Toward the crater Barujari

The foot of Mount Barujari only about ten yards from the current range of inflatable boats suddenly felt deflated. We rushed to find a place to pull the paddle and then blow the rubber boat. Voyage through Lake Segara Anak resumed to find the point of climbing to the summit of Mount Barujari possible.

On a bay on the western foot of the cone of Mount Barujari (2376 meters above sea level / masl), we finally pulled the boat and climb. A half-hour ascent, the road leads to the steep wall.

Pile of loose rocks the size of a buffalo was wobbly when stepped on, forced us down. Rowed the boat back around the foot Barujari to find another way.

Twilight was approaching. We decided to return to the camp across the lake and continue the climb to Barujari next morning.The fog began to fall when we started paddling. Visibility was only 5 meters. Previously calm lake surface began to ripple through the evening as the wind was blowing. Restrained pace and swing a paddle boat to be very heavy. There was no other choice but to paddle stronger.

Growing up as a child in a caldera volcano of Mount Rinjani ancient, there are only two options to achieve Barujari. The first choice of steep climbing wall. We crossed this option as too risky and has claimed many victims. Caldera was almost vertical cliff, and to cross the hands and feet resting on a small fracture-fracture. If you slip up, the water in the lake which was waiting.

The second option to cross the lake as deep as 230 meters.However, for that, because it means that additional effort is needed to bring the boat up to Lake Segara Anak in altitude of 2003 masl. The difficulty of access to Mount Barujari make a lot of climbers do not achieve it. Moreover, this active volcano is also the core area of ​​the Mount Rinjani National Park, so take extra permits.

Our boat rental from Mount Rinjani on Monitoring Post Sembalun Lawang. "The boat was first used by researchers from Belgium in 2008-2009," said Mutaharlim, head of the post. "But, no pump." We decided to blow the inflatable boat measuring 2.5 x 1.5 meters in turn. It took 30 minutes to blow it. We also make an emergency buoy of the air-filled plastic bags and stuffed in a backpack.

Climber's dream

Efforts to reach Barujari has been a dream since the first explorers. Dutch geologist, Van Bemmelen, be the first to reach Barujari. In 1917, he crossed the Segara Anak using a raft."Climbing to the top of Barujari much heavier than the climb Rinjani," wrote Bemmelen who reached the southern edge of the crater.

Volcanologists from the Directorate of Geology (London), Kama Kusumadinata, failed to climb Barujari in 1969. Local residents who drove him to fail to make a raft, while he did not dare rock crawling. In 1992, Heryadi Rachmat, researchers at the Geological Museum, wading Segara Anak with two tires in the truck which the rope was tied. "Ban on the front occupied by two people who become rowers," he said.

Tires on the back of the net given the rope to carry stuff and ride two people. Desperate crossing was not equipped with floats, a paddle was made of pine wood by the lake.

"I did not tell the two porters who come across that lake kedalamanya 230 meters," said Heryadi. He just told the depth of the lake was once again in the afternoon. "They get angry because they feel cheated," he said.

Active volcano

After failing to climb on the first day, we went back across the lake the next morning. Learning from the experience of the previous day, during the afternoon of Lake Segara Anak choppy and hard to be forded. That morning we walked north toward the caldera wall that connects the peninsula with Barujari old Rinjani crater. One hour rowing boat docked on the deposition of sand and stones on the peninsula. Fracture of rock at the foot of Barujari it, then pouring hot water into the lake Segara Anak.

The climb begins from there. Loose rock and gravel to make the ascent to be heavy. Every two steps, one step back down.Barujari that often erupt made her unstable. Finally, the mountain erupted in 2009 and 2010. From the first, Bemmelen has warned, Barujari an active volcano. "This new crater activity is much stronger than the crater of Mount Rinjani," he wrote.

After two hours of climbing, we reached the crater rim, smoky Barujari. Almost did not stop the noise, as the rocks are falling from the gaping crater of Mount Barujari. The temperature of the heat was rising from the ground, add the hot afternoon sun is baking. Geletar often felt the earthquake, along with the rocks in a landslide in the crater.

Around noon we hurried to the boat, but too late, the wind was blowing hard. We continued to paddle, remove the power. On a promontory in the middle of rafting, boat oars pushed backwards though driven hard. We took refuge in a small bay, waiting for the wind to subside.However, the afternoon, the wind even louder. Three times we fail to pass the cape wind bend it. The boat had to be withdrawn from the lake using a rope. We stand on the edge of the cliff is a narrow pull the boat past the headland.

Tanjung finally passed, but the fog began to fall. Energy drained away. When the boat finally docked into the tent, heard the faint strains of melodious songs in the ancient Javanese language. On a rock in the lake, the mountains of Sembalun stakeholders, Purnipa, sitting cross-legged chanting Kumambang Pangerumrum. Initially cloudy skies suddenly opened. The wind stopped. Ah, why not'd been humming, sir?