Everesting Acatenango: From a Guatemalan Volcano to the Great Mountains of the World

In 2015, I climbed Acatenango for the first time.

Like many people, I thought I was going there simply to see a volcano. I had no idea that mountain would quietly change the course of my life.

Somewhere between the darkness before sunrise and the silence that only exists above the clouds, I witnessed phenomena in the sky that I still struggle to explain. What I do know is that something shifted inside me. For the first time, I understood that adventure was not about reaching a summit. It was about expanding the limits of what we believe is possible.

That experience ignited a curiosity that never left me.

Over time, I came to understand that these moments also connected me with something greater than myself. Through my Christian faith, I have experienced what I can only describe as profound states of flow, moments where purpose, discipline, spirituality, and human potential converge. Along that journey, I encountered experiences that deepened my sense of wonder and reinforced my conviction that we are all called to pursue a higher version of ourselves.

What began as a fascination with mountains soon became an obsession with understanding those who dared to venture into the highest places on Earth.

I immersed myself in stories of Himalayan expeditions, mountaineering history, and the legendary 8,000-meter peaks that have challenged humanity for generations. Like many climbers, I found myself captivated by the documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, which tells the story of summiting all fourteen of the world’s 8,000-meter mountains. The more I learned, the more I realized that these mountains represented something far greater than sport. They represented the relentless pursuit of human potential.

In 2018, I completed my first ultra trail race, a 42-kilometer route that climbed from Parramos toward the crater of Acatenango before descending along the volcano’s slopes. It was my introduction to the world of endurance, resilience, and long-term suffering in pursuit of a meaningful goal.

Around that same period, a connection I had first made years earlier began to take on deeper meaning.

That connection was Miles Sherpa.

What began as admiration for his accomplishments evolved into a genuine friendship built around shared values. Through our conversations, I learned that mountains are not conquered by strength alone. They are climbed through humility, preparation, discipline, service, and respect.

Beyond his achievements in the Himalayas, I was inspired by Miles’s humanitarian efforts, his commitment to helping communities in Nepal, and the spirituality that guides his life. He became one of the people who helped me understand that mountaineering is not merely about reaching summits. It is about who we become during the climb.

Like every worthwhile journey, mine was not a straight line.

I experienced failure.

One of the most meaningful setbacks came during an attempt to complete Guatemala’s legendary volcanic trilogy: Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego. I was unable to finish.

At the time, it felt like defeat.

Looking back, it was one of the most important moments of my journey because it introduced me to a Guatemalan mountaineer who challenged me to take my preparation seriously. She taught me that dreams are not built on inspiration alone. They are built through consistency, training, discipline, and respect for the process.

That lesson changed everything.

Then, in November 2025, during the closing prayer at Ryan Blair’s AlterCall Gathering in Florida, someone prayed over me and told me to keep running and not stop.

At the time, I received those words with faith, but over time, I discerned them as something deeper: a call to keep moving forward, not only in sport, but also in entrepreneurship, purpose, and the vision God had been shaping in my life.

Two months later, I committed myself to one of the most demanding challenges of my life: Everesting Acatenango.

One mountain.

One climb.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Until accumulating the equivalent elevation gain of Mount Everest.

There were moments when my body wanted to stop. Moments when my mind searched for excuses. Moments when quitting seemed reasonable.

But mountains teach a simple truth:

The summit belongs to the person who keeps moving.

In February 2026, I completed the Acatenango Everesting Challenge after six ascents of the volcano. The experience pushed me far beyond anything I had previously endured. During the challenge, I suffered two hypothermic shocks that left me exhausted and forced me to confront my limits in a very real way.

I also finished outside the official time limit.

Years earlier, that outcome might have bothered me. But by then, I understood that my goal was never about satisfying the standards of a competition or proving something to other competitors. My vision extended far beyond the ego attached to a result on a leaderboard.

Since childhood, I had carried a dream of one day reaching the great mountains of the world. Everesting was never the destination. It was part of the preparation. Part of the journey. Part of becoming the person capable of pursuing that dream.

Because of that, stopping was never an option.

Even though the challenge became far more difficult than expected, even though the cold tested me physically and mentally, I chose to continue until all six ascents were complete. What mattered was honoring the commitment I had made to myself and continuing to move toward a vision that had inspired me since I was a child.

Crossing that finish line represented far more than an athletic achievement. It represented a decade-long journey that began with a young Guatemalan standing on a volcano wondering what existed beyond the horizon.

What happened next was something I never expected.

The Summit Force welcomed me into their team.

Today, I have the privilege of serving as an Ambassador and Commercial Partner, helping connect people throughout Latin America and the Americas with some of the most extraordinary mountain experiences on Earth.

Through The Summit Force, adventurers can begin with transformational treks across the Himalayas, including Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, Langtang Valley, Mardi Himal, Khopra Danda, Manaslu Circuit, Makalu Base Camp, and the legendary Three High Pass Trek.

For those seeking the next level, the journey continues through alpine climbing objectives such as Mera Peak, Lobuche Peak, Himlung Himal, Sherson Peak, and the iconic Ama Dablam.

And for climbers pursuing the ultimate challenge, The Summit Force leads expeditions to some of the world’s greatest mountains, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I, Manaslu, Kanchenjunga, K2, and Broad Peak.

Beyond Nepal and Pakistan, the organization offers experiences across Tibet, China, India, and Bhutan, connecting people not only with mountains, but with ancient cultures, spiritual traditions, and some of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth.

Yet the greatest lesson mountains have taught me is this:

People rarely return from these journeys as the same person who left.

Mountains reveal what comfort zones hide.

They teach resilience.

They teach humility.

They teach gratitude.

They teach perspective.

Most importantly, they reveal who we become when there is no option but to continue moving forward.

I learned this lesson again in 2024 when a group of friends and I attempted a 77-kilometer route linking five volcanoes across Guatemala. We were forced to stop because weather conditions made continuing unsafe.

Part of me wanted to keep going.

The mountains had a different lesson to teach.

Sometimes wisdom is knowing when to retreat.

Sometimes discipline means waiting.

Sometimes the path forward requires turning back.

That experience taught me that retreat is not failure. It is often preparation for a future victory.

Looking ahead, one of my greatest aspirations is to help position Guatemala as a gateway to high-altitude adventure for the Americas.

For decades, climbers from around the world have sought environments where they can build endurance, resilience, and mountain fitness before pursuing major expeditions. Guatemala’s volcanic chain provides exactly that.

Acatenango.

Fuego.

Agua.

Tajumulco.

And countless other mountains that have shaped generations of adventurers.

My vision is to build a bridge between Guatemala and the great mountain ranges of the world.

To create opportunities for people to discover the beauty of our volcanoes, our culture, and our landscapes, while also opening a pathway toward the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the great peaks that have inspired humanity for centuries.

At the same time, I hope this journey continues to shape me as an entrepreneur, a leader, and a human being.

Because mountains do not simply prepare us for expeditions.

They prepare us for life.

And if God allows it, perhaps one day I will stand on The Summit that first inspired this dream so many years ago.

But whether that day comes or not, I already know that the true reward was never the mountain itself.

It was the person I became while climbing toward it.

If you have ever dreamed of challenging yourself beyond what feels comfortable, pursuing an adventure that could change your life, or discovering what lies on the other side of your perceived limits, I would be honored to help you take the first step.

The mountain is waiting.

And perhaps, just as Acatenango did for me in 2015, it will show you something far greater than the summit itself.

It may show you who you truly are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BRcho1OR6M