If you ever find yourself in the San Pedro de Atacama area of Chile, Lascar will prove to be an easy volcano to spot. Its not the famously conical shaped one that everyone takes pictures of, that one is Licancabur.* Lascar is the flat topped volcano streaked with white. The white streaks aren’t snow (most of the time…occasionally it snows too) but are sulfur deposits. Also, on most mornings you can see a small cloud over Lascar, due to the fact that Lascar is an active volcano.
Not only is Lascar active, it is the most active volcano in Northern Chile. Its volcanism is the cause of one of the strangest climbing difficulties I’ve ever heard of: toxic clouds of sulfur. If the wind is coming from across the crater the hike can get very unpleasant. It is sometimes so bad that the hike can’t be accomplished.
Rambling Outback. 