Pagi itu terasa sangat berbeda. Dingin yang menggigit meskipun sudah memakai balaclava, kaus kaki tebal dan sarung tangan, serta dua jaket di balik kantung tidur berbahan polar membuat saya harus terbangun berkali-kali. Ya, pagi itu saya menghabiskan malam di Ranu Kumbolo. Informasi suhu minimal harian -5° hingga -20° Celcius yang terdapat di papan informasi saya sadari bukan hanya bualan. Tenda gunung berkapasitas empat orang yang diisi tiga orang terasa lebih kosong. Saya lihat satu teman di tenda saya sudah tidak berada di kantung tidurnya, mungkin bergabung dengan rombongan lainnya yang terdengar sedang bernyanyi menggunakan speaker portable di sekitar api unggun, tidak jauh dari tenda kami. Satu teman saya masih pulas tertidur seakan-akan tidak ada bedanya tidur di ranjang di rumah dan di tenda alam terbuka. Jam tangan outdoor di lengan kiri sudah menunjukkan pukul 5 pagi. Saya segera mengambil perlengkapan kamera DSLR saya dan melakukan peregangan sekedar untuk menghilangkan rasa dingin. Rupanya saya tidak sendiri. Di pinggir danau sudah terpasang beberapa tripod sementara tuannya masih berkutat dengan kameranya masing-masing di dalam tenda. Beberapa membuat minuman hangat, beberapa terlihat duduk terpaku menunggu terbitnya matahari di ufuk timur. Saya dan beberapa teman memutuskan untuk bergerak memutari pinggiran danau untuk mencari titik pandang yang lebih bagus. Kabut yang tebal tidak mengurangi niat kami. Air danau yang tenang dan diselimuti asap kabut tipis membuat kami memilih jalan yang tidak harus memasukkan kaki kami ke dalam air danau
I had unusual feeling that morning. The frostbite even I had already wear balaclava, thick socks and gloves, and also two thick outdoor jacket inside a polar built sleeping bag, made me awake a few times. Yup, that morning I was in the mountain, in Ranu Kumbolo. I must admit that information of daily lowest temperature here from 23 to -4 deg Fahrenheit which was written on the information board, was true. The mountaineering tent with four persons capacity was only occupied by three persons feels spacier. I saw one of my friend had already leaving his sleeping bag and joined other group's camp fire, singing around using music that came from speaker built mp3 player. The other is still sleeping as there was no difference sleeping in outdoor here and his own bedroom. It was 5 am. shown by my outdoor wristwatch. I immediately prepared DSLR camera for acclimatization and did some stretching to warming up my body. I was not alone. Around the lakeside, a few tripod has been set while the owner still preparing the camera inside the tent. clever!. Some of them were drinking some hot tea or coffee and some of them is sitting next to their tripod waiting still until the sunrise. Yup, the sunrise view here is amazingly astonishing. Realized that the lakeside has already been occupied, me and some of my group decide to walk around to find better view. Thick mist was not our obstacle, but the cold water in the lake that covered by layer of fog made me avoid the path that has to put our feet inside the water
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| Super Slow Speed Ranu Kumbolo |
Hari semakin terang, semburat orange di antara dua bukit adalah pertanda matahari akan segera muncul, atau sudah muncul. Cakrawala masih tertutup kabut tebal, sehingga sunrise tidak akan nampak jelas di bingkai cropped sensor DSLR saya. Di tempat ini, pohon tumbang yang berada sebagian di dalam danau dan permukaan danau yang seakan-akan berasap sepertinya akan menjadi komposisi yang bagus. Saat itu hanya kami berlima di tempat ini, kompleks perkemahan samar-samar terlihat karena terhalangi kabut. Saya siapkan tripod dan menyesuaikan posisi, tinggi, dan level terhadap view yang akan saya simpan di sensor kamera saya. Pengaturan dilakukan sesuai kondisi sekitar dan keluaran yang saya inginkan, komposisi dan fokus, lalu penghitung mundur 2 detik disiapkan dan saya menunggu momen yang tepat....
The sky became brighter, orange rays between two monumental hills was the sign that the sunrise will took place. The horizon is still covered by thick fog, the sign that the sunrise will not be successfully captured in my cropped sensor DSLR. I thought, the fallen log that partially drown inside the lake and the smokey lake will be a good composition. There were only five of us in here enjoying this amazing view and the surrounding is covered by thick fog. I set my tripod, adjust the height, position, and level and begin arrange composition. The 1-stop increments of 5-stops bracket setting is applied then manual focus of my wide angle lens to find the sharpest image. Then 2 sec delay shutter is pressed and voila...
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| Matahari terbit di Ranu Kumbolo // Sunrise at Ranu Kumbolo |
Mengenai Ranu Kumbolo
Ranu Kumbolo adalah danau hasil proses vulkanik. Danau seluas 14 Ha ini terdapat di area Taman Nasional Bromo, Tengger, dan Semeru (TNBTS). Danau ini terdapat di jalur pendakian Gunung Semeru. Secara administrasi, danau ini terletak di antara Kabupaten Lumajang dan Malang di Jawa Timur. Tidak ada fasilitas penginapan, warung, ataupun pemukiman penduduk di sekitar sini, jadi persiapan fisik dan perbekalan harus dipersiapkan secara matang. Namun perjalanan panjang tersebut akan terbayar dengan keindahan alam tiada duanya.
About Ranu KumboloRanu Kumbolo was a volcanic crater that transform into lake. The 0.14 sq. km. lake is located at Bromo, Tengger, Semeru National Park. This lake is located in mount Semeru hiking track. This lake administratively located between Lumajang district and Malang in East Java province. There is no lodging facility, food stalls, or houses around here, so physical preparadness, equipment and logistic shall be prepared. The journey is quite exhausting, but the view and freshness will be a memorable experience.
Menuju ke sana
Untuk mencapai Ranu Kumbolo, bisa dicapai dari Lumajang, Malang atau Probolinggo. Perjalanan dari kota Malang, jika menggunakan kendaraan pribadi adalah melalui Stasiun Belimbing menuju ke jalan Laksamana Adisucipto melewati pertigaan ke Bandara Abdur Rahman Saleh terus menuju ke Tumpang. Kendaraan harus yang bertenaga besar atau memiliki gardan ganda, karena akses jalan kesana menanjak dan jalan yang tidak rata. Namun proyek perbaikan jalan oleh Pemerintah Malang di pertengahan Oktober 2013 mungkin akan mengurangi tantangan perjalanan kesana. Dari pertigaan Tumpang perjalanan dilanjutkan ke kiri, menanjak ke arah Tengger hingga pertigaan Jemplang, lurus ke arah Ranu Pani. Jika dari Probolinggo, bergerak ke selatan menuju Kawasan Bromo, melewati jalan berpasir Bromo hingga pertigaan Jemplang, belok kiri ke arah Ranu Pani. Jika dari Lumajang, bergerak ke arah barat laut menuju Ranu Pani. Dari Ranu Pani, perjalanan ke Ranu Kumbolo dilanjutkan dengan berjalan kaki 5 – 6 jam melalui jalur pendakian normal menuju Gunung Semeru.
How to get there
To reach Ranu Kumbolo, we can start from Lumajang, Malang or Probolinggo, any of them to Ranu Pani. Generally, local hikers will take Malang as starting point because more convenient, more transportation alternatives, and more lodging and outdoor equipment provider/rent. Transportation alternatives are train to Malang Baru station, Buses to Arjosari Terminal, and Airplane to Abdur Rahman Saleh airport in Malang or Juanda Airport in Sidoarjo, continue by land transport to Malang. The road to Ranu Pane are damaged and have high slopes, so it will be better to rent 4WD car. The road upgrading project in October 2013 may improve the access to get there. The route will be Malang - Tumpang - Jemplang - Ranu Pani. From Ranu Pani, the journey to Ranu Kumbolo will be continued by walking hilly track of about 8 miles that is approximately 5-6 hours on foot, depend on our pace.
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| Padang savana Ranu Kumbolo // Ranu Kumbolo's Savana |
