Pucon, Chile

Pucon, Chile at the base of Volcan Villarica

back from the volcano summit already, pretty magnficent views all day long. i´m having a hard time believing it was really 5000 feet of gain. it was challenging and we needed crampons and ice axes, but it wasn´t that bad. it was definitely a beautiful one, though. we could see into argentina once we reached the summit, with the argentine volcan lanin staring right at us. the sulfuric stench pulsating from the villarica's crater was at least three times as strong as any stench i've smelled around yellowstone's geysers. yet no glowing magma to be seen (sorry d..) and the wind was something fierce! despite these unpleasantries, the summit of the volcano was really peaceful. the lakes in the chilean lake district go on and on, and the spine of the andes is visible as far as you can see. we could see the smoky little village of pucon, which looks miniscule when seen from above. funny how a little altitude can change one's perceptions...

i'll likely be in pucon for the next few days, and then on to santiago where i catch my flight home to utah. the clock is certainly ticking. i´ll be back in the hood in less than two weeks..

i´ve heard the grass is greening in your neck o´ the woods... from spring in california to summer in buenos aires to fall in patagonia to spring in the rockies. gadzooks that's nice!

easy does it,

daven