On a recent morning trip to Poas Volcano with friends Sally and Joan, we encountered good weather. We viewed the main crater and saw clouds and fog approaching from the north, so scooted over to a lake filling a dormant crater several hundred meters away. It was a fine trip and very interesting gnarled high-altitude plants (11,000 ft + elevation).
We were a few days early of a mild gas eruption on Christmas day, that sent steam, gas, rocks and dust towering 2,000 feet above the main crater. Fortunately, this fell straight back down, as the viewing platform (see bottom photo) is not far from the active vent. That would have been a thrilling geologic interlude, for sure...
It's easy to forget that central CR is on an active tectonic plate margin, with fairly regular and recent volcanism. Poas is truly a slumbering giant. I'd not like to be close when he wakes up.
Pathway in Poas National Park
Rubber tree plants over 30 ft high
Overarching tough springy vegetation. These plants reminded us of windblown tuckamore along the coasts of Newfoundland
Lake in dormant side crater.
Main crater with hot lake and steam vent (from viewing platform). Thick forest on far side shows there have not been very recent eruptions.
Detail of steam and gas vent. Some of this gas is SO2, which on calm days sinks down into river ravines along the flanks of Poas and can give a rotten egg smell kilometers away.
Elle and Janet at active Poas crater.
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