day hike in Guatemala

I have been feelings kinda blue lately and hadn't felt like thinking about dreams I have that I will probably never be able to do. It's kinda disheartening to dream up and research and read about these epic journeys and realize that I will probably never have the financial resources to do most of these...but I'm kinda outta my funk so here goes...

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER NINE: hike Volcano Pacaya

I want to hike up the side of Mount Pacaya; an active volcano. Pacaya became active in 1965 and there have been numerous counts of activity from Pacaya since then (the last major eruption being in 2006). It is rather common place to see small steam eruptions and gas escaping from the rumbling volcano. The mountain is about 8,300 feet tall. With a small fee charged per person (to help maintain trails and rest stops), the mountain starts off with a small slope until you reach the old Cerro Chino crater. The rest of the hike is more difficult and steeper with loose ash and volcanic rock and sulfur clouds but never hiked a mountain before, I can only imagine the reward at the top.