{"id":2211,"date":"2025-12-21T23:54:38","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T22:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/licancabur-a-two-and-a-half-year-dream-of-conquering-an-altiplano-icon\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T19:53:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T18:53:54","slug":"licancabur-a-two-and-a-half-year-dream-of-conquering-an-altiplano-icon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/licancabur-a-two-and-a-half-year-dream-of-conquering-an-altiplano-icon\/","title":{"rendered":"Licancabur: a two-and-a-half-year dream of climbing an Altiplano icon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About two and a half years ago, we drove from Argentina into Chile via Paso de Jama. On the Chilean side, the monumental bulk of Licancabur suddenly loomed to our right. The sight of this \u201cmonster\u201d stopped me in my tracks, and I knew then I had to stand on its summit one day. From that moment, the urge to climb Licancabur never left me.<\/p>\n\n

Here we go!<\/h2>\n\n

When our travels in Bolivia finally brought us to Laguna Salada, we were suddenly close enough to try. We\u2019d already been on the Altiplano into our second week, so we were at least partly acclimatized. Iva was battling a respiratory infection, so in the end it was just Bra\u0148o who set out with me \u2014 and he gave the climb an unforgettable vibe.<\/p>\n\n

We\u2019d planned to hire a local guide, but in classic last\u2011minute fashion \u2014 as with most things on this Bolivia trip \u2014 finding one on a day\u2019s notice didn\u2019t work out. Thankfully, a woman at a local agency still shared the basics over WhatsApp: key details about the route to the top and current conditions.<\/p>\n\n

Preparation is everything<\/h2>\n\n

The trailhead was about an hour\u2019s drive from our lodging. We set the alarm for 3:00 a.m. and prepped the night before, so in the morning we slipped into the car and headed out quickly, crossing the Salvador Dal\u00ed Desert toward Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca.<\/p>\n\n

It was by these lagoons that we first glimpsed the bulk of Licancabur. But it was still pitch-dark; all we could make out was a faint wash of moonlight on the snowcapped summit. The sheer height awaiting us was, honestly, intimidating.<\/p>\n\n

After a nighttime hunt for the correct track between the lagoons, we reached the start just before five. We also got lucky \u2014 a gate on the road a few kilometers earlier happened to be open. Likely because we weren\u2019t the only ones attempting the climb that day: at the trailhead we saw a car belonging to a local travel agency.<\/p>\n\n

The endless ascent<\/h2>\n\n

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In bitter cold, we began to climb. For navigation in the dark we used Mapy.cz (Mapy.com), though the path was mostly easy to follow even at night. After about two hours, the sun finally rose, its rays slowly flooding the valley of Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca. The morning light lifted our spirits and took the edge off the cold.<\/p>\n\n

With every meter gained the air grew colder, and the lack of oxygen became more noticeable. Nothing dramatic, but the fatigue crept in. The remedy was more frequent breaks, after which you feel okay again \u2014 until the first few steps, when the tiredness returns. Even the smallest tasks \u2014 swapping a layer, fishing a thermos from the pack, handling a bit of gear \u2014 grew surprisingly difficult.<\/p>\n\n

The mountain of false summits<\/h2>\n
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Sunlight brought another advantage: we could finally see where we were headed. From past experience it seemed the summit ahead wasn\u2019t all that far, and we might just pull it off. After a short break and breakfast we pushed on. The slope steepened, but the path remained simple and easy to follow.<\/p>\n\n

What we didn\u2019t realize at first was how much time our frequent pauses were costing us. The first reality check came around eleven, when GPS still showed us below 5,500 meters above sea level. It also became clear this mountain was playing tricks on us. What we took for the top was always just a break in the slope \u2014 and beyond it, another stretch that felt endless. That scene replayed at least four more times. It didn\u2019t do our morale any favors.<\/p>\n\n

Turn back or push on?<\/h2>\n\n

Seeing time slip away faster than we needed, I suggested to Bra\u0148o that maybe it would be wiser to turn around. He disagreed and said we should still try for the top.<\/p>\n\n

Just as we started gasping for air and my doubts about a safe timeline grew stronger, the terrain began to ease, and GPS showed us just below the crater rim. I picked up the pace. After a few minutes I spotted a stick planted in a pile of rocks \u2014 the summit marker.<\/p>\n\n

I peered into the crater, long filled with water \u2014 essentially a frozen lake. A few minutes later Bra\u0148o topped out as well. Tired but happy, we took a photo together and turned to the endless views.<\/p>\n\n

But the watch was unequivocal \u2014 we needed to head down as soon as possible. It was nearing three in the afternoon, and we had roughly four hours of descent ahead.<\/p>\n\n

The endless descent<\/h2>\n\n

I thought the worst was behind us, but the descent turned out to be the most critical part of the day. It became clear that in his push for the summit, Bra\u0148o had overestimated his reserves. He was moving much slower than I was on the way down, and it was obvious we wouldn\u2019t reach the car before dark.<\/p>\n\n

My efforts to spur him on didn\u2019t help much \u2014 he was doing all he could. The final stretch became a race for the last rays of sun and the last scraps of warmth. Shortly after sunset the wind picked up, and the final hour was rough: cold biting me to the bone, and for Bra\u0148o, pure exhaustion.<\/p>\n\n

A happy ending<\/h2>\n\n

In the end, all was well. Bra\u0148o made it without an injury that would have complicated everything, and around seven in the evening we finally reached the car \u2014 exhausted, frozen, but safe.<\/p>\n\n

Lessons from Licancabur<\/h2>\n\n

Licancabur gave me more than just another summit to tick off. It reminded me that at high altitude it\u2019s not just willpower and fitness that count, but above all time, humility, and the ability to make the right calls even when the goal is within reach. The mountain doesn\u2019t forgive mistakes, and every extra meter takes its toll.<\/p>\n\n

If I had to take one lesson from this climb, it would be this: the summit is only half the journey \u2014 getting down is often the more important part.<\/p>\n\n

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Licancabur \u2014 at a glance<\/h2>\n\n

Elevation: 5916 m a.s.l.Location: the Bolivia\u2013Chile borderVolcano type: stratovolcano (dormant)Ascent profile: technically straightforward, physically and mentally very demandingMain risks: altitude, wind, cold, underestimating time and the descentFact: the crater holds one of the highest lakes in the world<\/p>\n\n