Despite the monochromatic omnipresence of shifting sand and salt across the Atacama Desert (observed from previous post, “Atacama Desert”)–

aside from the occasional splash of flamingo pink–

there is an abundance of color to behold in other regions of Antofagasta. Leah and I joined our expedition colleagues…

for a 90-minute drive north through remote, rugged terrain and narrow switchbacks, to catch a 7am sunrise over El Tatio Geysers, the highest, albeit 3rd largest geothermal field in the world, and certainly, the most active in the southern hemisphere.

At an altitude of 14,170 ft, the -6^oC desert temperature was biting at our faces, but it was a temporary inconvenience. The backlit, pre-dawn sky and cold air benefitted the playful plumes that vented from 80 steaming geysers and fumaroles amid 12 sq miles of Andean volcanoes.

Like so many others, I was poised for the first sun to creep over the horizon,

not only to return the feeling to my fingers, but to reveal the chromatic clouds playing across the landscape.

Soon enough, the rising sun would turn the blackest of hot springs into a glorious reflecting pool.

It was worthy of a celebration.

Because El Tatio is community-owned and administered, there were several local rangers scattered throughout the vicinity to patrol, advise, and admonish any foolishness similar to Pierce Brosnan’s trespassing at Yellowstone National Park (although he entered a “not guilty” plea during his recent arraignment).

One can only hope that discretion and common sense would prevail in this fragile and volatile environment.

A stroll through the field revealed a kaleidoscope of algae-induced minerals and salts,

that stretched into the distance.

El Tatio didn’t appear as daunting as Old Faithful and its surroundings, but it was impressive, nonetheless, with nowhere near the number of onlookers!

From our position–only 100 miles to Ollagüe Volcano, bordering Chile and Bolivia–

we continued to Valle del Arcoiris, another community-based natural wonder,

where “purple mountains majesty”…

become a befitting backdrop to roaming, grazing llamas.

The valley was as wide and rich with the scent of riki riki…

as it was awash with colors created by a primordial stew of Sulphur, gypsum, crushed shells, and clay.

When the Pliocene Epoch carved out the valley,

all traces of copper and lithium were swept away–

which is a silver-lining for a spectacular landscape that would otherwise have been ravaged by mining companies.

Happily, we had a front row seat to all of it!