Unlike heat or cold or wind or fatigue, which had all made themselves unpleasantly known in raw physical ways, gravity was more insidious, creeping inside my bones, my brain and deep in my belly.

I’m a bit of a volcano junkie. I’ve hiked them all over the world, from Guatemala and Chile to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Usually, I’ll hire a porter to carry my gear – it’s a great way to give ...

"Holy cow, it's incredible," said Racine, who is normally assigned to the Johnston Ridge Observatory on the other side of the volcano. "It's hard to describe." Racine joined a group of rangers, ...