El Pico de Orizaba-November '05

[Trackhead]

Stoy and I were talking about Bolivian volcanos, 11,00ft peaks towering over Death Valley, and other adventures yesterday while touring. He has peaked my interest in some long time adventures I would like to take part in.

The best adventure/money ratio trip I can think of is El Pico de Orizaba. An 18,400ft. volcano about three hours from Mexico City. I climbed it in 2000 with the intent of paragliding from the summit. That idea was quickly dispatched with summit winds, and I deeply regret not bringing skis.

Beta:

Day one:Fly to Mexico City and bus to Tlachichuca. Flights are about $420. Bus ride is about 15 bucks to Tlachichuca.
Day two:Hang out for a day hiking around Tlachichuca at 9,000ft. Stay at the deluxe accomodations of Senor Reyes. Eat fine meals that his staff prepares. Acclimatize.
Day three: Take Senor Reyes' old Dodge truck up to the Piedra Grande hut at 14,000ft.
Day four:Haul a load to 16,000ft (skis-boots)and hike back to Piedra Grande.
Day five: Hike with light packs, grab skis at 16,000 foot stash. Summit, ski down. Wait for Senor Reyes to pick us up and take us back to Tlachichuca.

The skiing is about 2500 vertical of 25-45 degree snowfields. They call them glaciers, but we climbed it unroped, never seeing any crevasses. It is a slog from 14k-16k over talus, loose dirt, etc. But a well worn trail exists.

Truly the skiing isn't too epic. But skiing/climbing an 18k foot volcano is quite a nice adventure. Easy on the pocket book too.

Orizaba from Tlachichuca. Route is left sky line.



16,000 foot high camp. This camp isn't necessary. We went from 14k at the hut to the summit and back in about 7 hours.


Summit Crater and typical afternoon clouds from the gulf of mex.


Crater rim.


Upper snowfields.


Gear:Crampons, whippet, axe, skinny ass light rope. Don't want to haul much of anything at 18k, too little oxygen.

Anyone interested? Gramps? APD? Powstash? Xover? Stoy????????

[Trackhead]

If all went well, and we were stoke, we could also easily rally and ski the 17,000 foot Ixtacihautal (sp?) and Popo. But I think Popo is still closed to climbing because of the eruption.

You can do this trip for under 1,000 bucks.

[Stoysluttie1]

Does that cost include Tequila and fish tacos?

[Yossarian]

interesting.

I climbed it with my pops and bro years back, but under different conditions, and in a slightly different way. Also remember some of the details differently. Nonetheless, I wanted to have skis with me too.

Actually, I've been there twice. The first time we went, we thought it was a bit more of a stroll than it really is. The second time we didn't make the same mistake, and had a nice climb.

Couple q's...

First, what's the elevation again? I remembered higher, but maybe I'm delusional.

Also, that camp don't look like where I remember 16k being. We slept at 16,100 or so, below where that was taken, on a narrow little prow just climber's left of the last gully you come up before hitting your camp pictured. It was a cool place, the second time around. The first time around, however, we had mistakenly brought a two man tent for the three of us. Looking back on it now, it's damn funny. At the time, however...not so much.

The conditions were different too. When we there, it was pretty slick. Crampons, light axe, roped a la glacier style, although I agree, no crevasses on that side of the mountain. Although we might have been a bit extra cautious since my little bro was pretty young at the time. Regardless, I wouldn't have wanted to ski the boilerplate we found. But I was wondering if it ever softened up enough to have a nice descent. I know people do ski it.

FYI, we did the logistics a little differently, worked quite well. Day 1 to D.F. Day 2 to Malinche, a 14er nearby to climb for acclimitization, sleep Reyes'. Day 3 drive to hut at base and goof around. We put a tent up a little ways away from the hut. Day 4, up to prow at 16,100, just below main snowfield. Day 5, early am, leave camp, summit. Come back down, break down camp, out to bottom, pick up by Reyes, sleep there. Day 6, go home, to the beach, whatever.

Oh yeah, count me as interested, obviously. I had a blast there.

[Stoysluttie1]

November would work for me...the jobs I'm looking at end between Nov 1 and Nov. 5

[Trackhead]

November is a good month. Start of the dry season.

I'm ready to throw down now and buy tickets in the next couple months.

Let's do it. Trip will go smooth, I have the beta, etc.

[Yossarian]

couple other things I'm remembering/finding about this

citlatepetl/orizaba is 18,700 or so

I think we must have slept closer to 15,600 or so, we were a good four or five hunny vert from where that shot of camp at 16k is, and other accounts on the interweb seem to agree on that

we rented a car from Mexico, kind of fun driving around D.F. in the Mogue until we had to bribe a cop who spotted us and clearly saw that we were gringoing it around. $80 I think it was. Otherwise, having a car was kind of nice. Faster, flexible, not really that expensive. With a crew of 4 or so, you could make it pretty cheap I'll bet.

my dad almost got taken out by rockfall as we were exiting the last tongue of the snowfield as it passes down into the scree. Skull sized boulder missed him by a few inches as we saw it at the last minute and he dove out of the way.

[Trackhead]

Yoss,

The photos of the tents aren't mine. You're right, they are probably higher, around 16???.

We climbed it Dec 5th or so. Firm neve. Definitely would want to watch your step and ski mucho conservatively.

I lived at 7k in Flagstaff when we did it.

Our itinerary was as follows.
Day1: Fly to Mex City and bus to Tlach.
Day2: Hang out in Tlach.
Day3: Dodge jeep to Piedra at 14k, arrived in the afternoon. We then slept until 2am and summited around 7am, then back down in a couple hours. That afternoon, we left with Senor Reyes with blaring headaches. We then went to Valle de Bravo and flew our wings in huge thermals.

We took the 'charge' approach. Getting up and down before the altitude affected us. Others were rotting at 14k and 16k, hauling heavy packs. Getting themselves exhausted. I am of the motto, light is right. Bring the minimum.

I know people have fallen to their deaths on the boiler plate. If the conditions suck, oh well, just leave the skis behind.

I'm not one to want to rope up on Orizaba. If it's so icy that you are sketched, the last thing I want to do is to be tied to 3 other people who are sketched.

You should join us. Would be fun to have a few folks down there.

Then you can go to Bolivia with me next summer to ski Parinacota.

[Trackhead]

Perhaps earlier in the season would have the best chances of avoiding the icy conditions.

What month were you there?

[Yossarian]

Yoss,
I'm not one to want to rope up on Orizaba. If it's so icy that you are sketched, the last thing I want to do is to be tied to 3 other people who are sketched.

Yeah, I'm remembering now that it was two non-sketched at either ends of the rope and one little kid in the middle. It wasn't for us, it was for him. My dad is an old guy mountaineer from ye old days (not much vigor left, now he's more on the trek Bhutan/Torre del Paine kind of level), and I'm pretty comfy on cramponi, so I think it was for my bro who was maybe 14 or so at the time?

You should join us. Would be fun to have a few folks down there.
Then you can go to Bolivia with me next summer to ski Parinacota.

I'll certainly think about it. Boliva sounds nice too.

Perhaps earlier in the season would have the best chances of avoiding the icy conditions.

What month were you there?

That was our Xmas vacation. I grew up in a somewhat unusual family.

[StroupSkier]

I'd be interested if the trip was over Thanksgiving weekend or the following weekend. I usually get that week off, but it is also the only week around that time frame where I could use vacation due to my job.

What are the cost of the taxi and staying at Senor Reyes' place?

[Trackhead]

Senor Reyes was something like 120 bucks for two nights, meals, and driving you up, and back from the mountain. Kind of spendy for Mexico, but he's a great guy who has a staff that cooks great meals, etc.

The bus is about 15 bucks one way to Tlachichuca. We didn't rent a car, but that would be nice to do. Driving in Mex City would probably be the gnarliest part of the trip.

Staying outside of the hut is the way to go. Too loud and noisy in there.