The first two weeks after the first couple days of my travels in Central America are part of a group tour with a British trekking-oriented tour company named KE Adventure Travel on a trip named "The Magnificent Seven" that's built around hiking seven significant volcanoes in Guatemala. Those seven include Tajumulco, the highest peak in Central America; Acatenango, the third highest peak in Guatemala; San Pedro, popular for its proximity to Lake Atitlan; Zunil for its trek through very traditional Mayan farm country; Santa Maria, a mountain that’s also a significant pilgrimage site; Fuego, a very active volcano; and Pacaya, a fairly active volcano that’s not too far from Antigua and Guatemala City.

Pacaya was set to be our first volcano hike, a sort of practice run for those just getting over jetlag and also not accustomed to altitude . For Antigua and Guatemala City are at altitudes similar to Denver, and the altitudes in the central and western highlands in Guatemala are quite comparable to the mountains in Colorado. In the scheme of things Pacaya is sort of a physical baby, a peak set in lower elevations towards the Pacific with a summit of under 8,000 feet. But Pacaya is an active volcano, so going to the summit is neither safely possible nor legally permitted.

Speaking of babies, as old and gray as I may feel nowadays, I’m one of the youngest passengers in this group of thirteen. That’s actually quite promising. Although I’d find they’re mostly as good at hiking as I am, at least I can look at them for inspiration and believe that if I try to stay fit I can still have another twenty or so good years of trekking ahead of me. KE Adventure, being a British company seems to attract a lot of Englishmen, so despite being in the New World the group is about half British and half American with one Canadian as well .

Pacaya Volcano is situated to the southeast of Antigua and not all that far from Guatemala City, but geography is such that our route there involved heading somewhat to the southwest and dropping to nearly 1,500 feet in altitude into sugar plantation country before turning northeast and rising significantly again to a small village at the base of the volcano named San Francisco de Sales. Our trailhead in the village was only 6,200 feet with a climb to 7,500 feet on the flanks of the volcano, easy stuff for a first day’s hike.

The trek up the mountain was mostly a gentle ascent through the forest. Depending on the ownership of the land in Guatemala, a local guide is either required or just a very smart choice. I’ve heard many stories about Gringo trekkers getting mugged in this country, so having a local with you is a smart choice even where it isn’t required, which it appears to be here.

We emerged from the forest to a ridgeline above the crater with stunning views in all directions, to Agua Volcano to the north and to the hulk of Pacaya Volcano just above us. As I said earlier, being active in recent years and regularly spewing out small eruptions of ash, gas, and volcanic rock, the summit is off limits. But we had a nice little practice walk around the caldera that included the local guide toasting marshmallows on the hot volcanic rocks for us.