TURRIALBA VOLCANO

If you are interested in Geology, an adventure to Parque Nacional Volcan Turrialba might heat things up. Turrialba Volcano stands at almost 11,000 feet above sea level. In 1955, a national park was founded to protect the volcano and its surrounding rain and cloud forests.

Turrialba Volcano’s peak contains three well-defined craters, the largest of which measures a massive 164 feet in diameter. Though the volcano’s flanks are painted with greenery and dripping with moisture, Turrialba’s summit is best compared to the moon’s cratered, rocky landscape. Take note that temperatures fall as altitude increases; the top of the volcano averages a chilly 59 degrees Fahrenheit, and temperatures at night even less. 

Called White Tower (“Torre Alba”) by the Spanish, the once fuming and sputtering Turrialba Volcano entered a dormant period in 1866. For almost 150 years, Turrialba Volcano ruled the valley quietly until, in 2001, it again showed signs of gentle activity; fumaroles billowed and the crater steamed, but the volcano remained safe for exploration.