Las Cruces

Approach

From Mexico City, catch a bus to Amecameca. There are several daily. From Amecameca, check to see if the road to Paso de Cortez is open. It is intermittedly closed due to volcanic activity. Paso de Cortez can only be reached by taxi, unless you are driving. After Paso de Cortez, turn right and toTlamacas, if the road is open. The road to Tlamacas is currently closed and it is not known when (or if) it will open in the future.

Route Description

Notes: The route is currently closed, and was submitted at request of the page maintainer, because the mountain was closed on his visit. If the mountain is open to climbing in the future, this probably will once again be the standard route. Conditions have changed on the route, and at the very least it appears that all of the glaciers have melted.

This was the standard route on the mountain. From Tlamacas, at about 13,000 feet, follow the well maintained (December 1992) trail east contouring the volcano. The hiking trail ends at Las Cruces, at which location are several crosses. There is also a great view of Ixta to the north. There used to be a hut here, but it has been dismantled. From here, the route used to be mostly on snow, but it appears that most of it has melted. Climb straight up the slope and to the crater rim; the steepness never exceeds 40 degrees. This route will require an ice axe and crampons. The true summit is to the west along the crater rim. Follow the crater rim to the true summit. The crater is spectacular, but don't get to close, as it has very steep sides. A hut marks the summit (or at least it did?). The route usually takes one very long day for most climbers.

Essential Gear

Ice axe, crampons, standard high altitude gear. Even though this route climbs a glacier, it is devoid of crevasses.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

Images

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