Oh man. I cannot believe I am writing this. This was a dream come true. A year of hard work and struggles realized into One. Big. Fiery. Lava. Eruption.
The hike up was the hardest hike we have yet done. With our backpacking gear and a steep 15% (average) gradient (more specifically: 4,000 feet of elevation in 3 miles), there were times when I thought we were not going to make it in time. To be clear, many people do this hike but without the 20lb pack of all their gear carried on their back. The typical way to do Acatenango is through a group where the company has cabañas, cooked meals, and bathrooms with a great view of Fuego and you only have to bring yourself. This was not of interest to us, so we went the hard way (C’s note: C’mon, what’s the fun if you don’t have to work for it?)
We got to, not the top of Acatenango but around the peak and on the side facing Fuego right as it was getting dark. Full of exhaustion and despair as the (free) campground that other backpackers had used was another mile along the trail and - from what we initially could see - we were surrounded by cabañas all around and not much in terms of a flat space to set up a tent.
Right then, Fuego erupts. This huge burst of lava spews out. Bright reds. You could see the droplets roll down the hill before solidifying into lava rocks. It was incredible. It was the moment. The moment where everything from the past year had come together for this. I felt it in my bones. And in my heart. I cannot describe this moment, but just know that these pictures and this blog do not do it enough justice, incredible as they may seem.
We eventually did find a flat spot under a shelter that seemed to be unused by the quiet cabins nearby (maybe that company wasn’t operating that night?) and we were able to pitch our tent and enjoy hot chocolate and deconstructed tacos while admiring more activity.
The rest of the night was spent waiting and watching many times over as Fuego erupted. Small ones. Big ones. Loud ones. Smoky ones. It was hard to even try to sleep in fear of missing an eruption. (C’s other note: I wasn’t feeling as good, but it’s hard to rest when your partner is sitting bolt upright every 10 minutes when she hears a rumble to lean over you to look out of the tent… Karmic, I suppose, for putting her through the hike in the first place.) Eventually, around 2 or 3 in the morning, Fuego slowed down, allowing us to rest for our hike down.