Lava to Ash T e lava here is diff erent in another way, too.


Most cooled lava turns into hard rock. It stays hard for a long time. T is lava doesn’t. Aſt er it cools, it falls apart easily. T at’s because of what’s in this lava. It has more carbon dioxide and sodium in it than most other lavas. All it takes to break up the lava is a little


moisture. T e water starts a chemical reaction. Within days, the cooled lava can turn silvery gray, then snowy white. It turns into a salty ash. To me, it looks like snow. T is ash covers the volcano. In some places,


it’s many centimeters thick. It coats my boots and blows into my eyes. It also washes into the valley and flows into a lake. It helps make the lake super salty, so little can live there. A kind of algae thrives, though. It turns the lake bright red. Flamingos flock to the lake to eat the algae. T e birds are beautiful.


Up Close To me, though, the lava is even more beautiful.


Now that I know where it’s safe to walk, I head to a lava dome and climb it. I hear a faint sputter of magma under my feet. It doesn’t seem too dangerous. A little later, I learn how wrong I am. I’m


exploring another part of the crater when I hear a loud noise. Bang! A dome bursts. Lava gushes out. It quickly flows across the crater. Luckily, no one is in the lava’s path. I take it


as a warning. T is volcano can turn dangerous in a split second. I always need to be careful. Next, I carefully climb a chimney. Even


so, pieces of rock break off in my hand. T e chimney shakes. I hear magma rumbling. My heart pounds. I know there’s only a layer


of crumbly rock between the lava and me. It’s too risky, even for me. I climb back down.


16 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXTREME EXPLORER


Always Changing Aſt er a week exploring and taking pictures, it’s


time to leave. First, though, I stand on the edge of the crater. I close my eyes and listen. T e vibrating ground rumbles. T e bubbling


magma gurgles. T e flowing lava roars. T e cooling lava crackles. It sounds like the clinking of china cups. T en I open my eyes and take a last look.


By the time I return, this volcano will look diff erent. Already, the wing-shape rock has crumbled. It was there one minute. T en poof! It shattered and was gone. I know this odd volcano will keep changing.


Domes will collapse, sending new rivers of black lava flowing across the crater. Lava will spurt and gush, making new shapes. T at makes me want to come back. I want to


listen to this volcano’s music again. I want my photographs to capture its magic forever.


Lava spurts near a member of Peter’s climbing team.


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