



You are at home of CopiPanas.
|
|
RaungMOUNT RAUNG(3332 M)By Handjono
Introduction
In Java Island, Mount Raung is the 2nd most eastern volcano, second only to Mount Merapi which is well known as Mount Ijen. As a trekking destination, Mount Raung is the least popular compared to the other volcanoes in Java Island. Actually, this is unfair as Mount Raung offers both poetic and dramatic views. The poetic parts are the west and north views from the summit area and the dramatic one is the summit crater view. Its remote location is possibly the cause of the unpopularity among the mountain trekkers. Bondowoso, the closest town to Mount Raung is situated close enough to the east coast of Java Island, 192 km or around 7 hours of public bus ride from Surabaya. From Jakarta it is 985 km away and involves several public transportation changes.
On Sumberwringin route summit area, to the west we enjoy the beautiful golden sunset on Mount Argapura (3088 m) and Mount Semeru (3676 m). To the south, one would not be bored when scaling the P Madura, Madura Strait, East Java northern coast and the lesser mountain range south of the north coast. And then off course the magnificent giant caldera, the lesser half cone and the ever smoking crater at the bottom of the caldera. The 650 m deep and 2 km wide caldera with the all vertical cliffs is like a giant bowl and some people have managed to descend to the caldera bottom.
While the 15 km trekking from Sumberwringin has been noted as lengthy, in actual it is very enjoyable with the gentle ascent from the trailhead to the vegetation limit. The last 30 minutes ascent to the summit is not extremely difficult nor dangerous. There is a very narrow ca. 20 meters passage but there is a safer route just a few meters beside it. The 15 km trek was partly shady with tall vegetation and partly more open with bushes and pine trees. Birds were many but we did not see any monkeys we had seen playing on the trees in 2009.
Epilogue
Our trip in October 2016 is actually a revenge after a failure to reach the summit in March 2009 due to the treacherous rain storm a few hundred meters from the summit. It was actually only a few hundred meters or a little less than 30 minutes away from the summit when we had to return. We waited for a few hours but the storm continued and we had to catch the train back to Jakarta.
This time we were successful as the weather was on our side. The team summited twice, on October 22 afternoon and on October 23 morning. On both occasions, we enjoyed the magnificent summit views.
The Trip to Sumberwringin Basecamp
Bondowoso bus station is relatively peaceful and quiet day and night. Most of the time there are only 1 or 2 buses in it. It was 19:00 o’clock when we arrived and it was easy to find further transportation to Sumberwringin, the basecamp for Mount Raung. It is 27 km from Bondowoso and Rp 250,000 on a decent Isuzu Panther mini-bus rental car. Public rural bus is also available but in 19:00 o’clock it would only goes as far as Garduatta intersection, which is still 15 km away from the basecamp. During the day, there are public rural buses that go as far as Sumberwringin.
Sumberwringin basecamp is an old Dutch coffee plantation house managed by Ibu Endang. She is very friendly and helpful. She helps Mount Raung trekkers with accommodation (Rp. 200,000 for a spacious 2 beds room), logistics, guide/ porter (Rp. 450,000 for 2 days service) and ojek – motorbike taxi (Rp. 50,000 / trip). The ojek is important to save time on 3 km of partially paved road to the trailhead at the coffee plantation area.
The Ascent
Within 2:45 hours we got to the Pondok Sumur or the 2nd stop. Its altitude is 1750 masl and the plot is small, good only for some 3 tents. We stopped a little while for savoring snacks and hid some of the water to reduce weights on our carriers. Then we continued to Pondok Tonyok (the 3rd stop). Pondok Tonyok at ca. 2100 masl is 45 minutes away and a few hundred meters beyond Pondok Sumur towards it the trek became a little steep. But afterwards it became gentle again. The bushes were thick, grasses covered the trek and scratched our skins.
By 13:45 we reached a terrain with dried needle pine leaves covering it. A little further up a sign was nailed to a large pine tree, Pondok Mayit (the 6th stop) at 2550 m. Pondok Mayit is wide enough for many tents but the ground was sloping. Camping on it must be not very convenient like what we did back in 2009.
In the morning of October 23, 2016 we returned to the summit to enjoy the summit view. And then back to the camp site at Pondok Angin and by 8:15 we left it for Sumberwringin basecamp.
The Descent
Practicalities
Surabaya – Bondowoso 192 km 7 hours Rp. 50,000 on non-aircon bus Bondowoso – Sumberwringin 27 km 45 minutes Rp. 250,000 on rental car Alternatively Rp. 20,000 on rural bus. Sumberwringin Rp. 200,000 for 2 beds room accomodation Ticket Rp 25,000 national, Rp 50,000expatriate Logistics available in the basecamp and a shop nearby Sumberwringin – Trailhead Rp. 50,000 on motorbike taxi Trailhead – Pondok Sumur (1750 m) 2-1/2 hours Pondok Sumur – Pondok Tonyok (2100 m) 3/4 hours Pondok Tonyok – Pondok Demit (2350 m) 1 hour Pondok Demit – Pondok Mayit (2550 m) 1 hour Pondok Mayit – Pondok Angin (2750 m) 3/4 hours Pondok Angin – Deden (3000 m) 1/2 hours Deden – Summit (3200 m) 1/2 hours Pondok Angin – Trailhead 6 hours
Ijen Crater
Ijen Crater is a world famous natural phenomena said to exist only in 2 places. In Ijen Crater and somewhere far away in Iceland. Ijen Crater nowadays is a prime tourist destination and notes about it are abundant in the internet and travel books. The main attraction is the blue fire coming from the burning solid sulfur. The blue fire had been there for long time but was promoted to fame by some French naturalists in 1990’s.
There are 2 approaches, namely Bondowoso or western approach and Banyuwangi or eastern approach. Banyuwangi approach is more practical if one comes from Bali, and Bondowoso approach is better for people coming from Surabaya or Probolinggo (the town near Mount Bromo).
On October 24, 2016, 1:30 o’clock we started the 3 km trekking to the Ijen Crater rim. The trek was indeed wide enough for a car but the soil is unpaved. After a few hundred meters gentle part, the trek became quite steep. The steepness continued for some 2 km and the last 1 km was gentle. There was no lighting, you need a torch or a headlamp to trek it. The short trek took 1 hour and then we had to descend to the crater through steep rocky zig-zag path. The narrow path was also actively used by the sulfur miners to carry the 60 kg sulfur to the collecting point up there at the rim. It took 30 minutes to get into the crater where the blue fire is situated.
Going back to the crater rim was easier. There were many hikers coming down so you would not miss the path like you could when going down in the dark all by yourself. Some miners watched our ways and shouted to correct our steps.
To the east of the Ijen Crater rim, stood proudly the less trekked Mount Merapi or well known as Mount Ijen. The 2800 m tall volcano peak has become more famous lately for its unique peak scene. There is a crescent shaped bush at the peak. Situated some 2 km east of the rim, the trekking is said to be steep and at least 3 hours are required to negotiate the off tourist limit trek.
—oo0oo—
Travel updateTravel Update : Hiking Mt. Sindaraby Handjono
Good morning Copipanas …
The summit area of G Sindara was beautiful as it was before, and the crater now roars and is smoky.
—oo0oo—
|