Intro
Olympus Mons is Mars' and the solar system's largest volcano, a colossal shield volcano. It boasts a vast 624 km (374 miles) diameter, akin to the size of Arizona, and reaches a towering 25 km (16 miles) in height. Encircled by a 6km (4 miles) high scarp, Olympus Mons features an 80-kilometer (50-mile) wide caldera at its summit. To put its size into perspective, Earth's largest volcano, Mauna Loa, stands at 10 km in height and spans 120 km across. The volume of Olympus Mons surpasses Mauna Loa by approximately 100 times, and it could accommodate the entire Hawaiian island chain within its massive expanse. The immense scale of Olympus Mons is due to higher eruption rates and the influence of Mars' lower surface gravity, allowing for more extensive lava flows. Unlike Earth, where crustal plates move above stationary hotspots, Mars' stationary crust results in the accumulation of lava in one colossal volcano. Here, we present the climbing experience of Olympus Mons, divided into leisure hiking and summit expedition groups. If you are a passionate mountaineer, you can join the summit expedition team and become the first to reach the highest point of the largest volcano in the solar system! Also, you are able to view the unique Caldera structure at the summit there.
