We were prepared for a long night hike up Santa María, a challenging ascent of over 1,200 meters in elevation, and an exceptional view. What we were not prepared for was the extraordinary eruption of the Santa María volcano! A cloud of ash, dust, and smoke erupted from the crater with a deafening "boom!" It was simply incredible.
Saturday, April 29th, 2023
It's 4 a.m. when we set off on the trail that will lead us to the summit of the Santa María volcano, standing at 3,772 meters in altitude. We have only 4 kilometers to go, but a challenging 1,200 meters of elevation gain! 🥵 It's pitch dark, and distant lightning flashes across the sky. We hope the weather will hold up! We find our pace, but slowly, we are caught up by two lights. They're not wasting any time! We move to the side to let them pass and realize it's a couple on horseback! As the day breaks, we begin the second part of the hike: the steep and rugged trail with another 800 meters of elevation gain.
We reach the summit after a particularly challenging 3 hours and 30 minutes of ascent. It's been a while since we've suffered this much during a hike, not since our ascent of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano in Mexico, to be precise. The view of the sea of clouds is incredible. From up here, we have a breathtaking view of the Santiaguito, a small but highly active volcano within the Santa María complex. When we arrive, it's not emitting any smoke and appears quite harmless. However, after a few minutes, smoke starts to billow from the crater! 😲
Every 45 minutes or so, the Santiaguito releases a massive plume of smoke right before our astonished eyes, slowly rising into the sky. It's truly exceptional! The sound of the explosion reaches us a few seconds after the initial smoke, and it's awe-inspiring. We've never heard such a deafening, deep rumble before! It's absolutely breathtaking.
After spending two hours at the summit, the weather starts to change, and it's time to descend. The valley is now clear, and we enjoy a beautiful view of the city of Quetzaltenango. We also come across two beautiful lizards basking in the sun. They are truly magnificent!
The descent is long and challenging. After 2 hours and 30 minutes, we reach the Jeep, exhausted but very happy with the beautiful hike and the spectacle we witnessed. We pack our belongings, fold the tent, drink a liter of Ice Tea (yes, we found Ice Tea in Guatemala!!), and then we set off, making a stop to enjoy a delicious ceviche. It had been a while! We had planned to visit the volcanic hot springs of Volcan Zunil, but at the entrance, we learn that the water temperature is between 30°C and 35°C. Feeling a bit disappointed, we decide not to go since we were looking for a hot and relaxing bath 😅. Instead, we head straight to Chichicastenango, a 2-hour and 30-minute drive through varying degrees of fog. Driving in such conditions is not fun, especially considering the chaotic driving in the country! In fact, we miss a speed bump and hit it at 50 km/h. Ouch!! Thankfully, JP is fine. We settle in for the evening and spend the night in the backyard of a family near the city center. Tonight's menu: homemade fries!
We go to bed early, feeling safe in the family's garden and surrounded by their two big dogs, chickens, and cats. Tomorrow, on Sunday, we will visit the weekly market of Chichicastenango, a regional institution and the largest market in Central America!
2 commentaires
Ouaf assister à une éruption volcanique !!!
Quelle chance. J’espère que vous en avez pris plein les yeux.
Bisous.
Mamie.
Impressionnant ce bruit ! Quelle belle explosion avec une jolie fumerolle ! Magnifique et excellent timing . Vous avez de la chance.
Vous avez un chien ? 🙂 Il paraît aussi crevé que vous …
Bisous