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Hiking to Volcan Pacaya

May 29th, 2009 at 10:13 pm

There was no school on Wednesday, so at dawn, the air clean and fresh from the evening rain, our group took the shuttle to the starting point of our climb up the slopes of

Text is Pacaya and Link is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacaya
Pacaya. After more than 100 years of being dormant, Pacaya had a violent eruption in 1965 and has been erupting continuously since then. In fact, Pacaya is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. In 2000, the activity was such that flights to Guatemala City were suspended for two days.

This is a photo I took of Volcan Pacaya on the way up the trail.


I have to admit being a little apprehensive about the climb... but dh assured me even "old" people make it up the mountain. He does have a way with words! My right ankle has been troubling me after pulling a tendon a few months back, and despite therapy, it still gets sore easily. The perfect solution for me involved spending $25 for a guided horseback ride up and down the slope (more than 7 kilometers), led by Miguel, a young man of about 16. Even some of the more fit and younger members of the group opted for the horseback ride. Dh, an avid hiker, led the others up the steep slope.

I rode Canario up the steep 7 kilometer slope.


What can I say... by hook or by crook, I was going to see the red-hot lava flow close up. On my horse, Canario, the ascent was fast-paced but I was able to chat with my guide... my fluent Spanish coming in very handy. Miguel said he no longer attends school because he has to help support his widowed mother and 3 younger siblings. Despite the obvious challenges in his life, this young man demonstrated a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and great interpersonal skills. Imagine what he could do with his life if he had access to a good education!

Miguel knew a great deal about the local flora because he told me all about the numerous plants we passed on the way to the volcano. For example, one plant, called "Hoja de Queso" is used to press cheese between two large leaves. It has antibacterial properties and can also be used as emergency TP or to wipe a sweaty brow. Miguel earned a nice big tip for his extra-special guided tour.

"Hoja de Queso" is a versatile plant.


At the summit, from my vantage point I could see the roiling red-hot lava spilling from the caldera... a wizards brew, complete with an occasional pungent whiff of sulfur. A tremendous heat radiated from the flow, and I was happy to observe from a distance. Thankfully, the thick soles of my hiking boots protected me from the sharp lava we stood on. To my surprise, I learned the lava we are standing on is only 5 months old. I am grateful I decided to pack my hiking boots and gloves to protect my hands as I negotiated through the craggy lava flow. As I steadied myself on the sharp, black lava, my walking pole was looking pretty beat up. I took photos with my Flip video and later will convert some footage to still shots. It was fascinating!

One of our students can be seen crossing to the lava flow on horseback.


I took this photo of the lava flow with a 3X zoom.


The ride down was harder than the ride up. Because of the steep grade I had to lean back very far and press tightly into the stirrups. Canario, only seven years old, was a veteran of the trails... not even phased by the poisonous snake he stopped for on the trail.

The poisonous snake on the trail down was more startled by the horse than vice versa.


I had a view of another volcano called Agua on the way down the trail.


By 1:30 we were back at the posada, in time to make lunch and then get to work planning the seminars for the coming week. Later, I paid $12 for a soothing 45-minute reflexology massage... what a treat for my tired feet!

4 Responses to “Hiking to Volcan Pacaya”

  1. HouseHopeful Says:
    1243641912

    Great pics! Thanks for sharing. Your post makes me want to go there now Smile

  2. NJDebbie Says:
    1243656644

    "Muchas gracias" for such wonderful pics.

  3. Apprentice Bliss Hunter Says:
    1243689038

    Thanks for sharing.... seems like a great experience !!

  4. Ima saver Says:
    1243715698

    Beautiful pictures, thanks!

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