More active volcano hiking, this time in reverse

Written by Kyle about Nicaragua. Feelin' happy

Reverse? How does someone hike in reverse? Well, it's not as if we walked up the whole volcano by walking backwards or got dropped off by a helicopter at the top (which would be waaaay easier). Instead, we climbed it during the night.

When climbing during the night, it seems like it is in reverse because during the darkness, you have no idea where you are or what is around you. You follow a little point of light from your flashlight for hours until someone tells you that you are at the top. Still at the top, you look around and see the same sh*t you have seen for the past 5 hours: nothing.

But the beauty comes when the sun comes out. You start to see what's around you and the reason you hiked all this way.

Moon behind Telica volcano

In this case, the sun came up and we were standing right next to a huge crater that was smoking and smelling that sulfur / devilled eggs smell with flat farming lands surrounding the view below us.

Bessie and the Telica crater
Inactive crater of Telica Volcano, Nicaragua

Inactive crater of Telica

Then, once you've seen everything, you turn around, climbing down the volcano and experiencing the past 5 hours of your life in reverse, in the clearness of day ("Hey, I remember tripping over that rock"). Adding the fatigue of climbing and not sleeping, everything feels as if you just went through rewind on a VCR player (For our younger audience, VCR players are like DVDs, but they are made from tape, much like a cassette. What's a cassette, you say? Ah, forget it.)

In any case, we got it all on film for you so that you can take the hike with us.

And, yes, this was another eXtreme Nicaraguan moment, so we can't leave you without an eXtreme photo:

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September 20, 2008 Mezclado: Looks awesome guys, must have been something while attempting a trek in the night. Kyle you look like you were sweating like there's no tomorrow mate, was it hot during the night or was it all the walking and stuff? Looks as if Nicaragua has made a bigger impression than what Costa Rica did.

Cheers.

September 20, 2008 Kyle: I sweat a lot anyway, plus it's really hot and humid, so the sweat just pours out of me.

Yes, I think that Nicaragua has made a bigger impression on us than Costa Rica. Costa Rica is good for a short vacation, but Nicaragua has much more to offer and is significantly cheaper.

September 20, 2008 Bessie: he does not lie when he says sweat pours. i think it's a talent straight from god.

September 23, 2008 Kristine: Is anyone else singing "Henry the Eighth"??

"Second Verse, same as the first! I'm Henry the Eighth I am..."

Sorry... weird train of thought there for a second. What a super cool adventure. Again, I'm jealous. As soon as the banks here collapse and everyone loses their mortgages (may be very soon...), I'll be joining you! :) Heck, we all may just have to live on the side of the volcanoes down there.

September 25, 2008 Kyle: Ya, I think a mortgage these days is about as safe as living on the side of an active volcano.

October 03, 2008 Linda: Curious to know.....have you reached the point that "if you've seen one smoking volcano, you've seen 'em all"? :)

October 04, 2008 Kyle: Nope!

April 08, 2009 martebk: All right, this sounds like the full moon hike with Quetzaltrekkers! :)
If others want information about it, and want to do it, check out http://quetzaltrekkers.com/nicfull.html .for dates and more information. I did it last month, and it's supercool.