Volcano Pacaya

Cindy and I love to do things but I would not call eithe of us incredible athletes or even in great shape (I often state I am a shape but not in shape).

All of that aside we both have wanted to see an active volcano. After missing it in Hawaii in College with my Dad and not being able to go up or see it due to weather in Costa Rica we got our chance in Guatemala.

Guatemala has 38 volcano's and three of them our currently active. We booked a guide for Pacaya. Our day started at 5:50 AM with our hotel pickup and a couple hour drive (should have been 1 but our bus drive looked for a missing couple for an extra hour... ugh).

We finally made it to the base camp and paid the park office (Pacaya is in a national park). Our guide was 28 years old and made it clear to us that it was not a competition and we could take our time.

Cindy and I with our group of 6 other adventurers spent a couple of hours climbing up the mountain. We started off in damp and cloudy weather and we kept hoping with every gasping breath up the hill that the skies would clear. The climb was tough but we did not give in to the pressure of the few local guys with horses that followed us asking "Taxi" and made the trek with our own feet.

Just as we came out of the woods and up a grassy clearing the clouds moved out of the way and we saw the top of the Volcano. From that point on we were not tired and quickly made our way to the top of a side crater. As we got just below the rim we were amazed at the difference in temperature. From this point we moved toward a lava flow were we got to walk on the flow. It is amazing what the lack of contigency law suits will allow. In what can only be described as a truly Central American experience we walked on the 2 day old flow and as our guide took us out to the edge we were amazed to feel our feet getting warmer and warmer and we could literally see red lava moving around us and of course under us. Our guide had a walking stick of wood he picked up on the way up the hill and he delighted in showing us how it bursted into flames as he pushed it down into the cracks around us.

Needless to say it was amazing but in hindsight not something I would advise viewers to try at home. We moved off the flow took our pictures, checked our shoes and then made our way down to the bottom no worse for the wear.

Here are some quick facts about Volcano Pacaya
Location: 14.38N, 90.60W Elevation: 8,371 feet (2,552 meters)
Since 1965, Pacaya has been erupting nearly continuously