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Standing on the crest of a volcano, I see a 45-

degree slope of rock granules rough enough to

strip the husk off a coconut plunging from

beneath my feet. I’m expected to toboggan down this

slope at speeds of anything up to 90km/h on a piece of

plywood. All I can think is: “How on earth did I let

Cameron talk me into this?”

Cameron had, like any smart travel companion,

played to my weaknesses: the promise of getting out

into the middle of nowhere and getting a little bit dirty,

while getting up close to an incredible natural

phenomenon – an active volcano.

Cerro Negro is a volcano in the Cordillera de los

Maribios mountains in Nicaragua. The volcano is about

10km from Malpaisillo, the nearest village, and an hour’s

drive from León, the country’s second-biggest city. León

is home to what many consider to be Central America’s

largest cathedral, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption,

which was built between 1747 and 1814. The strength of

the cathedral’s walls has allowed it to endure

earthquakes, wars and volcanic eruptions.

Cerro Negro, meaning Black Hill in Spanish, is so

named because of the volcano’s dark, gravely basaltic

VOLCANICaction

Adventure nicaragua

Sledding down Cerro Negro at highspeed is not for the faint-hearted,

writes Victoria Burrows

Cerro Negro volcano attracts surfers who seek the ultimate thrill.

Photos: Victoria Burrows

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cinder cone, which contrasts with the surrounding

verdant landscape. It is the youngest volcano in

Central America, having first appeared in 1850.

Despite its youth, Cerro Negro has been one of the

most active volcanoes in Nicaragua, erupting 23

times, most recently in 1999. Today, however, the

volcano seems deep in sleep, only emitting a

sulphurous wheeze from the depths of its crater.

Still, I felt a slight undertone of tension in the air

among my 14 fellow boarders as we met at 9am at Big

Foot hostel. The hostel was set up in 2004 by

Australian tour guide Daryn Webb, who had grown up

sandboarding in Queensland. He recognised the

dune-like slope of the volcano wall and began

experimenting with sledding vessels – everything

from picnic tables to a minibar fridge – until he

settled on his own design: plywood reinforced with

metal and coated with formica to decrease resistance

and increase speed.

With the sled perfected, volcano boarding became

the world’s latest adventure sport; León was probably

the only place in the world where one could slide

down the side of an active volcano. Since then, more

than 15,000 people have sped down Cerro Negro’s

exterior wall. Cameron was dead set on adding our

names to the list.

But, like all other volcano boarders, we had to get

there. That involved clambering into the back of a

bright orange Mercedes monster truck and hanging on

to the railings as the driver negotiated the narrow dirt

roads thick with volcanic ash from the most recent

eruption. A couple of times, trees had drooped across

the road, so the driver lifted the manhole cover on the

truck cabin, climbed out and chopped the branches

down with the machete he had tucked into his belt.

After a bumpy ride past simple homesteads and

emerald green fields, avoiding men in cowboy hats on

horseback and wandering cows, we reached Cerro

Negro National Park and had our first glimpse of the

black dome reaching up to about 730 metres above

us (the height varies with each eruption, experts say).

Our guide, a handsome Brazilian named Gabriel,

handed us each a canvas bag containing a protective

jumpsuit and goggles as we jumped from the truck.

We were each allocated a sled. We had our own water

with us – the heat from the volcano, the Nicaraguan

sun and the warm breeze we had been warned about,

when booking the expedition (US$25 for the

experience, US$5 to enter the park) would all add up

to extremely thirsty conditions.

We had an hour-long ascent ahead of us, and we

The Basilica of the Assumption in León is thought to be Central America’s

largest cathedral and has withstood earthquakes, wars and volcanic eruptions.

Climbing Cerro Negro volcano involves an hour-long walk on which big boulders

must be negotiated without twisting an ankle.

ggg

Cerro Negro (Black Hill) is so named because of the volcano’s dark, gravely

basaltic cinder cone, which contrasts with the surrounding greenery.

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set off excitedly – except for a group of seven

Portuguese travellers in their 30s, who had been out

partying in León the night before and were looking the

worse for wear after the bumpy ride.

The walk started on big boulders that took some

concentration to manoeuvre without twisting an ankle.

The rocks became smaller, eventually turning to

gravel, making the climb easier, though steeper. After

45 minutes of looping in an arc round the back of the

volcano, we stopped at a large boulder that jutted out,

making it a perfect spot for a photograph. The ebony

rocks looked stark against the lush green hills in the

background.

Then we dropped down into the crater. Cameron

and I were lagging behind after enjoying the view, and

Gabriel shouted at us to hurry – we were after all in

the crater of an active volcano. The scene was

otherwordly: bulbous rocks in brown, yellow, pink,

orange and white stacked up in walls; and clouds of

sulphur rising up from fissures between white and

brown layers of earth. The rock felt hot in places, a

reminder of the forces at play underneath our feet.

Our route then led us up the opposite interior

slope of the crater to the crest, where we would

toboggan down. Here 15 of us gathered around

Gabriel as he ran through procedures for the descent

– how to balance, steer and control speed. I had

complained about my sled being heavy and

cumbersome on the climb, but now it seems so

flimsy.

The street life is colourful in the colonial town of León, Nicaragua’s second-largest city.

There is accommodation to suit all budgets

in León.

Bigfoot Hostel (www.bigfootnicaragua.com),

which runs the volcano boarding trips, is a fun

option for lively young travellers who don’t

mind sharing bathrooms, while just a few

streets away is the Hotel El Convento

(www.elco

nventonicaragua.com), housed in a former

convent.

Expect a manicured courtyard garden,

spacious rooms with stone floors and elegant,

old-fashioned furnishings.

León is a fascinating city to wander around,

the central area dominated by charming

colonial buildings, with plenty of bakeries, bars

and churches to catch your breath in. The

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, the

biggest cathedral in Central America, is a

highlight;

its grand exterior is matched by a serene

interior in the palest of wedding-cake pink.

Don’t miss out on sampling the best local

food in town at the nighttime stalls behind the

cathedral – expect mouthwatering tacos,

sausages and barbecued meats.

LIVING IT UP IN LEÓN

Specially constructed

wooden boards were

designed for volcanic

slopes by Australian

sandboarder Daryn Webb.

{ }I’m wearing the thick orange overalls and green-

tinged goggles that make me look like I should be

tending a burst main in the municipal water supply,

but my hands are bare, and Gabriel is explaining how

important it is to not reach out for support.

“Whatever you do, don’t try to balance or slow

down with your hands,” he says, his big smile looking

increasingly, to me, like a grimace. “The rock is like

sandpaper. You will have no skin left.”

When he asks if anyone is going to attempt to beat

the record of 90km/h, most of the women, including

me, snort in a mixture of terror and disbelief, but

Cameron and two German brothers, in their 20s, say

they will give it their best shot. Gabriel grins, slaps

them on the back and wishes them well.

“You’ll have to wait, though. It’s ladies first on this

volcano.”

A couple of women reluctantly agree to go first and

sit down on their boards. “Goggles! Goggles!” shouts

Gabriel as Mara almost forgets to pull the shades

resting on her forehead over her eyes. Then they are

off, screaming, clouds of black dust rising up behind

them.

I can’t take the waiting any longer and put my sled

next in line. I sit down, pressing my feet into the

board, holding on to the steering rope. The sled starts

sliding, and I reach out to steady myself with my right

hand. I can feel the gritty rocks scratch my skin and I

yank my hand back. I use my feet on either side of the

board to slow my speed. Gravel bits fly up into my

face and into my mouth. The sled is shaking, rocking

from side to side, but I’m trying to use my feet to

steady it.

There’s a deafening sound of crunching rocks. I’m

going faster and faster. Then the final slope is ahead –

the steepest at 41 degrees. I’m covered in grit, the end

is in sight, so I decide to embrace my fate. I put my

feet back on the sled, letting the board gather speed. I

rush down the final decline in a straight, smooth line.

And then it’s all over. It lasted just minutes but felt

like hours.

I later learn from Bigfoot’s radar gun that I clocked

a decent 35km/h.

Cameron was the fastest of the day at 65km/h, but

he paid a price for his speed, flipping his board in a

dramatic spill that earned him scratches on his arms

and ankles.

His board was broken in two. The two German

brothers didn’t reach the speeds they had hoped, but

they looked thrilled. “I wish I could do it all over

again,” say Hans, with a big grin as I took a photo of

him and his brother against the backdrop of the

slope.

Orange overalls unbuttoned to the waist, faces

dirtied with volcanic dust, it’s the kind of photo they

will be showing their grandchildren one day.

Cerro Negro attracts volcano boarders from all over the world. Photo: Thinkstock

gggg

It lasted justminutes but

felt likehours

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