Summit Attempt.


On the 3rd day of mountaineering training we attempted to summit Volcan Lanin.
It was a tough day.

We slept in a refugio about halfway up the hill.
Just a little hut bolted onto the side of the mountain.
Insulated against the cold and battering wind.




Up at 3.00am for a carbo loaded brekky of mashed potato and hot chocolate.
We climbed for 6 hours but never even looked like making it to the top.
The hot weather made the surface unstable and rocks were tumbling down from some steep cliffs near the top.

At least the weather was nice and the views from the top were stunning.
Just over the border in Chile, other volcanoes smoked quietly and ominously.

At 12.00 we turned back and headed back down to base camp at Tromen.
I learned that you cant necessarily climb these things just because they are there.
There is a bit more to it than that....

VT and me on the way up