The other tour group over took us soon afterwards, they were setting quite a pace which myself and Claire were unable to keep up with, although we did catch up with them at stops all the way up. Treking on snow was a new experience to both of us, and on the shallow slopes was easier than walking on the volcanic rock. The steeper slopes and icer sections were quite nerve racking and both of us were more than a little scared of slipping and sliding down the slope to plunge over a cliff ledge. We trudged up the mountain in the snow zig-zagging upwards, always looking for where to put your next foot step. There was one moment stepping over a ridge near to the top, with ice on rock, when I almost lost my balance and my heart lept in to my mouth.

Finally we made it to the top - all 2,846 meters above sea-level, we doned our gas masks and went to take a look in to the crater of the active volcano. The sulphur fumes were extremely strong and I was glad to have the gas mask. Through the clouds of steam and sulphur we could see a red-orange glowing hole in the rock reflecting the heat and colour of the magma below. After taking a couple of pictures we returned to the edge of the crater and admired the views around us. Our stay at the top was cut short with news from Pucon that the weather was closing in, so we started back in haste. Once on to the snow covered slopes we sat on our bums and slid down, I lost control at least once, leaving my ice axe in the snow (not recommended), spinning round and turning over to come to an undignified stop covered in snow just in front of Claire.

The descent took an hour and a half and by the time we reached the bottom we had a sense of achievment and aching muscles. In the evening we cooked dinner and chatted to another couple Pete and Kirsten (from England and Germany) about ours and their travels, until wearily we headed to bed for a much needed night of rest.