Summiting Acateneango and witnessing the Volcan de Fuego erupt could quite possibly be one of the most thrilling and challenging things to accomplish on any trip to Guatemala. An experience that combines both mental and physical toughness it rewards trekkers with a once-in-a-lifetime view you won’t witness anywhere else. It’s atop most travelers’ lists when it comes to visiting Guatemala and easy to see why. However, there’s only one thing that stands in the way, the weather.
We arrived in Guatemala during the first week of May, the start of the rainy season. Guatemala’s rainy season which falls during the winter extends from May through to October with a majority of rain falling in September and October. During that first month in Antigua, we would be pleasantly surprised at the climate we would encounter.
Clear mornings, hot sunny days, with an occasional downpour peppered in late afternoons and evenings. It was optimal for exploring the city and getting our bearings down in a new country. So much so that we decided to make Antigua our home base for the month.
Throughout that month we would encounter dozens of fellow travelers who had completed the Acantngagno trek. Coming and going like a revolving door in the hostel. Sometimes the first question asked, even before the classic “where are you from” was;
“Have you done the hike yet?!”
The Bros travel slowly and were in no rush to take on the task of summiting a 13,000 volcano without getting our legs into shape with a few warm-up hikes. Throw in a little food poisoning and digital nomad work stuff, it wasn’t exactly a pressing matter on the top of the to-do list. In the end, maybe this lack of urgency would eventually be an oversight of ours.
We used each experience we heard from fellow travelers as our own form of informal research. What did they pack? How difficult was it really? What outfitter did you use? How long did it take? Was it worth it? Did you see any eruptions? We were blown away by the excitement shared and the sense of accomplishment everyone had upon completion.
Besides the fact it was physically demanding, there wasn’t one bad story or negative review. Even in the rainy season, everyone was getting it done, shooting amazing photos and making memories to bring back home. We were slowly collecting and piecing information together to plan the best experience possible. We had all the details and now there was nothing to it but to do it.
We waited a few days for a storm to pass and eagerly checked the mountain weather reports daily. There was a projected forecast for clear skies and no precipitation arriving in a few days. That’s it, that’s the day. We kept our fingers crossed as we saw a weather window we knew we had to take advantage of. We booked the tour guide, rallied our hostel friends, and set the day. June 1 would be the day and we can finally say we climbed Acatengango and witnessed the almighty Fuego erupt.
The anticipation built up all morning as we geared up, packed for the excursion, and met our fellow hikers. We went with Wicho and Charlies as our outfitter and guide. We were stoked they had all the necessary equipment and technical clothing to keep us comfortable on our journey. As we boarded the bus to Aldea La Soledad, grey skies loomed overhead and the nerves set in. An hour later we arrived at the trailhead, it was go-time now.
A light drizzle of rain began as we started to hike. I’m not sure if there is a part of the hike that you can claim is the most difficult but it very well could be the first 30 minutes. A straight climb uphill in loose volcano rock and sand, a very unfriendly welcoming.
After powering through the start it was time for a snack and before we knew it, time for lunch. Two hours in and just about two more to go. That’s when the wind pick up and the heavier rain began to fall. With around an hour to go, we had to bust out the ponchos to keep our packs from getting soaked.
After around four hours of hiking uphill, with plenty of breaks mixed in, we finally made it to base camp and it was far from dry. The excitement levels were high as the group gathered in the warming hut to get ready for dinner and hot chocolate, while it pissed rain outside. There was only one thing missing, a view.
The cloud coverage was so heavy you couldn’t see 100 feet in front of you. It’s okay we thought, surely the rain and clouds will pass giving us a beautiful night sky for the Fuego show. But Mother Nature was taking steps backward as the rain increased in tandem with the wind. It was time for a nap to kill some time and wait for the weather to blow over.
As the sun set things started to look up, the rain stopped and the clouds were moving quickly. The guides set up a fire and we waited and waited, trading travel stories with fellow hikers. However, the clouds never cleared the way we would have liked. When night fell we heard the thunderous noise and sonic booms of eruptions but struggled to really enjoy the view as the clouds blocked Fuego’s cone.
There was a small window where we were able to witness a full eruption and it was incredible, leaving us yearning for more. But it was a tease as we were denied any more spectacular views due to the clouds. That’s when our main guide hit us with the news that the bonus hikes to the Fuego and Acatenangos peak were off the table. The wind was too strong and it wasn’t safe. Bummer!
We had a sleepless night, kept awake by the eruption of booms and our new roommates, mice in our cabin. We woke up around 3 am to more wind and more rain and decided to make our way down to the main hut to see if anyone else was awake. We were shocked to see another hiker there who was suffering from altitude sickness pacing back and forth in the tent in an attempt to stay warm.
There we waited for a few more hours to receive breakfast and rally the group before getting the hell off the volcano. Spirits were a bit lower and everyone seemed to lose patience. We had an uneventful descent in the rain to where we welcomed quick glimpses of the sun.
In travel as in life, things don’t always go the way you plan. It stings even more so when it happens to be something completely out of your control. In this case, the weather. It was a roll of the dice and unfortunately, they did land the way we wanted them to.
Overall we don’t regret the experience because it helped challenge and solidify our mental and physical toughness. In addition to being a good reminder, that in real life things aren’t always picturesque like you see on Instagram. Sometimes you take an L and that’s okay.
Life can get messy and in this case cloudy and rainy. But if it wasn’t for those rainy days we wouldn’t appreciate the sunshine even if we hiked uphill for hours. I guess what I’m trying to say is,
There’s a chance the weather will suck if take on Acatenango in the rainy season and you may not get the experience you wanted and worked so hard for. But hey, never try, never know.
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READY TO TAKE ON VOLCÁN ACATENANGO?
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