hanging over the volcano - it had just become active. My body reacted to the seismic activity with a severe headache.

There is another volcano nearby, no less interesting - Burnt.

Volcanic soils are overgrown with different plants. Small, delicate rhododendrons attracted attention.

Snowflake in the caldera of Gorely volcano

Our path lay through the Gorely caldera. Despite the warm weather, thick layers of unmelted snow lay everywhere - snowfields.

Overcoming them was a definite challenge for our car.

While the driver valiantly overcame obstacles, I went to photograph the snowfield.

Its power can be judged from this photograph:

Zoya, Snezhnika and IFA

Volcanic black ash, coupled with the hot rays of the sun, created bizarre patterns on it.

In some places it hung over the ground like a cornice. Water was dripping everywhere.

Snowfield and rocks

Soon we got out of the Gorely caldera, but new obstacles still lay ahead:

Vilyuchinsky Volcano (Kamchatka Territory, not far from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky) rises above sea level by more than 2000 m. It has the shape of a regular cone and is visible from afar, which attracts many tourists. Most of them admire the volcano from the outside, take walks at its foot and take photographs of the magnificent views that are countless here. And only the most experienced skiers know how interesting Vilyuchinsky is for heli-skiing - one of the most extreme types of freeride, requiring good preparation and untouched snow slopes. The top of the volcano cannot be reached by ski lifts, only on foot or by snowmobile, or even better - by helicopter. Heli-skiing enthusiasts form groups and rent a helicopter, which drops them off at the starting point. For the descent, several of the most suitable slopes of the volcano and neighboring mountain ranges are used; the longest descent is about 6 km long. After skiing, skiers and snowboarders can go to the Verkhne-Vilyuchinsky or Nizhne-Paratunsky thermal springs, where there are changing rooms and the opportunity to relax.

When to come

The slopes of Vilyuchinsky are covered with snow all year round. In summer, its quantity decreases, giving life to the Vilyuchinsky waterfall on the northwestern slope of the volcano. At the same time, it is in the summer - in May-July - that it becomes easier to climb the slopes of the volcano on foot in order to descend from there on skis or snowboards. Tour groups reach the most stubborn glaciers and snow-covered slopes, where you can do a little skiing in shorts. There is the least snow in August; this month is not recommended for skiing. But in winter there is even room for cross-country skiing. Since the volcano is located in the southern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula, you should not be afraid of severe frosts (in winter the temperature rarely drops below -10 degrees Celsius), but heavy rainfall often occurs, especially in the autumn months.

How to get there

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has air and sea connections with many Russian cities. From here to the volcano in a straight line is about 25 km, but in fact you will have to make a rather long journey, since Vilyuchinsky is located on the opposite edge of Avachinskaya Bay from Petropavlovsk. Organized tourist groups are taken to him by bus and taken back in the same way. You will have to get there on your own by car (preferably an SUV), first to the village of Termalny, then turn onto the highway to the Mutnovskaya geothermal thermal power plant, and then another 15 minutes along the path to the glacier, which does not melt all summer. You can get to Termalny (or neighboring Paratunka) by regular bus, but then you will have to transfer to a car, since public transport does not go to the volcano.

Where to stay

If the purpose of the trip is Vilyuchinsky, then you should settle as close to it as possible. The best option would be the village of Paratunka - nearby there are springs of medicinal thermal waters (Nizhne-Paratunsky springs), on the basis of which a large balneological resort with several hotels and recreation centers has been created. If you are interested in a broader acquaintance with the south of Kamchatka, then it is better to stay at one of the hotels in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, where there are more opportunities for organizing various kinds of excursions.

One of the closest to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in good weather it is clearly visible from many places in the city, located on the opposite side of Avachinskaya Bay, southwest of the regional center. According to numerous sources, its height is 2175 meters. and its surroundings are very good, I would even say, in terms of distance from the city/quality ratio - one of the best places for skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. Both the volcano itself and its foot, as well as the nearest hills and passes, are very well adapted for this.

There are long, wide and mostly straight valleys and gorges. One of the favorite places for snowmobilers, skiers and snowboarders. In relative proximity to the foot of the volcano there is a recreation center where you can spend the night in modern, comfortable and warm houses, there is a swimming pool with hot thermal water, a dining room, and you can also use various services, for example, book a snowmobile ride. Nearby are the Verkhneparatunsky hot springs, one of the most accessible wild springs; they look like hot puddles where water gushes out from underground. They are located on the slope of a hill, which can be reached on foot in the summer (walk about 15 minutes from the place where you can leave the car), and in winter and spring by snowmobile or cross-country skiing. The road from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Vilyuchinsky volcano passes through the village of Termalny, which can be reached by car in 40-50 minutes. Further, in the winter and spring seasons, as a rule, the road is under snow; you can order a snowmobile or special transport from the recreation center, which is located not far from the volcano, which has already been mentioned.

View of Zelenoe Lake from the north-west side.

Also in relative proximity is the mountain lake Topolovoe, a snowmobile ride to which, in ideal weather and snow conditions, from the foot of the volcano is 10-15 minutes. In this place you can ride a snowmobile and visit the nearest passes, which offer very beautiful views, as well as go fishing, in this case ice fishing, since we are talking about winter and spring. By the way, if you come here in the middle or at the end of spring, you can also sunbathe. Although there is still a lot of snow, in clear weather the air temperature and the scorching mountain sun easily allow this. In my opinion, the ideal time to visit this place is from April to early June.

As I already said, this place has a huge scope for those who like to admire the scenery.

The following photo was taken one kilometer from the recreation center, which was mentioned at the beginning of the article. Photography time is late May - early June.

And here is the Vilyuchinsky volcano in April 2016.

Thank you all for your attention. As new travels occur, fresh photographs from this place will be added, which will be stated in the site news at the bottom of the main page.