Mellow Expeditions - @mad_mountainman

This we week we had the pleasure of speaking to @mad_mountainman about his recent trip to Central America where he hiked up two volcanoes in the area of Guatemala. This seems like one of them ‘you just had to be there’ moments but I think we have been given some pretty good content that shows an active volcano in all its glory. Enjoy..

This week I hiked Volcan de Acatenango (3976m) and Volcán de Fuego (3736m). When planing my travels through Central America, this hike was always the focal point, and it topped all expectations.

The hike started out through farmland with an incline steep enough to make you want to turn back. Whilst gaining further elevation the trail led you through a forrest, where views of the nearby Volcán de Agua did not disappoint. Now above the clouds we reached the base camp at Acatenango.

The overnight hike to Fuego Reserve started with a descent of Acatenango, with another steep climb up towards Fuego where we reached the top as the sun was setting. We watched the glowing lava from multiple eruptions light up the sky, followed by the sound of molten rocks showering down. We then headed back to Acatenango base camp to get some rest.

All throughout the night there were eruptions louder than the sound of thunder. We woke up to an amazing sunrise then began the challenging descent back down. On feet were the trusty ROA Neil’s which worked well with the loose volcanic dust, giving more control.

The hike was fairly tough, but extremely rewarding and was certainly an experience I’d never forget.