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Guatemala #4 - Acatenango Volcano

Wɔatintim: 13.12.2019

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The ascent to the Acatenango volcano was a literal great adventure and an absolute highlight of our trip, with its height of 3976 meters.

With its almost 4000 meters, it is the third highest mountain in Central America. What is exceptional here is the proximity between the three volcanoes Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego, which shape the landscape. The craters of Acatenango and Fuego are only about four kilometers apart as the crow flies!

They lie side by side like two brothers, with the small but fine difference that Fuego is very active and currently produces about ten eruptions of various intensities per hour! With some luck and the right weather, we would be able to see Fuego erupt from a short distance.

11am: naive smile after the first few meters

But first, we had to climb up. The first day was planned for the ascent to the base camp at 3600 meters and overnight stay there. The next day, in the early morning, the missing 400 meters would follow to admire the sunrise from the top of Acatenango, followed by the descent into the valley. After several weeks without any significant physical activity, we were prepared to push our limits.

Ascent

The final preparations were made: winter clothing was borrowed, ankles taped, and hiking poles trimmed. After a short motivational speech from the lead guide, our international group set off on the ascent.

The first stage led us past blooming fields and through shady forests. It could still have been a completely normal mountain. But after lunch, we gradually realized that the increasingly loud rumbling must come from the active Fuego, not from our stomachs.

Soon, the first patches of clouds passed us and the ever-changing vegetation, then we passed the treeline and denser clouds forced us to put on our rain jackets. After five mostly intense and sometimes enjoyable hours, we reached the base camp at 3600 meters.

Mother Nature shows its full power

But the hard ascent was not yet rewarded; when we arrived at the top, the whole surroundings were shrouded in thick clouds that brought rain from time to time. Every now and then, the tiny lights of the villages below us managed to break through the haze. A perspective that we only knew from airplanes.

4pm: the friendliest moment of the whole evening, no joke

The view was hazy, but the presence of Fuego was clearly felt. The accumulating tension in the air was palpable, then the explosive rumbling that made the earth tremble under our feet. In the distance, storm clouds settled around the surrounding volcanoes; Mother Nature seemed to be pulling out all the stops.

Although it was only half past three, twilight seemed to have already begun. At the latest now, it was time to wrap ourselves in any available clothing. Those who didn't immediately disappear exhausted in their tents sought refuge by the small fire. Towards nightfall, the temperature dropped towards freezing point. But the natural spectacle seemed to be just getting started.

We still couldn't see the surrounding colossi. However, we were treated to hundreds of lightning flashes that projected the outlines of the volcanoes into the mist for fractions of a second. A loud rumble, followed by an unfamiliar roaring sound - the clouds illuminated for a brief moment in the bright, dazzling light of the lava. From a distance, we could hear the dull impacts of the rocks, followed by the crumbling noise of the fiery red avalanches. It's amazing how small one feels in the face of the combined power of nature!

That night, we witnessed an unparalleled natural spectacle, even if we couldn't perceive it clearly with all our senses. The hope that the sky might clear up kept us awake for a long time, until we were the last ones left by the small fire - in vain. Considering the fact that we would have to be back on our tired legs before sunrise, we also sought the long overdue sleep.

Our small, slightly sloping tent was equipped with two thick sleeping bags and sleeping mats. We were so frozen that we wrapped ourselves in our entire gear: winter jackets, hats, scarves, and gloves, all in the sleeping bags. But it wasn't just the cold that made it an unforgettable bad night. Due to the lack of oxygen and the long time spent by the open fire, our heads were pounding. The loud explosions and the ongoing rumbling kept pulling us out of half-sleep. The volcano didn't give us or itself any break.

Joyful awakening

When we finally stuck our heads out of the tent around half past three, the landscape was still marked by the numerous sky lanterns, but with one crucial difference: we had a clear view!

No minute later, it became loud again, the ground seemed to shake, the fiery lava shot in all directions and rolled out a red carpet over one side of the volcano. "Did you see that?!" - Suddenly, tiredness and all the hardships were forgotten. Just now, on the morning of the third anniversary of our relationship, we saw a volcano eruption up close for the first time!

One by one, we heard the zippers of the other tents, followed by euphoric exclamations in different languages.

The dawn broke, and we set off to climb the last part in the light freezing temperatures of the flashlight. In the cold air, almost every meter of altitude made itself felt on the lungs, breathing became difficult. After 200 meters of ascent, we surpassed the height of the erupting Fuego; another 200 meters separated us from the summit of Acatenango. Numerous lightning flashes were still visible in the background of the volcanoes.

Unforgettable moments

Orange tones were already noticeable on the horizon as we reached the crater-like summit - we had made it!

After the overwhelming joy of the accomplished ascent, we were overwhelmed by the breathtaking panorama. We let our gaze wander, and in every direction, we saw numerous volcanoes rising from the cloud cover.

While Fuego continued to emit dense smoke clouds and lava into the sky, the sun rose directly above the summit of Aguas. We could literally see the first rays of sun coloring the peaks orange and slowly descending down the mountains, gradually displacing the darkness from the valleys. In silent awe, we watched Guatemala awaken beneath us. The sun rays hit our frozen faces, and a permanent smile appeared.

We spent a far too short hour on the third highest summit in Central America. The way back to the base camp turned out to be really fun. Instead of taking the official hiking trail, our guides chose a furrow that a lava flow once drew downhill. On the frozen lumps of lava, we were able to descend the 400 meters controlled in a few minutes by repeated jumps.

The entire landscape, which was shrouded in dense thunderclouds the previous evening, now shone in the morning sunshine. After breakfast, we started the descent into the valley at eight o'clock - exhausted but filled with blissful contentment. The intense impressions of the last hours will likely stay with us for a lifetime.