Gunung Semeru
Mt Semeru has been a very tempting for experienced trekker to climb to get to the top of Mahameru, the great mountain. Considered as sacred and honored as the father of Gunung Agung and Gunung batur in Bali by Balinese Hindu that Hindu people visit this mountain to pray.Climbing Gunung Semeru can be described as trekking through 17 KM of beautiful places. Here are spots on mt Semeru :
Ranu Pane
Ranu Pane is the last village on the slope of Mt Semeru.Located on 2100 m asl, also place where climbers transit. In dutch colonial era, this 225 ha was hired by a Dutchman, A Gisius who erected boerderij (farm and livestock) “de Semeroehoeve”. He was also representative of “Nederlandsch-Indische Vereeniging voor Bergsport” (The association of Netherlands Indies climbers), and also owned an inn in Ranu Kumbolo and Arcopodo. After the arrival of Japan, Gisius family is not known anymore.
Ranu Kumbolo
Ranu means lake. Ranu Kumbolo is 14 ha with elevation of 2.380 m asl. This lake was formed by a massive Gunung Jambangan crater that has condensed, that the water accommodated does not flow with gravity. Is the biggest lakes among others in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Ranu Pane (1 ha), Ranu Regulo (0.75 ha), Ranu Darungan (o.5 ha). On the lakeside, there is a remain of Majapahit Empire, where Mpu Kameswara reached purity and perfection.
Pangonan Cilik
In the vicinity of Ranu Kumbolo, spans a Savanna on Ayek-ayek Valley, that is called Pangonan Cilik. Pangonan means grazing, as local people sees the Savanna resembles to a grazing for livestock.
Oro-oro Ombo
Oro-oro Ombo is savanna with 100 ha size, with slope overgrown by pine trees surrounded by hills and mountain with an amazing scenery. Behind Gunung Kepolo, the spouting smoke and summit of Mt Semeru is visible.
Cemoro Kandang
ON the south of part Oro-oro Ombo, located Cemoro Kandang forest which is part of Gunung Kepolo (3.095m) cluster. Cemoro Kandang is dominated by mountain pines (Casuarina junghuniana) and ferns.This area has flat topography and sometimes mammals can be seen here.
Jambangan Savannah
This Savannah is overgrown with pines, mentigi and edelweis, and also has flat topography. From this spot, Mahameru Peak can be seen more vividly with its texture, lava and amazing color with sprouting smoke.
Kalimati
This is where climbers should prepare before ascending further to the cone of Gunung Semeru. Kalimati derives from a river (javanese: Kali) that is dry except on rainy season where the stream will fuse and flow down with Semeru lahars. Kalimati is a Savannah with bush and very spacious of Edelweis, around 20 ha, and surrounded by natural forest and not-so-high hills.
There is a spring located here, Manik Spring, just 1 km trace down the dry river.
The Spring is used by Hindhu adherents as holy water.
Arcopodo
Next track from Kalimati is a steep one. Arcopodo spans on the slope of Semeru Summit with upward steep winding dusty path. Arcopodo is a transit spot before proceeding to the summit.This is where the bounds lattermost vegetation, on 3.250 m height from the sea level.
In Arcopodo stay two twin (javanese : podo) statues (javanese: reco or arco). It said that those statues were gone, but in 1984, Herman O Lantang and Norman Edwin found the existence of the statues.After Arcopodo, there is no plant can be found, except one-and-only Pine Tree (Cemoro Tunggal), that has been reported to fall down on November 2009. All the way to the top from Arcopodo is just steep rocky and sandy slope of 60 to 80 deg.
Mahameru Peak
Maha means grand or great and Meru derives from Hindu myth means where gods reside and also as the centrum of the universe.
From the summit, a grandeur vista of Java Island can be relished.Malang on the west, Mt kepolo and Tengger Mountains on the north, Argopuro on the east and on the south is the south coastline of Java. And sight of smoke of Jonggring Seloko that erupts every 15 to 30 minutes and explodes volcanic blocks preceded by white, grey to black smoke that soar 300 to 800 meters high in the air.
From distance, the peak of Semeru resembles perfect shape of cone, but on top, its summit has a strato shape. Semeru has 2 craters, Semeru Crater that is not active and Jonggring Seloko Crater that is still active and the central of its activity. Mt Semeru is no a dangerous volcano because it has open crater that releases its energy gradually little by little.