Category: Orizaba

Orizaba team summit photo at 9:30am on 11-11-11. From left to right: Rick Piette, April Mayhew, Mickey Jojola, Lloyd Charton, Miriam Diaz, John Baer, and Kurt Wedberg

Our annual trip to Mexico’s Volcanoes was another big success with 100% of the team reaching the summits of both Iztaccíhuatl and El Pico de Orizaba!

Our team met in Mexico City on Friday November 4, 2011.  After a nice dinner and a walk around the center of the city on a clear warm night we were ready to depart on Saturday for Iztaccíhuatl.  We stayed true to our successful acclimatization schedule we have been using in previous years.  After spending three days taking hikes to increasingly higher elevation we found ourselves at the high refugio along the “La Arista del Sol” route at 4780m/15,682’.  We bedded down after an early dinner in preparation for our pre-dawn start for summit day.  Waking in the wee hours we were greeted to a pleasantly calm windless night with mild temperatures.  With headlamps aiding us in our route finding shouldered our rucksacks carrying warm clothes, ice axes, crampons, climbing helmets, harnesses, ropes, snacks and water for the day.  Several hours of climbing brought us high on Iztaccihuatl’s flanks as we were greeted to a beautiful sunrise to the east.  We applied sunscreen and sunglasses then kept a slow steady pace up the beautiful ridgeline offering stunning views that leads to the summit.  The crisp calm air on the summit afforded us the opportunity to take a few minutes to relax and enjoy the views before taking summit photos and starting our descent.  We were back to the refugio 10 ½ hours after we set out for the summit.  Here we took a break to rehydrate then packed up our gear for the descent back to the trailhead.  Another three hours of walking led us to the base of our route where we were picked up and whisked off to the city of Puebla to clean up and celebrate a successful climb with a good meal.

On November 9 the team organized gear and traveled to the town of Tlachichuca.  This quaint village sits at the base of our next objective; El Pico de Orizaba, which at 5611m/18,410’ is the 3^rd highest peak in North America.  We had the afternoon to reorganize our gear and take a walk around town while sampling local food including local fruit and fresh guacamole.

On November 10 we loaded our gear into a 4×4 vehicle for the drive through the rural Mexican countryside that leads us to the Pierdra Grande hut at 4260m/13,976’.  SMI guide April Mayhew cooked pizzas for dinner while clouds swirled outside.  Weather had changed from the calm and clear conditions we had on Iztaccíhuatl to cloudy and cool here on Orizaba.  We packed the same equipment we needed on our previous climb and got a few hours of sleep in preparation for our summit attempt.

Clouds had partially dissipated revealing stars and an almost full moon.  The team made a final check of equipment then began with headlamps on.  The route begins by picking a way through a trail lined with volcanic rock.  After a couple hours of climbing we reached continuous snow that required ice axe/crampons and divided into two rope teams led by SMI guides April Mayhew and Kurt Wedberg.  Our route continued through a labyrinth of snow and volcanic rocks that led to the final 2000’/610m of climbing.  Here the route opens up to the Jamapa Glacier that wraps around Orizaba’s flanks of this classic cone shaped dormant volcano.  Above we saw evidence of high winds as cloud banks repeatedly swelled and shrank over the summit crater.  Temperatures dropped significantly as we climbed into a steady cold wind that the open glacier offered no protection from.  Adding windbreakers, heavy gloves, goggles, and eventually our puffy down parkas our team took careful deliberate steps in the crunchy snow.  Conditions on the glacier made for secure footing with our crampons as the sun rose and cast a shadow over the rural Mexican farm fields far below.  We would stay in shade until reaching the crater rim which presented the challenges of keeping our feet and hands warm.  Cutting switchbacks for our route offered is the opportunity to continuously switch which hand held our ice axes, which helped us warm each free hand since the cold from our ice axes was conducting through our gloves.  Each team member did an excellent job adjusting to the challenging conditions and as we crested on to the crater rim we were greeted by the warming rays of direct sunlight.  Here we took a food/water break and applied sunscreen before traversing around the crater rim to its highest point.  The location of the summit gave us a respite from the brunt of the wind which allowed us a few minutes to take pictures and enjoy the view from the 3^rd highest point in North America that we reached at 9:00am on 11-11-11!

Temperatures warmed for us on the descent and we were back to Piedra Grande by 11:40am.  Our drivers took us back to Tlachichuca for showers and a nice meal.  On Saturday we drove back towards Mexico City by way of the Teotihuacan pyramids.  It is always nice to learn about the history and culture from these exotic destinations we visit on SMI international expeditions.

A big congratulations to the entire team on two great climbs on Mexico’s Volcanoes:  John Baer, Lloyd Charton, Miriam Diaz, Mickey Jojola, April Mayhew, Rick Piette, and Kurt Wedberg.

A few pictures are below.  The entire photo gallery can be found here: Mexico’s Volcanoes November 4-13, 2011.

The National Palace on one side of the Zocolo (Main Plaza) as seen from the Catedral Metropoliana in the center of Mexico City.

Shopping at a local market before climbing Iztaccihuatl.

Lloyd enjoying the local market in the town of Amecameca.

Fresh fruit and vegetable medley for breakfast.

The team psyched and ready to climb Iztaccihuatl.

John Baer on the approach the the high hut on Iztaccihuatl.

Mickey enjoying the approach on Iztaccihuatl.

The team on the approach to Iztaccihuatl's high hut.

Sunrise high on Iztaccihuatl.

Climbing Iztaccihuatl's beautiful ridgeline offering stunning scenery.

Rick Piette stepping out on the summit of Iztaccihuatl.

April, Mickey, John, and Miriam topping out on Iztaccihuatl.

Team summit photo on Iztaccihuatl.

El Pico de Orizaba from the town of Tlachichuca.

The team geared up and ready to climb Orizaba.

Sunrise from high on Orizaba.

Taking a break on the crater rim of Orizaba.

The team nearing the summit of Orizaba.

View of the crater rim on Orizaba.

Team photo on the summit of Orizaba. Congratulations team!!

Orizaba from the the rural countryside above the town of Tlachichuca.

Our yearly trip to Mexico’s Volcanoes was another huge success.  We climbed two volcanoes in a 10 day period, visited the pyramids at Teotihuacan, and got to experience the warmth and hospitality of the Mexican people.

This trip was also used as a fundraiser for Big City Mountaineers.  This organization takes underprivileged urban teens on seven and eight day backpacking trips during the summer months.  They hold a series of climb each summer the call Summit For Someone which raises money for Big City Mountaineers.  SMI has worked with Big City Mountaineers since they began doing fundraising climbs.  We lead several trips each year for this worthy organization.  Besides Mexico’s Volcanoes we also lead climbs to Mt. Whitney, North Palisade Peak, and Mt. Langley each year for BCM.  In February 2011 we will also be leading one to Kilimanjaro!!

The Team on an acclimatization day hike below Iztaccihuatl. From left to right: Kurt Wedberg, Kyle Gerecke, Bret Siciliano, Brandon Kibby, JP Latkovic, Jason Cahill, Miriam Diaz

After meeting up in Mexico City we drove to the town of Amecameca which sits at the base of our first mountain Iztaccíhuatl (17,158’/5230m).  A couple days of acclimatization hikes would put us in to position for a summit attempt on “Ixta”.  Iztaccíhuatl is the name the Aztec’s gave this mountain, which translated means “white woman”.  This mountain resembles a women laying on her back when viewed from a distance.  “White” refers to snow that covers the upper reaches during certain parts of the year.

Iztaccihuatl 17,158'/5230m

We ascended “The Knees Route” which climbs past Ixta’s knees onto her belly where the summit is located.  On summit day we were treated to a clear crisp morning.  Snow conditions were excellent.  We got a predawn start and found ourselves high on the peak as the sun rose giving us a beautiful backdrop as we ascended the partly snowy and rocky terrain that leads to the summit.

Kyle, Bret, and JP navigating the terrain on summit day on Iztaccihuatl.

The lights of the city of Puebla shortly before sunrise. The early morning light silhouettes El Pico de Orizaba in the distance.

Kyle and Brandon climbing the ridge at sunrise high on Iztaccihuatl.

Miriam, Bret, and JP climbing the "belly" high on Iztaccihuatl.

Miriam, Bret, and JP traversing the summit ridge of Iztaccihuatl at 7:10 AM

Summit photo on Iztaccihuatl November 9, 2010 7:30 AM

After successfully reaching the summit we descended back the same way with views of neighboring volcano Popocatepetl in front of us and our next objective Orizaba visible to the east.

The team descending Iztacchuatl pauses to view our next objective: El Pico de Orizaba. We would be standing its summit three days later.

An iron cross with Popocatepetl in the background. Crosses have been placed on most of Mexico's volcanoes by the Grupo de los Cien (The group of the 100) made up of Catholic priests who are mountaineers.

Orizaba is the highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest in all of North America at 18,410’/5611m.  Only Mt. McKinley in Alaska (20,320’/6194m) and Mt. Logan in Canada (19,550’/5959m) are higher than Orizaba on this continent.  It is a classic cone shaped volcano flanked by glaciers on all sides.

Our team drove south and east to the small town of Tlachichuca near the base of El Pico de Orizaba.

The team in Tlachichuca at the base of Orizaba.

Here we geared up and took a 4-wheel adventure drive through the rural Mexican countryside then ascended through pine tree forests before emerging above timberline to the Pierdra Grande Hut at 14,000’/4267m.  Our route was the Jamapa Glacier that ascends the cone’s north side to the crater rim.  We traverses a short distance west to the highest point on the rim.

Orizaba from the rural countryside below.

The team fired up and ready for the pre dawn start of our ascent of Orizaba.

Kyle, Brandon, and JP climbing high on summit day with Orizaba casting its morning shadow on the rural Mexican countryside thousands of feet below.

View looking North East towards the Gulf of Mexico from 17,500'/5334m on Orizaba.

Bret, Jason, and Miriam pausing for a break at the crater rim on Orizaba.

JP, Brandon, and Kyle at the crater rim of Orizaba.

Our elated team having just reached the top of the 3rd highest mountain in North America.

Proudly displaying the Big City Mountaineers flags the team gathers for a photo on summit of Orizaba. Back row: Jason Cahill, JP Latkovic, Miriam Diaz, and Bert Siciliano. Front row kneeling: Kurt Wedberg, Brandon Kibby and Kyle Gerecke.

After our climbs the team drove back to Mexico City by way of the Teotihuacan pyramids.  Teotihuacan is located 25 miles north of Mexico City and contains some of the largest pyramidal structures in the Pre-Columbian era.  The pyramids are thought to have been completed between 200 BC and 100 AD and this city is believed to have had up to 200,000 inhabitants at its height in the 7^th to 8^th centuries.  We took some time to climb the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, see some of the paintings that are still preserved here, tour some of the archeological sites, and walk the Avenue of the Dead.

From the Pyramid of the Moon looking down the Avenue of the Dead with the Pyramid of the Sun left.

The team on top of the Pyramid of the Sun with the Pyramid of the Moon behind.

We then returned to Mexico City for dinner.  We happened to be there during Mexico’s bicentennial celebration.  The center of the city was filled with an elaborate well done light show and music.  Seeing the celebration was icing on the cake to a wonderful and very memorable trip!

Lights during Mexico's bicentennial celebration.

The entire photo gallery can be found here:  Mexico’s Volcanoes November 5-14, 2010