Read the previous part of this blog entry in: The walk to the volcano.
We came closer and closer to the volcano. I looked under a few more stones, and under one I found a scorpion that had recently molted, maybe the previous evening, or day, since it still looked very white because the exoskeleton hadn't hardened out yet.
Close to this scorpion was another very small scorpion living. In the picture below you can see this small scorpion in the top left. The recently molted scorpion is at the right bottom, and the cast off skin (exuvia) is just above it.
When we looked back the way we had come we saw that we had been slowly getting higher and higher the closer we got to the volcano.
To the east we could clearly see the Cofre de Perote. I guess we where now about 2500 m above sea level.
In front of us we could clearly see the small volcano. Well, technically we probably had been walking on the volcano for quite some time, but the dome that clearly stuck out was in front of us.
When I looked under a stone I found something that looked like a bird's nest. I have no idea what kind of animal has made this nest.
By now we both were very tired and not sure if we would climb to the top of the volcano or not. We crossed a crop field and I said to Esme that we would try to climb up to the big hole in the slope we could see, about midway. If it was an easy climb, we would try to go for the top.
From the slope of the volcano we could clearly see La Gloria. Moreover, there seemed to be a straight road leading to it. We decided to follow that road on our way back.
When we reached the level of the big hole we decided to go on and climb to the top of the volcanic dome. And shortly after we reached the crater rim. We had expected to be able to see also behind the volcano, but the north-west rim was much higher then where we were standing.
But we had a splendid view on the landscape from roughly east to west. We clearly could see La Gloria, Cofre de Perote, and the lava field we had been walking on.
We both walked a bit around, enjoying the view. The crater floor was covered with vegetation of mostly one kind. Esme noticed a big crack in the western part of the crater floor.
It was getting late, and the light was getting less and less, also because dark clouds were gathering more to the east.
I saw quite some pine trees growing on top of the crater, and took some photos of the landscape with some of those trees in view. When I was done taking pictures Esme joined me, and we started our walk down the volcanic slope, in the direction of La Gloria.
Read the next part of this blog entry in: The walk to La Gloria.