Climbing Volcano Villarrica (+video!)

Standing 9,340 feet tall, it was as if I could see the entire world. I felt like Simba atop Pride Rock, looking upon an earth so vast that I had to turn my gaze left and right in order to capture the panoramic scene.


I hopped into the van at 7am. A dawn pinkish hovered over a cold blue earth while I waited for the sun. It was a bumpy ride up to our starting point. A 1,000-year-old tree stood unimpressed by my 23 years. I wasn't originally expecting to climb the volcano on my trip to Pucón. It was a spur of the moment desire after stopping into a tourism company the night before. I decided it was necessary. What percentage of people do you think ever get the opportunity to climb a volcano? I recently learned a Chilean saying that emphasizes taking advantage of opportunities: "Uno nunca sabe cuándo puede saltar la liebre" which means "One never knows when an opportunity will arise."

It was a five-hour hike from start to summit. Over 5,000 feet straight up one of the most active volcanoes in Chile. Weather-wise, it was a perfect day. No wind. No clouds to block the view. It felt to be around 70 degrees fahrenheit or so, but with the layers I was wearing my body was feeling about 80+ degrees. The steepness increased as we neared the top where a glacier topped with snow blankets the upper cone of the volcano. A guide is required in order to climb the volcano. Provided with equipment by the adventure tour company, I was geared up with spikes for the shoes, a pick-axe, and a helmet. Sweat was dripping down my face at a constant pace. My heart was racing for the finish line. We moved slow and steady. From our original group of 7 trekkers and 3 guides, it came down to me, Craig (a friend of a friend from Wisconsin), a lawyer from Brazil, and our guide, Ricardo. The others died along the way. No, just kidding. They found the hike too challenging and returned with the other guides. Ricardo summits the volcano over 70 times a year, más o menos.

Volcán Villarrica. Pucón, Chile

Reaching the top was quite an accomplishment. As I took my pack off and loosened the strap of my helmet, I lowered my sunglasses in awe of an incredible crater. I could feel the heat stinging my eyes as I looked into the belly of the beast. I could hear the volcanic eruptions of the magma, a sound resembling the ignition of a jet engine. I saw the bright blinding orange tossing and turning, being thrown against the walls of the crater.

It was most definitely an unforgettable experience. It has made my top 10!
Climbing that volcano taught me that sometimes you just have to escape your routine and go on an adventure. Spur of the moment decisions are fun and exciting. It also taught me to never give up because in the end it is worth the hard work.

Here is the link to the video. Enjoy!


Hope you are all well and healthy!