As CNN says, snowboarding is old school. Volcano boarding is new school. Speeding down a steep volcano full speed on a board and without a helmet is one of the craziest things you can do. What’s more? The volcano is an active one, and has erupted 23 times in the past. If you’re daring enough, you can challenge the current record of going 95km per hour. A ride guaranteed to be fast and furious.
Verdict: A damn epic and adrenaline pumping 30 seconds of your life. Although it takes quite a bit of effort for these 30 seconds.
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I’ve heard about volcano boarding so many fucking times through different travel websites and bucket lists that I just simply had to go to Leon and check this one out. Getting to Leon wasn’t particularly straightforward for someone short on time and with little Spanish, so I ended up overpaying for the journey.
Upon arriving in the oven-hot Leon, I opted to do the volcano boarding tour with Bigfoot hostel. After all, Bigfoot hostel was the founder of volcano boarding and runs its tours in English (and is also the best party hostel in Leon).
The volcano, Cerro Negro, is an active volcano that last erupted in 1999 and can blow up again any time. Based on the ever-reliable Wikipedia, it is 728 meters in height and is one of the younger and more active volcanoes. It has erupted at least 23 times over its past 159 years.
The hike itself wasn’t as long or steep as I expected. The trick is, if you aren’t terribly short on cash, to pay the porters to help you carry the board up. While the board isn’t the heaviest of things, carrying it up a volcano in scorching conditions is another story altogether. A couple of people who initially refused to pay for porter assistance did so a third of the way up the volcano.
Once you’re on top of the hill, I put on the iconic orange jacket and goggles, and was ready to roll. Each of us took turns to go downhill, and unfortunately, there was only time for one run for everyone. A few people decided to go hard and try to beat the 95km/hour record for boys and 93km/hour for girls.
The tip to go fast was apparently to lean as far back as possible and lifting your legs up in a V shape as you go downhill. The thought of trying to speed downhill in this posture terrified me for a second. To slow down, all you needed to do was to lean forward and scrap your feet against the ground to generate friction. One cardinal rule is that if you go fast and make a sudden stop, this will send you tumbling.
The first 50 meters downhill was relatively flat or so, giving you a chance to have a feel of the board. The rest of the path is a straight steep downhill route where you can go as fast as you can. I tried to lean back and put my legs up but struggled to do so. As I continued pushing myself to lean back, my board slipped sideways and spun out of control. I was bounced in the air and somersaulted three times down the hill head first without a helmet. As I fell, everyone watching kept on shouting “cover your head, cover your head”. If it was that easy I would have done so, but adjusting my arms mid-air was virtually impossible. Fortunately, the gravel at the bottom of the hill was relatively soft and I ended up with a few scratches and a broken action camera.
Unsurprisingly, I learnt that the fastest boarder of the day who went 70km an hour also face planted towards the end. It seems to be a price to pay for going fast. On a more positive note, this is part of the package that you’ll need to experience.
Additional information
| When to do it? | All year round. Best to do it on a non-rainy day. |
| How to book? | You can book on the spot or online with Bigfoot hostel or other travel agencies. Bigfoot is a bit pricier than others but is the founder of volcano boarding and provides speed measurements. |
| How much does it cost? | With Bigfoot, volcano boarding costs USD35. There is also a Cerro Negro park fee of USD30 and an optional USD5 for a porter to carry your board up the hill (which is highly recommended). |
| How to get there?
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Once you are in Leon, Bigfoot or the other travel agencies will arrange transportation to Cerro Negro and back. |
| How long does it take?
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The Bigfoot tour starts at 9am and ends at 2pm. It takes around 1 to 1.5 hours to travel to Cerro Negro and another 1 to 1.5 hours back. The hike up Cerro Negro takes around 45 minutes to an hour. |
| Is it difficult/safe?
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Not the safest sport without a helmet. But you can control your speed at a comfortable level. |
| What to wear?
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Wear something for the hike up Cerro Negro. Bigfoot will provide you with an orange suit and googles. No helmets provided! Also, the guide will take pictures of everyone so there’s no need to bring a camera. |