Pichu Pichu means Summit to Summit and it is one of three volcanoes near Arequipa. After a 3 hours drive with a 4×4 we hiked up to 5100m (15500 feet) to set camp there. To get an impression of this vast and lonely landscape check out the PHOTOS.
Pichu Pichu
2 05 2010Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Arequipa, Camp, Pichu Pichu, volcano
Categories : Outdoor
Villarrica – a view inside mother earth
19 03 2010The volcano of Villarrica is still active – which means that the streets of Pucon at the foot of the snow capped mountain have green signs where to flee to if the volcano bursts out.
You see always a cloud above the summit – which is not really a cloud but the gases flowing out of the volcano.
Huffing and puffing was not only the volcano. Myself coming back from Germany two days ago and totally out of shape was puffing heavily while trying to follow Kim and our fast guide Mauricio Bustamante
After a one hour drive from Pucon to the beginning of the ascent, the ski resort of Villarrica, Mauricio and Kim started very fast to hike up the gravelly steep slopes. After an hour I knew why Mauricio had walked so fast – groups in identical anoraks and boots stepped out of the chairlift besides us – you can rent all the equipment and go in big groups up the volcano. We didn’t want to get stuck behind these and walked even faster.
I felt like on the Transalpine Run – sore legs, no air to breathe and the mountain before me seemed to grow bigger and bigger.
Luckily Mauricio guided only us two and after 3 hours we were on the top. Because of the activities and the earthquakes of the last weeks you were not allowed to hike Villarrica on your own.
After crossing some ice- and snowfields with crampons you reach the crater rim. To look inside the volcano you have to wait until the wind changes. Then you jump to the crater, try to get a glimpse inside and when your guide yells you quickly run back to get out of the cloud – which contains toxic chloride gases.
We had very good sight to the Volcano Lanin and to the Lake Villarrica. But the best part was still to come. Instead of walking down 1800 vertical meters and adding pain to the already strained quadriceps we could slide down on the snow. All the companies and guides provide you with a sliding pant – like diapers for adults with a reinforced backside. You just sit on your butt and control your speed with your ice axe….
Great fun and definitely not within the mountaineering ethic rules of the German Alpenverein DAV…. but, hey, it saved my legs for the next days.
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Tags: Lanin, Mauricio Bustamante, Paredon, Pucon, toxic gas, Villarrica, volcano
Categories : Outdoor, Travel