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.
