Antigua and Volcan Pacaya

After passing through Antigua multiple times to change shuttles and to climb Volcan Agua, I finally got to spend some time there this weekend.  

One of the great things about living in Guatemala is the close proximity to a lot of fun weekend trips.  Sunday morning was a perfect example, we were able to hike Volcan Pacaya in the morning and make it back to the city by mid-day.  Pacaya is an active volcano.  There isn’t any lava flows or smoke (like on near-by Fuego), but there are hot vents and caves and the most recent big eruption was in 2010.

Volcanoes Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego in the distance.

Atop Central America

This weekend I decided to climb Volcan Tajumulco, the tallest peak in Central America at 4220m (13,845 ft).  It’s located in the department of San Marcos, on the border with Mexico.  We left Xela at 6am, finally started climbing around 11, and immediately ascended into fog.

Base camp was set up at 4,000m, just below the final ascent to the top.  We climbed up the twin peak of Tajumulco, but the fog never lifted so this is about all that there was of sunset.

After a toasty campfire it was off to bed until 3:45AM.

We got up the next morning and climbed in the dark the rest of the way to the top to watch the sunrise over the clouds, the Pacific coast, and volcanoes in Guatemala, Mexico, and El Salvador.

Volcanoes Acatenango, Fuego, and Agua.

Santa Maria Volcano and smoke from the Santiaguito Volcano

On the way down, you could finally see what we’d hiked past in the dark.  And there were some incredible views.

The shadow of Tajumulco on Central America's 2nd higest peak, Volcan Tacana, straddling the border with Mexico.

The clouds finally part so you can actually see Tajumulco.

The end.