The people who study volcanoes up close, volcanologists, have to be incredibly brave individuals and very sure of themselves and their understanding of the geologic processes they're studying. No way would I do that.
Here in NZ we have some active volcanoes and places where the steam heats the water still...smells a bit gruesome though they say you get used to the sulphur smell (bit like rotten eggs! )
When I was growing up my father was a Seabee (navy construction) and we went to the Philippines for almost three years. When we were there we went on a vacation and went to see a volcano that hadn't erupted in about a hundred years or more. the tour guide was surprised that the ground felt so hot so he decided we should leave, a couple of days later it erupted. Goes to show you can't trust nature to do what you want.
I popped my top....