Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Waiting The Rolling Clouds in Top of Sinabung



Mountain Sinabung in north Sumatera give a spectacular view, from its top you can enjoy the
beauty of Bukit Barisan cluster until overlaying clouds, looks like white tapestry. You will only feel pain in your knee, if you climb it until its top in height of 2.640 masl, the highest in North Sumatra. But the beauty of Mountain Sinabung can pay all of your pain.


The mountain which surrounding 4 sub-districts in Karo district, indeed the climber not much as its neighbour, Mountain Sibayak. The steep climbing path may become the one cause, why the visitors are prefer to Sibayak Mountain. Its shape which like a coconut shell, giving many places for resting. Uphilling road length reach 100 meters, even more than it.


There are 5 climbing routes, but in general climbers always start from Danau Kawar (Lake of Kawar) or Lau Kawar in villager Kuta Gugung, sub-district Naman Teran. From Kabanjahe, the capital of district Karo, the distance about 20 km, and from Medan which in 98 km.




The climbers usually start their trip in the night. While they are waiting the night fall, the make a tent in the lake side of Danau Kawar, that freshwater lake in 135 hectares wide. So many stalls which selling food and open until late night, so you dont have to cook for your own rice.


There are two fees which have to be paid to the visitors, when entering Danau Kawar, its fee is Rp. 4.000,- poorly there is no insurance facilitiy. And an official ticket within blue color which given to the visitors. It come from Tourism Office of District Karo.

The code of starting point of the climbing not too clear, nothing but a little board which written : "Gunung Sinabung 3 Kilometer" (Mountain Sinabung 3 km forward). Next, you will be challanged to pass the torturing uphills. The first two hours will boring you. Across jungle with high trees. Walk over the wooden root, sometimes crawling beneath a collapsed big tree or climb up a tree. If the rain falling, it will difficult you like slippery way.



Some branched pathway will seen along the way, but the benchmark is the uphill path and seen clearly because it always passed. There are three resting points (shelter), but these shelters only flat spot which in a car length.  There is no real shelter place, no buildings, only a spot to take a breath.


After passing pandanus hill area, the climbing path will changed. Little volcanic rocks will oftenly seen. In rainy season, you will find a spring path near the pandanus hill. If you water stock is limited, you can take it here, because so easy to get the water.


After that, is a hard rock path. You have to carefully step your feet here, because it so steep. Once you slip or lost your grab, you will sliding to the rocks. So, its better if you resting for a while and up your energy before continuing your adventure. Cold air will freezing your bone, so its better if you move on. Warm your body with moving to the top.


In the noon, view of the rocky area are so beautiful. You can see Danau Kawar below you, flanked by Bukit Barisan. The clear view will seen if no cloud covering the skies. But in the night, will only remaining cringes. You will smell sulfur aroma in this rocky path, it means you are close to the top. Only one and a half hour you will reach it.


The area of Sinabung top, marked with a wide space like football yard. Arid and dry, brown soil and stone. In the end of the yard there as gaping crater. This yard is getting smaller since Mountain Sinabung erupted in last 2010. Some part of its ground drops to the bottom, and make the crater is more gaping. Today, the remained ground looks cracked and ready to drop down. So you have more carefully if stepping on the side of that unfenced crater. 

The crater wide is just like two football yard. In the southwest you will see volcanic rocks which rising like a bunch of pillars. The highest point of it called Batu Segal. But, this is not the top of Mountain Sinabung, the top marker is a hill that have to climb again in for about 5 minutes again.





source : http://travel.detik.com/read/2012/05/01/111150/1905742/1025/

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