Volcano: 1....Rita: 0

"Today," I thought to myself, "is the day I shall climb to the top of the Volcan Villarrica". Boy...was I overly optimistic! Volcan Villarrica is a live volcano standing at 2847 meters tall and covered in snow. Walking around the town in Pucon, I can see the volcano from almost anywhere I stood and it is just begging for me to climb it.

5:30am - the car comes to pick us up from our camp site after I had gotten grand total of 3 hours of sleep thanks to the partier who came back from the Hot Spring at 3am.
6:00am - the car came to a stop due to a pretty bad accident on the only way into Pucon. we almost had to walk the last 7km to town, luckily for me, they let us pass 30 min later.
7:00am - fitted for volcano climbing gear (ice pick, heavy duty hiking shoes, gaiters, crampons, water proof pants, windbreakers, and a backpack filled with snacks, water, camera, etc) and off we go in a van toward the volcano
8:00am - HORRAY for ski lifts!! Our other friends who had climbed the volcano in the last 2 weeks all had to walk up because the ski lift wasn't open to take them up the most slippery/steep part of the hike.
9:00am - The weight of the gear is starting to weigh on me and my legs are begining to feel like lead. I make it to the first stop.
10:00am - I am in between the first stop and the second stop, standing on a slippery slope of ice (slowly dying on the inside) and trying to figure out how in the world i am going to make it to the next stop since going back down is more difficult than going up.
11:00am - I made it to the 2nd stop (HORRAY!!!), the big one right before everyone leave on the trail to ascend to the top of the volcano where there really is no turning back. This is the point where I quit. I have NEVER had a more challenging climb in my life (I haven't climbed a whole lot...but man this was brutal).
11:30am - I slide...slide...and slide down the volcano. NOW this is the part that makes the whole climb worth it (on top of the amazing view). :D wheeeeeee!!! SO fun. I want to open a slide only slide park in the US.
12:30pm - Back down to the van. Heads back to Pucon.

Volcano: 1....Rita: 0