Fire and Ice, Rucapillan volcano, Chile

Approaching the enigmatic crater's edge through a haze of sulphourous gas

March 13th - It's always hard to know what to expect when you sign up for an activity with a tour operator.  You can see this volcano looming above the town wherever you are and the known facts were that we would start at around 1400m and climb up to 2860m.  We would be provided with four season boots, crampons, helmet and a gas mask, which we may or may not need.  The volcano last erupted in 2015 and today it spews a steady stream of sulfurous gas.  

Instructions, information at the Aguaventura office

This was a solo outing; I believe kids over 12 can participate but today it was me, our guide Renee, and a couple from Switzerland: Lauren who is Belgium and Benjamin who is Swiss.  I never sleep too well before these early starts and this time I woke up at 2.30am before dozing on and off until my 5am alarm.  Tea, oatmeal, get dressed, don't forget lunch from the fridge.  As I pulled up to the office of Aguaventura in the cool morning darkness, I saw Lauren and Benjamin out front with the camper, eating breakfast and getting their gear together.  Inside we added our personal things to the rucksack that had already been packed for us with the provided overclothes, gas mask, crampons and mini-slide.  Often you can slide part way back down and to save shredding your own waterproofs and backpack, the company provides sturdier ones for you. We met our guide, Renee, bundled into his 4x4 and headed off out of town.  

Most of the road was very rough and even the 4x4 struggled at times.  At various times there has been a ski centre here, but with eruptions over the years there have been several disruptions.  There is apparently talk of government funding to improve the road with a view to restarting the skiing but there will also need to be big investment in the ski lifts that are dilapidated.  But we weren't here to ski!  By 7.30, with the sun still someway off rising, we were out of the van, dressed, briefed and on the trail.  It is a pretty consistent gradient all the way up but what is underfoot changes quite considerably from loose stone to larger, abrasive volcanic rock, an ice field and a section of more solid hardened magma.  

Sunrise approaching

These lovely landscapes

You can really get the impression of the molten magma cooling and coming to a stop... right... here.

I've seen a picture where the snow is almost level with the top of this outcrop

We had a couple of challenges, namely gas and rockfall.  It just so happened that today was a windy day and that the wind was blowing the gas consistently down the hill directly towards us.  It left you with a burning in the throat, a streaming nose, and for me stinging eyes.  The gas mask really helped the throat, the rest had to be put up with.  Because there has been little precipitation this winter the rocks are less well contained so as the sun melts the snow each day, a steady fusillade of small and medium size rocks come pelting down the side of the mountain.  This first became a problem when we stopped at the bottom of the ice field to put on crampons.  One rock the size of a small football made a beeline directly for our group, bounced off a ledge just in front of us and was, incredibly, redirected up and over the rest of the group by another of the guides with what can best be described as a volleyball style overhead volley.  I think his quick thinking and bravery prevented a likely injury.  We had a few more smaller rocks to jump out of the way of as we made our way up the ice field and it felt good to make it to solid ground and to get off the ice.  

Ascending the ice field in between showers of falling stones

Looking down towards Villarica lake as another group braves the ice field

The wind was relentless and when we finally reached the crater early in the afternoon it was really strong, requiring some effort to remain upright.  I'm not sure what I expected to see when I looked down into the crater but it was huge!  No, there was no molten lava bubbling away down there, just the endless plume of gas and the associated sulfurous yellow staining the rock way down there.  It made me wonder just what was going on underneath, how deep lay the magma, what kind of pressure the rock was under, and perhaps when will it next erupt?!

My best shot of the crater before gas and cloud obscured the opening

Our group at the crater edge

Right on the edge, full gas!

Now it was time for the long trek down with a bit more time to enjoy the views looking back towards Pucon, the lake, the volcanoes nearby and the far horizon on this cloudless sunny day.  We made it back to the parking lot around 4pm and I was really happy to get my boots off and my sandals back on.

Lauren descending over a bluff

Not the only volcano in town

It's a wide world

Rock, ice

Renee enjoying a spot of lunch

The way down is easier and dustier

That ever present plume of gas

I said at the beginning that it is hard to know what to expect.  This day was a bit harder than I anticipated, I think mainly because of the gas, the wind and perhaps a little adrenaline associated with falling rocks and steep ice fields!  But it felt good, it felt like being in science, and maybe more than science, being in our world, up close and surrounded by the forces that have built and buried, shaped and scoured this land for billions of years.  Here is the roiling cauldron of our planet reminding us of what is lying there, just below the surface, sending up the steady stream of its breath as if in a deep sleep awaiting its next waking hour.  If you don't mind just waiting until we've left please...

I took this one on the road back to Pucon at the end of the day

Tomorrow, another of those mighty landscape shaping elements, the river, and specifically our ride in a bright yellow rubber boat.  Have I mentioned how much we love Pucon?