Santa Maria Volcano

Santa Maria stands at three thousand seven hundred and seventy-two metres above Quetzaltenango, and the reason to climb it is not the summit but what is below it. In 1902 the volcano erupted catastrophically, blowing out its south-western flank, and in the crater left behind a lava dome called Santiaguito began growing in 1922 and has been erupting more or less continuously ever since, several times an hour, so that from the summit of Santa Maria you look down onto an active vent and watch ash columns rise toward you. The climb takes four or five hours up and is steep throughout, usually started before dawn to be on top before cloud builds.

What you actually see

• Santiaguito erupting below - ash columns from an active dome, seen from above.
• The 1902 collapse scar - the flank blown out of the volcano.
• Sunrise over the highlands - the view before the cloud arrives.
• A steep four-hour climb - the ascent from Llanos del Pinal.

When to go

November to April in the dry season, starting before dawn to beat the cloud. A day. Guides are strongly advised, both for the route and for safety on the mountain.

Honest expectations

The climb is steep and relentless and the altitude is felt. Cloud usually covers the summit by mid-morning, so late starts see nothing. There have been robberies on this mountain; go with a guide or a group. Getting close to Santiaguito itself is dangerous and not permitted.

Nearby

Quetzaltenango is north-east; the Santiaguito dome lies below to the south-west.