Rincón de la Vieja is an active

andesitic Andesite () is a volcanic rock of intermediate composition. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between silica-poor basalt and silica-rich rhyolite. It is fine-grained (aphanitic) to porphyritic in texture, and is composed predomin ...

complex volcano A complex volcano, also called a compound volcano or a volcanic complex, is a mixed landform consisting of related volcanic centers and their associated lava flows and pyroclastic rock. They may form due to changes in eruptive habit or in t ...

in north-western Costa Rica, about from Liberia, in the province of Guanacaste.

Toponymy

Its name means "The Old Woman's Corner", or "Old Woman’s Nook" a reference to a local legend about princess Curabanda whose lover Mixcoac, chief of a neighboring enemy tribe, who was thrown into the crater by her father Curabande, when he learned about their affair. She went on living on the side of the volcano, giving birth to a son. To be with its father, she threw her son into the volcano, too. She continued to live on the volcano and became a recluse living on the mountain, and was credited with powers of healing. Rincón de la Vieja stands above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...

, and its summit is the highest point in Rincón de la Vieja National Park. It erupted most recently in June 2021. The volcano has many

fumarole A fumarole (or fumerole) is a vent in the surface of the Earth or other rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcani ...

s and

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by c ...

s on its slopes. It is formed by felsic lava. Rincón de la Vieja is one of six active Costa Rican volcanoes: the others are Poás, Irazú,

Miravalles The Miravalles Volcano is an andesitic stratovolcano in Costa Rica. The caldera A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption. When large volumes of magma are e ...

, Arenal, and Turrialba. As of 2021, only Rincón de la Vieja, Turrialba and Poás are considered active.

Geothermal energy

There are many hot pools and areas of bubbling mud in two areas on the slopes of the volcano, indicating substantial reserves of geothermal energy. Investigations have been carried out into the feasibility of tapping these reserves, and the volcano is estimated to have a generating potential of 140

megawatt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...

s. However, as the area is protected within a national park, drilling was limited to test wells until 2001. In 2013, the extension of the Las Pailas Geothermal Power Plant to 55

, financed in part by a credit from the European Investment Bank, was started.

Tourism

The Rincón de la Vieja Volcano is set within the Rincón de la Vieja National Park, which spans over and helps protect both montane forests and dwarf cloud forests. Trails extend from the Santa Maria ranger station and wind through the park, passing hot springs and waterfalls along the way. Mammals within the park include sloths, tapirs, kinkajous, pumas, jaguar, and both howler and spider monkeys. Previously, hikers could climb to the crater and guides experienced in

wildlife Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game: those birds and mammals that were hunted ...

birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ea ...

and other interests are available. As of September 22, 2011, access to the crater is no longer available due to the eruption of September 16 where volcanic ash and mud rose over from the regular crater lagoon. Several lodges, resorts and hotels in the area offer hiking, forest canopy tours, horseback riding, river-rafting, all-terrain-vehicle riding and wall-climbing.

Activity

2010s

* 23 May 2017, eruptions occurred and lahars flowed through nearby rivers. * 11 June 2017, eruptions occurred and lahars flowed through nearby rivers.

2020s

* 4–6 April 2020, hydrothermal, gas, and steam eruption. * 19 April 2020, a ash column eruption occurs which prompts the authorities to activate emergency protocols in the surrounding areas. * 1 June 2020, a ash column eruption occurred at 5 pm, activity has been ongoing since April. * 28 June 2021, a ash column eruption occurred at 5:42 am. * 21 April 2023, a volcanic cloud was released at 3:57 pm. It was also reported that materials from the volcano’s lagoon were expelled to the northern side of the cone and had reached several surrounding rivers.

References

External links

Rincon de la Vieja, the backbone of Central America

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rincon de la Vieja Volcano Stratovolcanoes of Costa Rica Subduction volcanoes Active volcanoes Mountains of Costa Rica Complex volcanoes Volcanic crater lakes Geography of Guanacaste Province