I distinctly remember telling all my Hood River friends that my trip to Chile this year was going to be short and sweet—“I’m only going to guide for a couple of trips for CASA Tours and then be home.” I just started getting into kiteboarding this summer and the Columbia River Gorge is known for its amazing windy August and September days. I wasn’t lying until I actually got down to South America and started to ski powder. Then I forgot all about summer as I knew it before.

I had a great time guiding for CASA Tours (my second year, amazing tour company for ski and snowboard vacations in Chile and Argentina). We had great snow for almost every group and I even had time between trips to go to the Pichilemu and catch some waves.

I was just beginning to wonder what it would be like to actually leave on my scheduled day of departure—September 20^th—and head home, when I was contacted by Rodrigo Vera, a professional climber and instructor at one of Chile’s top eco-tourism colleges in Pucón, Chile. Rodrigo, or “Negro” as he’s known to most, offered me a position as the Director of Marketing for a competition he had been dreaming to create for years—a timed race from the top to the bottom of Villarrica Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in South America—Avalancha en el Volcán.

My immediate reaction was “Yes! Of course!” and then the reality set in that I wasn’t going to be writing press releases and contacting my media friends in English, but in Spanish—and not any Spanish, but Chilean Spanish. As the time drew closer to the day of the competition, I realized how far I had come by throwing myself into the position. I was proud of overcoming the desires to quit and say “Wow, I have no idea what I’m doing!” and continue to work at the level I envision for any project in my life.

When the competitors started showing up in Pucón, I was the person to meet and greet them, register them, give them all the beta about the competition and make them feel welcome and proud to be involved the competition. It was an amazing feeling to put faces to names and ask them, “How did you hear about Avalancha en el Volcán?”
 The day of the competition I hiked up and raced with all the competitors. It was a great feeling to see everything through start to finish. I ended up in first place for the women and really feel vested in seeing more people have the amazing experience of sharing a day on an active volcano with people from around the world….Avalancha en el Volcán 2012!

What an amazing experience!! Thank you to all who made it possible!!