My name is David Krise, I am a sophomore at MMA, and I have the privilege of writing today’s blog. Today, our goal was to descend Acatenango. 

Waking up to a stunning, cloudless sunrise at an elevation of over 13,000 feet is an experience I wish everyone could enjoy.   The view from our camp included a clear view of Volcán de Fuego, and we had seen and heard its activity throughout the night.  

(Fuego, January 18, 2026)

As we awoke, we were served a traditional Guatemalan breakfast of plantains, beans, and eggs. This simple meal, with the sunrise and view as our backdrop, set the perfect tone for the day ahead.

 (Agua, January 18, 2026) 

We began our descent at 0740 and reached the trailhead in La Soledad by 1000. This was notably quicker than the five hours many of us needed to make the cimb yesterday.  We quickly dropped from roughly 13,000 feet to about 6,000 feet. We practically ran through the trails because it was easier on our bodies than walking. Once at the bottom, we waited for the bus to take us back to our hostel in Antigua, where Professor Cadwalader and Captain Lennon welcomed us. 

Once all 12 of us had cleaned up, there was enough time to walk over to Caoba Farms to catch the Patriots – Texans game at 1400 local time. We watched the game from start to finish on their big-screen TV, with the exact outcome some had hoped for. 

By the end of the day, after descending Acatenango and walking through Antigua’s streets, my watch recorded 18,855 steps, nearly 9 miles. Not surprisingly, everyone was absolutely exhausted. The past few days of long workdays and challenging hikes have left us tired, but also more connected as a group. 

Guatemala thus far has been filled with color and beauty. The sun shines throughout the day, the streets are alive with scents and sounds, and everywhere you look, there’s something new to take in. Throughout this journey, our group of twelve has grown closer, and the shared challenges have kept morale high.

 (El Pilar, January 11, 2026) 

An example of our group getting closer together occurred tonight. Captain Lennon got us pizza, and we all met on the roof of our hostel at 1900 to eat and share stories about our trip thus far.  

Stepping outside your comfort zone is hard, but accomplishing this challenging climb as a team was an amazing experience that we will not soon forget.