Yesterday was one of the most tiring and best days of my life. I climbed a fucking volcano, Vulcan Villiarrica. It is hard to put into words how I was feeling but I couldn´t lift my arms or walk afterwards and felt the greatest satisfaction of my life. Beer taste better than it ever had and the Snickers bar I was saving was like I was eating the Big Bang, each bite an explosion of beauty and life.
We woke up at 554 because I don't like to wake up on divisibles of five cause its bad luck. I went with my friend Tina because she really wanted to try the climb as well. I got dressed in about 30 seconds flat cause my blood was pumping. Homemade applesauce and bread was waiting for us on the kitchen table cause my host dad is the nicest coolest man on earth. We got into Tina's piece of shit car, and after the new method of fixing a car, hitting the ignition box with a rock, it started. Got to the tour place around 645. Packed our bags with ice picks and crampons, jumped in the van and off we were to the volcano. Got to the base lodge around 730 i would say. Tina was going with the walking group. I on the other hand I had to ski this bitch so I went with two guides and we skinned up. Just me and two other guys who had done this many times before. It felt good to slap the skins on again and do some touring up a place full of snow, makes you appreciate it more. The views were amazing, once we made it past the last chairlift and all you could see was snow, clouds, surrounding mountains and volcanos, and smoke from the top. The day was perfect nothing but sun, but when you have a big pack, and your skinning up you get hot hot hot. I was sweating a lot stripped down to two layers no hat no gloves, had plenty of water so I was ok. We pasted tons of sick cliffs, peaks, rocks, snow dunes, ridges, and an abandon chairlift. We were about 2 1/2 hours up about to go over a very high ridge and I looked at the top and it looked so close. But to my lack of depth perception it was another 2 hours away, a very hard two hours. Over the peak, I forget the name, we had to put all our layers back on because of how windy it was. It was like looking at nothing but white, incredible. We got about an hour from the top when we couldn't skin anymore. So on went the crampons. Carrying your skis on your back while trying to climb up an icy ledge when it is super windy is like having a sail on your back. I was inching my way up and getting light-headed taking many breaks when I looked up and the first guide was pretty much at the top. I don't think the guy took one break, mother was in ridiculous shape. Ha and the other guide who was hanging with me says, who could really speak broken english, but was french, "Don't fall because sometime if you fall, you fall all the way to bottom, not always but one man fell all way to bottom of volcano" its much funnier in a french accent trust me.
Then after I thought I couldn't go any further I could smell the toxic gases from the crater, and my superback Holiber/wolf instincts kicked in and I made it. Through my bag and skis off and sat down. Just soaked it all in. Speechless.
None the less it was beautiful but hard to breath, and it was time to crush some ski! Skins off, helmet on, chug some water, click in the alpine bindings, bonesaw is ready. We skated to the other side of the crater, and I look down and I can't see where the side of the volcano is awesomely steep, I'm thinking, aw shit don't fall and be the bitch. We hit it and even though my legs are shaking couldn't have been smoother. Like whip-cream all the way down. Snow spraying up, causing mini avalanches so sick. We go to the front side and find even better snow. By this point I am almost crying cause I don't want it to end. Everywhere we go untouched snow, fresh tracks, hot sun, insane views. Finally get to the bottom, sit down outside near the snow bar, the guides by me a beer, and one says, "(pointing up high on the volcano) us only us" words I will ever remember. Only our tracks no one elses for everyone to see, on the side of a volcano. The guide said he has climbed tons of times and that day was one of the best he's ever had. Not much to say after that.
I slept well.
Dad, Nic, Rob, wish you guys could've been there with me, was thinking about yous all the ways down. Love you ma
us only us,
Franke
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