Mexico Volcanoes High Altitude Adventure
Pico de Orizaba (18,500 ft)
Iztaccihuatl (17,332 ft)
La Malinche (14,600 ft)
9 days
() Designates what meals are included. Everyone is responsible for their own lunch food to allow for personal tastes; we will stop at a supermarkets along the way to shop for lunch and snacks. IAG will supply group bottled water.
Day Zero: Arrive in
Mexico City (7,000 ft), overnight in the historic
Zocolo district. You can also arrive the next day (day one) as long as your flights arrive before 11am.
Day One: Morning meeting and travel
east of Mexico City to overnight at a rustic mountain
resort (10,000 ft) on the flanks of La Malinche to
begin our acclimating. For comfort, we stay in cabins
at the government-run resort complete with hot showers and a fireplace! On the way, we visit the famous pyrmids of Teotihuacan and the Pyramide del Sol, the world's 3rd largest pyramid. We will also try to have lunch at a fine Mexican restaurant located down inside a cave.
Day Two: We wake up not too early and summit La Malinche. Basically a long hike with amazing views (in good weather) of Izta and Orizaba. Overnight
at the resort. The trail head at La Malinche is also the home to our favorite taco stand in all of Mexico!
Day Three: Travel to Iztaccihuatl
via the town of Ameccameca which has a great Mexican market where we will have time to browze and shop. We overnight at the Altzomoni climbers lodge (12,800 ft) with
spectacular views of the smoking volcano Popocateptl just across the way.
(Dinner)
Day Four: Acclimating day hike on the slopes of Izta and resting up for our summit attempt. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day Five: Izta summit day. The climb
is a long one, but with no real difficult sections. After an early alpine start we hike on trail, then off-trail and then just a little scrambling. We then begin a long easy ridge traverse and cross the relatively flat
Ayoloco glacier on the way to the summit. We may or may not need crampons, depending on conditions. All the while, the views of smoking Popo are staggering. On clear
days we also have distant views of Orizaba, Nevado de Toluca
and Mexico City. After we descend we drive back to
the town of Cholula or Puebla to overnight and enjoy a fine
dinner.
(Breakfast)
Day Six: A day off
to explore Cholula, site of the worlds largest pyramid
(at it's base) or neighboring Puebla. Usually we go out to a good restaurant in Puebla this night. Puebla is home to "Poblano" cuisine which is some of Mexico's finest such as the famous Mole Poblano. There's also many markets to explore.
Day Seven: Drive to
Tlachichuca and an exiting four wheel drive trip to
the Peidra Grande hut (14,200 ft) on the flanks of
Orizaba. On the way we make a brief visit of the highest
village (at around 11,400 ft) in North America. The afternoon is spent resting
and acclimating. We may set up our own camp (the hut can
be noisy) utilizing tents while using the hut for
meals and socializing. (Dinner)
Day Eight: All acclimated an rested up, we awake
very early for our Orizaba summit attempt. The climb
involves steep (40 deg), but crevasse-free glacier travel with ice axe
and crampons. At the top of North America's third
highest peak we are rewarded with spectacular views
of central Mexico. A strenuous, but very rewarding climb! We then descend all the way back
to a hotel with private rooms in Tlachichuca for a well-deserved dinner
and rest. (Breakfast)
Day Nine: Travel back
to Mexico City airport for aftertnoon flights home. Please don't schedule any flights before 1pm.
Itinerary subject to change
