Turrialba Volcano

Location: Turrialba Volcano National Park,  Central Volcanic Mountain Range, 16 km northwest of Turrialba

Altitude: 3340 meters (10,922 feet)

The Spaniards called this volcano "Torre Alba" (White Tower) because its eruptions gave the impression of a huge white tower.

This large, volcano stands to the northeast of the Irazu Volcano.  Its chilly summit holds three principle craters, but, since there are no paved roads to the top, it receives few visitors.  Nature lodges located in the area offer horseback excursions to the top.

The Turrialba crater is 2200 meters wide at the widest point and is made up of three principal craters.  One crater east is 100 meters in diameter and has an intermittent body of water.  

The central crater possesses an intermittent lake, thanks to abundant precipitation in the region and has fumarolic activity.  The western crater has magmatic activity, but not more recently than more than 150 years ago. 

Currently, the Turrialba Volcano demonstrates activity in the form of escaping gas and vapors and has some instability in its internal and external walls.  It has an explosive potential that, if it erupted to its potential, it could be devastating to the Central Valley.