Mexican Volcanoes
Approach
Arrange for transport or drive up to the La Joya parking lot. From La Joya start hiking up the main trail, opposite the small hut, that leads to the 'feet' and eventually the hut. The parking lot can get crowded so park any vehicles so you are not able to be blocked in.
Route Description
After a couple of hours you will reach an old, but usable hut (Grupo de los Cien hut) that can sleep half a dozen close friends. Above the hut the trail gets steeper and may consist of large snowfield crossing. As you climb look for a large dark metal cross on the first summit above the hut. You can go up either side of the rock outcrop. The left side is Class I the right side is Class II. There will be the remains of an old hut. At this point, you are about 16,800 feet, the trail continues up and over some minor peaks and moraines.
Soon you will reach the 'stomach', a receding glacier, which is a simple ice field but has been known to have crevasses to worry about. From there angle left to the ridge again and continue on to the crater rim and the second glacier on this route.
The broad summit plateau has three points that could be the summit. The route to the rim brings you to one of them. Another is straight ahead along the eastern side with the third farther off to the west. The true summit lies a little to the west of the false summit that is across the rim from where you gained the summit plateau approximately 100 feet to the west of the false summit. Depending on the amount of snow you might have to look for the tops of the crosses. The summit rim is often dry dirt so the crosses are easy to see.
Essential Gear
What gear you takes depends a lot on the current conditions. Often you can climb it with hiking boots and trekking poles. Many climbers still take an ice axe and crampons to ensure the glacier sections do not give them any problems. Warm clothing is especially needed for the predawn and for safety in case of a change in the weather.Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route please post a comment.
For a short range forecast for the area, check Amecameca Weather.
Additions and Corrections
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| ncst | Iztaccíhuatl - update 26 August 2009 | |
Hasn't voted | This route is also called 'ruta de los pies', as described on a sign at La Joya (I added a photo). From the Grupo de los Cien hut I would recommend going the left side of the rock outcrop (photo added). I went up to the right the first day to acclimatize and it took me a lot longer. I suppose the cross mentioned in this route description and depicted in the photo in the heading of the route description is the 'Cruz de Guadelajara', also called 'Cruz de las Once'. I found it flat on its back (photo added). You see another big cross from the hut, one by the Club Alpino Mexicano(photo added), but if you are going left of the rock outcrop you won't pass it so don't go for it. Both way leads to the Cruz de Guadelajara. At the summit there was only one cross(photo added). I walked back to Paso de Cortéz from La Joya, which took me two hours and hitchhiked to Amecameca from there. | |
| Posted Sep 3, 2009 10:23 am | ||
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