From my first climb on Acatenango in 2015 to completing the Acatenango Everesting Challenge in 2026, this journey became more than an athletic pursuit. It became a path of faith, endurance, failure, discipline, friendship, and transformation — a bridge between Guatemala’s volcanoes and the world’s highest mountains.

Ever wondered why dogs appear when you’re walking through a volcano? Maybe it’s instinct. Maybe it’s energy. Maybe it’s divine providence moving through one of creation’s purest guardians. In sacred places where fire, silence, and spirit meet, a dog walking beside you can feel like more than coincidence. Sometimes protection does not arrive with thunder. Sometimes, it walks quietly beside you.