Category Archives: Tajumulco

Making the List: 90 Great Canadian Explorers

Posted on February 10, 2020 by TA Loeffler

I am humbled once again to be recognized by the Royal Canadian Geographic Society by my inclusion in their 90 Greatest Canadian Explorers List. Of course, whenever a list is made, many noteworthy, awesome, & deserving folks are left off … Continue reading →

Posted in Aconcagua, Ama Dablam, Canoe, Elbrus, Everest 2010, Everest 2015, Everest 3.0, Everest-007, Fire&Ice17, Great Big Walk, Great Himalaya Trail, Gunnbjørn Fjeld, Kanairiktok River, Kilimanjaro, Labrador, Life, Lungta Livyers, Mountaineering, Nepal, Newfoundland, Ojos, Orizaba, Paddle 2 Peaks, Paddling North, Pumori, River With Two Names, Sea Kayak, Ski, Tajumulco, Tibet Bike, Toubkal, Trekking, Vinson, Volcanopalooza | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Tajumulco Photo Gallery

Posted on January 21, 2011 by TA Loeffler

A collection of some of my favourite images from our volcano climbs in Guatemala and Tajumulco, the highest point of both Guatemala and Central America.

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Visual Soliloquy #77 Three Rules of Work…

Posted on January 11, 2011 by TA Loeffler

Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.–Albert Einstein

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Visual Soliloquy #76 To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle…

Posted on January 10, 2011 by TA Loeffler

To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science. -Albert Einstein

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Hat Trick of the Americas Redux

Posted on January 9, 2011 by TA Loeffler

Three summits. Four and a half years almost to the day. Nearly 25,000 meters of elevation gain. Mountains of learning in each step. Summiting North America June 26, 2005   The alarm went at 6. All quiet outside. A good … Continue reading →

Posted in Aconcagua, Denali, Tajumulco | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Visual Soliloquy #75 Nature is what we know – Yet have not art to say…

Posted on January 9, 2011 by TA Loeffler

Nature is what we know – Yet have not art to say – So impotent our wisdom is To her simplicity. –Emily Dickinson

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Visual Soliloquy #74 Simply the thing that I am shall make me live…

Posted on January 8, 2011 by TA Loeffler

Simply the thing that I am shall make me live.–William Shakespeare

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Visual Soliloquy #73 Life does not accommodate you, it shatters you…

Posted on January 7, 2011 by TA Loeffler

Life does not accommodate you, it shatters you. It is meant to, and it couldn’t do it better. Every seed destroys its container or else there would be no fruition. -Florida Scott-Maxwell

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Visual Soliloquy #72 Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world…

Posted on January 6, 2011 by TA Loeffler

Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won’t come in. –Alan Alda  

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Visual Soliloquy #70 There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope…

Posted on January 4, 2011 by TA Loeffler

There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope. –Bern Williams

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She Shoots, She Scores!

Posted on December 31, 2010 by TA Loeffler

She shoots, she scores! The Hat Trick of the Americas is complete.  Starting with the top of North America in June of 2005, the top of South America in 2006 and finishing on top of Central America in 2010, the … Continue reading →

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Climbing Volcan Santa Maria

Posted on December 27, 2010 by TA Loeffler

After explaining Boxing Day to our traveling companions over breakfast, we packed up and headed south of Xela to the trailhead for Santa Maria.  This 3772 meter volcano towers over Xela and is often climbed by locals who ascend it … Continue reading →

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Merry Christmas from Quetzaltenango (Xela)

Posted on December 25, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Feliz Navidad! It was a festive evening in Antigua with many folks out in the central park for the evening.  Three Santas were there posing for photos in front of the fountain with portable printers ready for action to send … Continue reading →

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Fuego: A Volcano’s Volcano

Posted on December 24, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Fuego welcomed us to Antigua on our first morning with a big eruption that made our day.  It is currently the world’s most active volcano since beginning to erupt steadily in 2002.  Perched high on the side of Acatenango, we … Continue reading →

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Climbing Acatenango: Guatemala’s Third Highest Peak

Posted on December 24, 2010 by TA Loeffler

From Antigua, Acatenango and Fuego seem to be sibling volcanoes, side by each, towering to the southwest of Antigua.  We set our sights first, on the taller sibling of Acatenango which at 3976 metres is the third highest volcano in … Continue reading →

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Welcoming the Light

Posted on December 21, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Just back from an awesome unanticipated “Hat Trick of the Americas” where we celebrated Winter Solstice with a full moon and full lunar eclipse on Volcan Pacaya.  We traded our ascent of Volcan Aqua for the opportunity to camp out … Continue reading →

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Visual Soliloquy #68 Remember that the most difficult tasks are consummated not by a single burst of energy or effort…

Posted on December 20, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Remember that the most difficult tasks are consummated not by a single burst of energy or effort, but by consistent application of the best you have within you. –Og Mandino

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Around Town

Posted on December 19, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Another fine day in Antigua!  We met up with the rest of our group which turns out to be smaller than intended as two of the folks are stranded by the blizzard in Heathrow.  So we are a group of … Continue reading →

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Same, Same but Different

Posted on December 18, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Velma the Vanilla Dip Waits to Fly to Guatemala City There is something about getting on an airplane. I just love it. Perhaps, because an airplane is usually a place I feel unusually at leisure in ( I get to … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Motorcycles, Tajumulco | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Settling In

Posted on December 18, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Hi, We’ve just moved into our new hotel.  We’ve had an awesome time studying Spanish for the past three mornings and loved living with a Guatemalan family especially the five year old that had us all laughing with her antics.  … Continue reading →

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Arrived Safely In Guatemala

Posted on December 16, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Arrived safely last night after a long day of flying and traffic jams in Guatemala City. Met our host family and went rapidly to sleep as we had started the day at 3 am. Just finished my first morning of … Continue reading →

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Volcan Tajumulco: The Hat Trick of the Americas

Posted on December 12, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Volcán Tajumulco!!! At 4220 metres above sea level, it is the highest peak in Guatemala and the highest peak in Central America!  It won’t be my hardest challenge to date. It won’t be the highest. Or the coldest. Or the … Continue reading →

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Oma: Mountain of a Woman

Posted on December 6, 2010 by TA Loeffler

While back in Edmonton this week, I had the wonderful fortune of placing my laptop complete with webcam into the lap of my Oma. It was a precious moment as she saw herself appear on the screen in front of … Continue reading →

Posted in Everest 2010, Life, Tajumulco | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

It’s Not About the Date

Posted on December 3, 2010 by TA Loeffler

It’s not about the date. Or the presents. Or the food. Or the traditions. So then, what is this “day” we call Christmas all about? That’s the question I’m trying to answer as my family and I are celebrating “Christmas” … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Tajumulco | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Wanted: Hat Options for the Hat Trick of the Americas

Posted on November 24, 2010 by TA Loeffler

G’Day, The countdown to the Hat Trick of the Americas has begun and there is one critical decision left to be answered? Which hat should I wear for the climb? Which hat will be called to service on the volcano … Continue reading →

Posted in Tajumulco | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Nose to the Grindstone

Posted on November 21, 2010 by TA Loeffler

Buenos Domingo, Marian and I are stepping up both our physical training and our Spanish language training in the weeks leading up to our departure for Guatemala and Tajumulco. It’s time to put our noses to the grindstone! We’ve been … Continue reading →

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Congratulations to Team Canada

Posted on November 13, 2010 by TA Loeffler

An amazing evening of hockey in front of a sell out crowd in St. John’s. A night not soon forgotten! Team Canada wins the Four Nations Cup in overtime over Team USA.

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Barefoot Ascent of PEI’s Highest Point

Posted on November 12, 2010 by TA Loeffler

A few weeks back-well rather a month or so ago, Jane Macgrath and I had a grand hike and talk up and around Signal Hill. It was great to reconnect and share stories and adventures from the academe. We got … Continue reading →

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Lessons in Seeing

Posted on November 8, 2010 by TA Loeffler

How do I find the words to describe a week that spanned from the stunningly deep silence of canyon wanderings to the vibrant, almost abusive, cacophonous stimulation of Las Vegas? From a gentle dawning light of day dancing on ever … Continue reading →

Posted in Tajumulco | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Hat Trick of the Americas: Volcán Tajumulco (4220m)

Posted on October 24, 2010 by TA Loeffler

What is TA climbing next? I had many more clues planned…like this one: and this one: But alas and congrats, the great mystery of what I am climbing next has been solved by MC and Carla. They deciphered the clues: … Continue reading →

Posted in Tajumulco | Tagged , | 7 Comments