The Challenging Volcan Cosigüina

The Trail Head

Volcan Cosigüina does not drive fear into the hearts of men. It does not have great adventure tales nor famous quotes of climbing it because "it was there". Movies will not be made and minstrels will not sing songs.

Standing at 2,861 feet or 875 metres it is a good trek but not daunting. It is a part of the Volcano chain that runs down the spine of Nicaragua which makes it a huge part of the ring of fire. It sits on peninsula on the North Western tip and when  you summit (to steal a mountaineering term) you have views of Honduras and Nicaragua. It's no "I can see Russia from my house" but it will do just fine.

The volcano last erupted in 1859, but its most famous activity occurred on 20 January 1835 when it produced the largest historical eruption in Nicaragua. Ash from the 1835 eruption has been found in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. According to an analysis by Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature, the 1835 eruption caused a temporary decrease in the average land temperature of Earth of about 0.75 degrees C.  -- Wikepedia

Here are some great Google Images

The climb being, 20 kilo pack and all

A 6 am pre-trip meeting followed by a great breakfast at Quetzel Trekkers got the day underway. There were 10 of us plus our guide. I did not take many photos or write down any names so if they come into play I will just insult their Nationality with some slang term. We loaded into our van and settled in and slept for the 3 hour, bumpy as fuck ride. A short stop before the trail head lead to a series of sprints to the baño and rounds of 10 am  Toña's. (You see Toña, we did meet again). This group was going to be just fine.The trail head was literally the front yard of a local family. Our guide pays them to watch the truck so it's a win/win for everyone involved. As we unloaded and did a pre-check, the sweetest lady brought us 2 huge watermelons from her garden. "Necessitan comida". I am telling you this is what true old world organic farming tastes like. It was sweet, deep red and slurpily delicious. Monsanto need not apply.

Second shirt of the day

We were locked and loaded. Each person had a 20 kilo pack that contained 8 litres of water, tents, sleeping bags, food and spices plus our personal belongings. We each also had a spoon, plastic cup and plastic bowl to cherish and guard with our lives. So off we went. It did not take but 10 minutes, once the trail started to
rise that the first grips of "holy crap" started. Packs were opened, 2 litre bottles of water were being discarded to the absolute fear of our guide. "But they are heavy" was not going to cut it. The guide suggested very logically to take 2 bottles our and carry them in your hands to make the packs lighter. As this was not my first rodeo, I had started the trip like that with more than a few curious glances from my new friends. Realizing that we would crush 4 litres of water by the time we reached the top, adjustments had to be made. There was a moment of "ok nobody is going to carry this shit for me no matter how much I piss and moan" or "this was not how it was explained on Facebook" clarity. And with that we marched on.

Troopers Paige and McCall

Once we found our rhythm we started making headway and the hike was going to be no less than 4 hours. We only had 1 guide where normally there were 2. "Everyone has the Gunya" our guide mentioned. So I was the laggie and pulled up the rear to make sure nobody strayed. This worked for me because I was panting, wheezing, coughing, spitting, sweating, cursing, swearing and if it stared to rain I would have cried so nobody would see my tears. Man has my climbing ability deteriorated in 2 years.
It was hot, I mean Africa hot. We stopped along the way, usually under the shade of a tree for water, pictures and to adjust our packs. We were becoming happily unified in our struggles. There were 3 American guys, and Irish guy and his girl cousin, Eve the Kiwi (funny how I remembered her name), a German girl and the three of us. The 3 American dudes were funny dudes and kept the spirits up along with the pace. There was talk about "summit rum" and a bit of the "gange" to help ease our suffering.

Crater Lake

The four hours did not past slowly but they did pass and soon enough we reached the campsite with spirit lifting high fives all around. Now the fun part was to start. Exhausted, dirty, sweaty and hungry we had to set up camp, get firewood and prepare lunch before our assent to the crater for the sunset and the moon rise.

It's fun to watch people interact in groups in situations such as this. Most normal people will get going regardless of the hike knowing there is no one that is going to drop in and sort everything out. Get those tents up, drag and break some firewood, chop some veggies and help with dinner. Then there are the ones who kind of hang around, wander camp, talk about being "so tired" and how hard the hike was, or "I don't feel well", and stay real quiet hoping not to draw attention to the fact that they are not contributing. Those working give each other knowing and respecting looks. A bit of a bond if you would. Looks that say, if  this was a life or death situation we know who we would kill and eat first if we had to.

Tri-country view

Camp was a chaotic but happy mess. The Americans hung hammocks (no tents for them) which spread everyone out giving us more space. A nice win/win for everyone. Lunch was the Quetzel veggie burrito of which I had 4 and we greedily eyeing a fifth, washed down by no less than a litre of water. Total water count, 5 litres and not a pee in sight. Think about that for a second.

Well it was time for the summit hike. You know the feeling when you work out then rest for a while. You then try and get up and "holy mother of god" you realize how tired/sore/still/OLD you are. After a series of group moans, grunts and mother****ers (that was me) we stared the short summit.  As with most treks, the effort is always worth it. Pictures never due justice to what you observe. The oranges and yellows of the sunset mixed with the clear blue sky, the blue ocean and green crater.  El Salvador and Honduras were pointed out by our guide and that is always a "wow" moment knowing you are at the point of 3 countries. Everyone just did their own thing, as you do. Walking along the crater, taking pictures or soaking it all in.

Our personal solitude was shattered with an over zealous "holy crap". We were staring at the sunrise and finally somebody turned around and there was the moon, rising from behind Volcan San Cristobal. Again, pictures would not do it justice and personally I am trying to live in the moment of situations like this viewing it in real life, not through a 3 inch screen. The moon was big, bold and bright pushing a beam across the Gulf of Fonseca. I switched back and forth between the setting sun and the quick rising moon. It was an ADD nightmare.

A long couple hours later we came to the sudden realization that we were now going to have to hike by the light of the moon and our typical hikers headlight. And I was freaking hungry dammit. Our guide took the lead looking for the trail and failed. Not the leadership we were looking for. With a quick "stay here" off he went looking for the way to camp and with skilled success we were off. I forgot to mention that for whatever reason there were cows, yes cows along the top route. That J said, nothing scared the crap out of a quiet night hike where the only noise is footsteps and breathing then a cow suddenly moving in the bush. Knowing I eat hamburgers was my way of salvaging revenge on this ungulate bastards.

Camp was a nice sight. A large fire (started by gasoline of course) and dinner of cooked veggies and pasta topped with bags of marshmallows for the roasting. A bit of drink, some smoke for those who wanted to partake and good conversation with new trekking friends and it was lights out by 9. I believe nothing brings people together like a little adversity and simple co-operative living.

There was talk about getting up early to watch the sunrise and it took me a nano second to say what everyone else was thinking. " I am not getting up at 4:30 to watch the sunrise" and with that it was so. Camp stirred around 730. A solid breakfast of cooked oatmeal, bananas and oatmeal, instant coffee that tasted fantastic and cookies was followed by the breaking of camp (see previous comment about people who work and people who watch) and then the hike down. For those who do know know hiking up in hard on the legs and the lungs. Hiking down is brutal on the knees and the ankles.

Two and half hours later we were at the trail head greeted with smile and water melons!! It is crazy how you appreciate simple things when living a simple life. We stopped at a small lagoon for a swim, a few cold morning beers and the long bumpy ride back to Leon.

The Volcan Cosigüina trek was the soul cleanse that I absolutely needed.