Cerro Quemado

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This was supposed to be a training hike, but with the cancellation of a tour group it became a fun trek up the hill behind Xela. Cerro Quemado - burnt hill - is 3300 metres of wrecked mountain, blown apart many thousands of years ago when it was estimated to be 6500 metres high and the highest mountain in the Americas

Starting at Casa Argentina we had a 10 minute walk through town to the bottom of the hill, then it was up, up and up, first through pastures, then pine-rhododendron forests the trail winding through random volcanic rocks, steam vents and itchy ivy.

The crux of the problem was the final ascent up through a corkscrew cave to the summit, where we had amazing views down on Xela and further to the east a massive lava field of which I was completely ignorant of prior to the trek.

At the end of the lava field prayer huts can be seen at a sacred site, this is immediatly adjacent to La Moila one of the best climbing crags in Guatemala, we will post some more pictures from this vicinity when Penny finally manages to get me to go for a run!

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