After baking for a few weeks on the tropical shores of Jalisco, Mexico, my mind — as it often does — started drifting up toward the imposing mountains just a stone’s throw inland. The most prominent mountain in the vicinity was Nevado de Colima, a nearly 14,000-foot inactive volcano that straddles the border of Jalisco and Colima. The snow-patched peak sits adjacent to an active volcano, Volcán de Fuego de Colima, which last erupted in 2017 and has been actively erupting since the 16th century.

Thus, I rented a car capable of traversing the ten miles of offroading that it takes to arrive at the trailhead and undertook the 8-mile, 3,000-foot climb to get one of the best views of western Mexico. Enjoy the video — my first made with my impulse Black Friday GoPro purchase.