GUNUNG · El Salvador
Volcán de Izalco
Source
Photo: source
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Source: Open-Meteo
Information
- Elevation
- 1.952 m
- Country
- El Salvador (SV)
- Location / Range
- Kompleks Santa Ana–Izalco–Cerro Verde, Parque Nacional Los Volcanes, Departemen Sonsonate, El Salvador
- Mountain type
- Gunung berapi (stratovolcano / kerucut sinder muda)
- Volcanic?
- Yes — volcano
- Coordinates
- 13.8131, -89.6333
- Difficulty
- Berat: turun-lalu-naik dari Cerro Verde melintasi pelana, kemudian tanjakan curam di kerikil vulkanik (scree) yang labil ke bibir kawah
- Best Season
- November–April (musim kemarau; jalur scree lebih stabil dan pandangan lebih jelas)
- Permits & Rules
- Berada di Parque Nacional Los Volcanes; pendakian berangkat dari Cerro Verde dan diwajibkan bersama pemandu/rombongan terjadwal demi keselamatan
- Hazards
- Kerikil vulkanik longsor & licin, tanjakan terjal terpapar matahari, tanpa naungan, batu jatuh; gunung berapi aktif secara historis—patuhi arahan petugas taman
Description
Volcán de Izalco (1,952 m) is a young volcano in the Santa Ana volcanic complex of western El Salvador, within Los Volcanes National Park. Its nearly perfect, bare cone is remarkably recent: activity began around 1770 and continued almost without pause until 1958, its lava glow so frequently visible from the sea that it earned the nickname 'El Faro del Pacífico' (the Lighthouse of the Pacific). Since its last eruption in 1966 the volcano has been dormant, leaving a distinctive black, all-but-vegetationless cinder cone. The climb is one of the country's most demanding treks: visitors start from the Cerro Verde recreation area, descend a forest trail to a saddle, then ascend sharply over loose volcanic scree to the crater rim. Exhausting as it is, the summit panorama—taking in Santa Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec), Lake Coatepeque, and the Pacific coastal plain—makes it one of El Salvador's most iconic ascents. For safety, the hike is generally done with a guide.
Gallery
Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.
Routes
Ruta Cerro Verde (Voie Normale — via pelana)
BeratThe standard route to Izalco's crater, starting from the Cerro Verde recreation area in Los Volcanes National Park. Unusually, hikers first descend—down a switchbacking forest trail from Cerro Verde (~2,030 m) to a saddle at the foot of the cone—before facing the real climb: a steep, loose volcanic scree wall of about 400 m to the crater rim (1,952 m). Because it goes down then up, the return leg climbs back to Cerro Verde. For safety, the hike is done with a guide or scheduled group. The summit panorama takes in Santa Ana Volcano and Lake Coatepeque.
Ruta La Chiche (jalur alternatif — 'tobogán de arena')
BeratAn alternative route from a different side of the volcano, popular for its descent: a fine volcanic scree slope that can be 'surfed' like a sand toboggan (tobogán de arena), making for a fast but dusty, leg-tiring descent. The ascent is very strenuous on the constantly sliding scree. It is usually done with local Sonsonate guides. Suited to experienced hikers wanting a variation on the Cerro Verde route.
Climbing Experiences
Volcán de Izalco (1,952 m), El Salvador's young 'Lighthouse of the Pacific' cinder cone—climbed from Cerro Verde, descending to a saddle then ascending steeply over loose volcanic scree to the crater rim. Clips highlight the punishing scree and the views of Santa Ana and Lake Coatepeque.
References
The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.