Volcan Villarrica, Chile

Towering 2,800 metres above sea level and dominating the Pucon landscape, Volcan Villarrica is one of the most active volcanoes in southern Chile. It last erupted in 1971 destroying numerous small communities and a local ski resort at the base of the volcano. Everything has since rebuilt (including the ski resort but on a different side of the volcano) and the area is now a tourist mecca for adventurous climbers and the curious. It has remained relatively stable for the last few decades except for small lava bursts and sulphuric smoke that still emit from the volcano core. It the summer it is largely snow-free while in the winter it is covered in snow and ice with downhill skiers and toboggans at the base and foolhardy climbers at the summit. We were part of the latter.

Having sized all our gear the previous day we awoke early and made our way to the Aquaventura building in Pucon to get dressed in the winter clothing and catch a minibus to the base of the volcano about 20km outside the city centre. We were both anxious about the climb ahead as the volcano was still hidden by the black morning skies but excited. Piled tightly into the small min-bus with 4 other climbers and 2 backcountry skiers we made our way along potholed roads covered in frost to the ski base lodge. There we caught a chairlift to the main lodge farther up the hill where we officially began the 1600m ascent to the top of the volcano.

After a rather brief introduction to ascending the volcano we began climbing under bright blue skies and sub-zero temperatures. Our group consisted of 8 people, which included our two Chilean guides and a really friendly family of 4 from France. The guides carried radios that constantly provided reports about the volcano and the weather conditions at the summit. Everything was favourable so we started up a small incline using a closed ski slope as our trail. Unfortunately the previous day’s storm had battered the volcano and left ice chunks everywhere. The snow was covered by a sheet of round ice pellets and we immediately had to put on our crampons (basically a slipper for your boot but covered in large metal spikes that dig into and grab icy surfaces). They worked extremely well and the pace increased as we continued up the steeper slope.

Unfortunately, breaks between climbing were few and far between but after a couple of hours we had gained considerable height and stood higher than most of the surrounding mountains. We were both tired but the adrenaline masked the energy spent in climbing up the icy surfaces. The view was absolutely incredible from the volcano as it looked over lakes and mountains stretching off to the horizon. Other volcanoes were also visible in the distance as was the city of Pucon where we started the day. It was like our visit to Cerra Campanario in Bariloche only magnified by the distance we could see and the energy expended in reaching the spot.

As we gained in elevation we hiked with one trekking pole on our low side and an ice axe on the high side. This was for safety reasons because if we fell and started to slide the axe would hold us in place after picking it forcefully into the ice. Fortunately no one in our group ever had to use the ice axe for this purpose and it basically acted as another trekking pole. We kept the crampons on throughout the hike and the winter gear supplied by the tour company kept us warm (albeit a bit too warm). Carolyn’s legs unfortunately built-up lactic acid from the strain on her thigh muscles which made the latter part of the climb very difficult for her as the slope near the summit was around 45 degrees. To make it easier one of the guides stayed with us and moved at a slower pace, zigzagging across the slope to make the pitch shallower. It worked and we neared the summit with the remainder of our group almost 5 hours after starting the climb.

The top of the volcano was a strange landscape of sulphuric gas that smelled of rotten eggs and strong winds due to the elevation and exposed location. The core of the volcano was a massive pit that was partially obscured by the gas and a fear of getting too close to the edge for a good view lest one slip and fall in. We stayed on the summit for about 15 minutes to rest and take pictures and then began our 2-1/2 hour descent.

All along the guides had warned us that going down would be a lot more difficult than ascending but we both disagreed. With the crampons we were able to grasp the ice and snow very easily and descending the volcano actually turned out much better than expected. If only we weren’t so tired from going up we could have breezed down the volcano with ease. By the time we reached the bottom over 7 hours from when we began we were both absolutely spent of energy and incredibly sore from the constant climbing and tight boots. The chairlift ride to the base lodge was a welcomed relief for our legs all though we were quite cold from the litres of sweat drenching our clothing and slowly chilling.

Arriving back in Pucon via min-bus we celebrated with the team over beers and then returned to our hostel where the hostess had offered us a place to shower and relax before our overnight bus ride to Santiago. It was the nicest gesture and we loved the reasonably hot sting of the shower on our sore bodies and the comfort of warm and clean clothing.

Upon reflection, the volcano hike was not easy. It put our bodies through an extreme fatigue that we probably should have warmed up beforehand with a smaller hike or at least stretched properly that morning. It was also scary at some points not because it was a volcano but rather the icy conditions and steep slope. The guides were helpful as we climbed but set too quick a pace and their description of the hike and what to expect was too brief. At some points we felt like turning around but we preserved and are very proud of accomplishing this feat together. It brought us closer and it is something that we will always remember together.