Pacaya

McKenney Cone

The Pacaya is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Located just south of Guatemala City, its eruptions can often be observed from there. During the Spanish colonial period, a total of 23 outbreaks were registered. Thereafter, the activity rested about a century, until it came again in 1965 to a violent outburst. Since that time, there is a continuous activity. The eruptions are strombolian with hundreds of daily explosions in the rule. The strombolian eruptions are triggered by degassing of magma, they often hurl incandescent lava bombs hundreds of meters into the air and also produce smaller aa lava flows. Sporadically produced Pacaya also moderate Plinian eruptions.

The Pacaya is part of a volcanic chain extending along the Pacific coast of Guatemala and was formed by subduction of the Cocos plate beneath the Caribbean. It is part of a basaltic volcanic complex, which, the Amatitlán Lake lies on the southern edge of the 15 square kilometer caldera. The complex consists of an older stratovolcano, the largest part has been formed in the last 23,000 years of domes, tephra and today stratovolcano. The current volcanic cone varied depending on the building or destructive volcanic forces constantly its shape: So since 1965 is from the old Cerro Chico Crater grown ( 2265 m) of McKenney Cone, which now (2010) reached a height of 2560 m.

The easiest and safest way to climb the Pacaya is to book a tour with one of the travel agencies in Antigua Guatemala, where daily tours for about seven to nine dollars are offered. While in the 90s always armed robberies were reported on volcano visitors, has significantly improved the security situation in recent years, because in 2000 the volcano and the surrounding area were declared a national park. Since then, inter alia, paths and refuges have been created, and Ranger ensure the safety of visitors. If you arrive without organized tour, is to be released at the Visitor Center in San Francisco de Sales a ticket, and it is recommended not to climb the volcano without a guide. It takes about three hours, the climb is not difficult, but exhausting because of the altitude. The last 150 meters height difference must be climbed by the deep, loose ash and slag of the summit cone.

1998 and end of May 2010 had the international airport of Guatemala, about 23 km from the Pacaya be closed after a violent eruption.

Amatitlán Lake, right up Pacaya complex