Climing a Volcano

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El volcan Pacaya is 2500 m high, and erupted for 1 year and 3 months ending about 10 months ago. Fresh lava still flows today. It is one of 3 active volcanos in Guatemala and can be seen from Guatemala city. We climbed it today in about 3.5 hours. It should be noted that guidebooks and hotels say it takes 5 hours. About 3/4 of the way up we hit a windy ridge of lava rock. We hiked about another 30 minutes passing over flowing lava...well it was below the hardened lava we were walking on. Off to the side we could see the actual flowing lava and at one point the air was so hot that it felt as though my exposed ankles were burning.

It was a hard climb both up and down! The children at the bottom sold walking sticks for 5 Quetzales (Q) each which they cited as necesario. They were right. Give them the 5 Q! While it is possible to climb without one, it made it safer and more secure both up and down!!!! Lava rock shifts, and footing was precarious. It also helped with the steep climb...

The rewards were great...I got to feed the rat (some of you will get this), pushed way past my limits, saw red flowing lava (got to push a stick in it too), and saw amazing vistas! But the costs were also great. I fell coming down and gauged my leg, baged my knee and shin (they will recover...maybe with scars...pretty sure I couldn´t get out all of the lava rock) and have blisters on both heels. Oh - and ripped my pants. No volcano hiking in North Face pants again....hole in the butt and leg. Not impressed with my ´durable ´pants. But this was once in a lifetime. Speaking of feeding the rat...I found a good quote / definition that reflected this experience. "Is not willing to ruin the game by dying because that would be stupid and they abhor stupidity"

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