The climb: scree, glacier and the 2,652 m summit
The Osorno Volcano climb starts at our base in Ensenada at 4:00 am. At 5:00 am we leave for the CONAF hut at 1,200 m, where the hike begins. From there to the summit it is about 6 hours up, in two 3-hour sections, and about 4 hours down: 12 hours of activity in total.
From the CONAF refuge to the glacier (3 hours)
The first section is a hike of about 3 hours up the volcanic scree, loose volcanic rock and sand, until you reach the glacier and its permanent ice. This is where you gain height at a steady pace before stepping onto the ice.
From the glacier to the summit (3 more hours)
At the glacier we put on the safety gear and keep going for about 3 more hours, on slopes of up to 50 degrees, to the 2,652 m summit. It is the most demanding part of the hike, which is why it is done with a guide and glacier gear. Then the descent begins, about 4 hours back to the starting point.
The view from the top
From the top you see everything around the volcano: Lakes Todos los Santos and Llanquihue, the Petrohué and Hueñu-Hueñu rivers, the La Picada and Santo Domingo peaks, and the Calbuco, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes. It is one of the widest views in the Los Lagos Region.