“Even when things are quiet at a volcano, there is the potential for landslides, mudflows, exposure to toxic gases, and super-heated water,” says Dr. Erik Klemetti Gonzalez, a volcanologist at Denison University. “When volcanoes are erupting, you are exposed to lava flows, ash, pyroclastic flows (hot ash avalanches), explosions, and more.”
Every volcano has its own “personality, ” or distinct patterns of eruptive behaviors and hazards, explains Tracy Gregg, an expert on planetary volcanology at University of Buffalo. “Each volcano is unique, and there is no single ‘tell-tale’ sign that a volcano will erupt,” Gregg says.
Do: Bookmark national and local resources
One resource travelers can use to research the risks of visiting an active volcano is the Global Volcanism Network, which maintains a website with a comprehensive listing of the world’s active volcanoes.
“Countries that have active volcanoes tend to have a national organization that’s tasked with monitoring volcanoes and communicating information to the public,” Gregg says. “Find that website and check it often, recognizing that the information presented there will be hours old (if not older) and unable to protect you if you’re on the volcano when it erupts.”
In the US, it is the USGS Volcano Hazards site that monitors volcanoes and issues warnings. In Iceland, the equivalent service is the Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes that lists active volcano hazards; and in the Philippines, it’s PHILVOLC.
Don’t: Forget your homework—or your expert guide
Einat Lev, an associate research professor of Seismology, Geology, and Techonophysics at Columbia University, recommends travelers hire an expert guide for volcano excursions. “Guides often know the volcano extremely well and can be deeply tuned to detecting any changes in its behavior,” Lev says.
It is possible to do self-guided tours in some locations. At Mount Etna, for example, hikers can independently climb the mountain up to 2500m (8202 feet). Gregg says if you opt to go that route, it’s important to let local authorities know your plans, have a way to call for help (radio if out of cell phone service), and have an evacuation route planned at all times (or better yet, having multiple plans, as the situation on the ground can change in seconds).
At many national parks, like Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, rangers lead free educational programs on a daily basis. At other destinations, travelers can book tour agencies and certified guides who specialize in volcano hikes. Beyond leading the way, local experts like these monitor guests’ well-being, watch for signs of altitude sickness or fatigue, and make real-time decisions based on weather and volcanic activity.
Mariela Sapon, a guide for Lava Trails, a volcano tour company in Guatemala, adds that guides are typically “trained in emergency response and maintain constant communication with us and other guides on the mountain. Their presence adds an irreplaceable layer of security, expertise, and insight.”
Still, Lev says that the risk tolerance of a guide who is used to the location, and also depends on tours to make a living, might be very different from a first-time visitor. When hiring a guide, “ask questions about how they determine the risk on a daily basis, which sources of information they rely on, and what their emergency plan is for different scenarios,” she says.
