Climbing Volcan Villarrica
Villarrica National Parque
Pucon, Chile
Map of the Lakes District
Referring to the map, we got to Pucon from the Lago Puyehue area by mini-busing it back to Osorno, where we got lucky once again. A bus was just about to leave there for Pucon. This however would be where our tourist-luck card was pulled. This bus broke down outside of Valdivia and we waited around an hour for the next one to come through and take us to Valdivia, to pick up a new bus headed for Pucon. We arrived in Pucon in mid-afternoon.
Pucon was all the rage that we had heard it was. A touristy town, yet its beautiful setting directly below the Volcan Villarrica and exotic restaurants (after eating staples of meat and potatoes for a week and a half) were quite well received. We stayed in a great hostel, Ecole, that was recommended to us. It offered quaint rooms and a fabulous vegetarian resturant, with a garden-district style courtyard.
The next day we climbed Volcan Villarrica (elev. 9,340 feet) with a tour group (five guides) and nine other europeans. The volcano means "House of the Spirit". It is the westernmost of three large stratovolcanoes that trend perpendicular to the Andean chain. Villarrica is one of only four volcanoes worldwide known to have an active lava lake in its crater. Leaving at 6:45 am we drove through the national park encircling the volcano and headed up to the base of a ski resort that sits on the north face. I hate to admit it, but we took the chair lift up, which cut off about an hour of hiking. From there we climbed a couple hours up 3,000 feet to the top. The tour company had supplied us with a smaller backpack, an ice axe that we used going up and down, and crampons that we didn't end up needing. Most of the hike was on either dirt path, or soft snow, as it was late summer and the trail was well worn. It was my first hike on dried lava rock. Upon reaching the top crater, we broke for lunch and the views were never-ending. The multi-colored crater was unique.
We glissaded down the snow fields using "moon suits" that the tour company had us pack for the hike up. Heavy duty pants, jacket, and a plastic seat for sitting on. I had to say I was skeptical about how much fun my larger body would have sliding down the snowfield but it was incredible. Almost like a water slide. We used the ice axe to slow us down where needed. A series of 10 or so of these slides were well-worn in the snow fields. Expedition members Crume and Miller agreed that this was one of the funnest things we had ever done. 
Jeff on the crater
Expedition member Williford in full-effect
Expedition member Crume used her plastic seat to fend off men
Moon suit
