Guatemala Part 13: Acatenango

Split the group for this one. Xander and I did the Acatenango volcano hike; Kelsey took Axel and Enzo to a chocolate-making class in Antigua. I convinced Xander that the volcano was the better choice and would give you bragging rights.

Only problem: we’d spent the whole trip in swimsuits and flip-flops, and Acatenango tops out around 13,500 ft. Booked through Tropicana Hostel, $170 for the two of us, and that included renting cold weather gear because we owned exactly none of it.

Day one is 4,500 ft straight up to base camp. One of the hardest hikes I’ve done, period. Rain, then hail, then just cold and steep the whole way. Xander was an absolute champ getting up there, but by the time we hit base camp and he crashed, that was it — no way he was getting up for the 3:30am summit push. Smart kid. That push was another 1,000 ft on top of what we’d already done, straight up in the dark.

Base camp itself was a wood shack with bunks for 15 people, zero wiggle room. There was a dog hanging around who’d clearly claimed the fire pit as his spot for the night, still warm from the fire the evening before. Correctly prioritized the best location.

Went up alone at 3:30am, cloudy and cold. But the real show had already started the night before at base camp — Acatenango sits right across a saddle from Fuego, an active volcano that just does not stop. Every few minutes another rumble, glowing orange, chunks of lava lobbing up and rolling down the cone, a plume of ash and smoke lit up red from underneath. Did it over and over all night, no buildup, no waiting around, just constant. On the summit push we got a few breaks in the clouds and kept catching it going off, dark shape with a bright red gash at the top. Sunrise itself was mostly socked in but I wasn’t complaining at that point. Mission accomplished.

Meanwhile Axel and Enzo were down in Antigua grinding cacao with a mortar and pestle and pouring their own chocolate bars. Enzo looked like he’d found his calling. Note for the future 75% Cacaca is still too bitter.

Back down the mountain, legs done, onto whatever’s next.

#unpavedparenting