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Here is my itinerary for a week long Orizaba trip this January or February. I just want to get some honest opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Thanks

SATURDAY – Arrive in Mexico City & stay a night near the airport or bus station.

SUNDAY – Take cab to the bus station, then a bus to Puebla . Stay the night in Puebla.

MONDAY – Go back to the bus station and take a bus to Talachichuca. Go to Canchola's hostel and get a ride to the hut @ 14K feet.

TUESDAY – Establish high camp or take an acclimatization hike and stay another night in the hut

WEDNESDAY – Summit day! Get ride back to Canchola's and stay the night.

THURSDAY – Alternate summit day.

FRIDAY – Take bus back to Puebla and stay the night

SATURDAY – Take bus straight to Mexico City airport. Fly home.

Or you can just skip Mexico City and fly into Puebla saving a lot of time and bus/cab issues. Then you can have time to squeeze La Malinche into the agenda. I see you are in GA so the altitude will be a factor in your Orizaba attempt.

Perhaps:
Sat - Fly to Puebla
Sun - Explore Puebla and altitude time.
Mon - Climb La Malinche. Night in Puebla.
Tues - Tlachichuca in morning. Hike Hermita (9520). Night in Tlach.
Weds - Travel to hut. Hike to 15k. Possible summit night.
Thurs - Set up high camp or hike. Possible summit night.
Fri - Return to Tlach. Eat, rest, pack. Travel to Puebla?
Sat - Bus to Puebla? Fly home.

Cheers!

I added La Malinche to my itenerary and stayed the night at the "resort" at 10,000. Was great for acclimating. I agree, why 2 nights in Puebla.

Thanks for the replies.

I see your point about Puebla. I spent some time there last year and really liked the town but two days there isn't necessary.

Unfortunately, flying directly into Puebla is out of my budget MEX is a lot cheaper.

It would be good to push back Orizaba a day and get La Malinche in. I'm hesitant about that because I'll be by myself and I don't know Spanish. Getting there worries me a little.

Bird, you mentioned that there's a water source near the hut. I was there last November but don't recall seeing it. Is it near the broken aqueduct?

We just got back from Orizaba (thanks for the advice, Haliku!). Trip report:
http://www.splattski.com/2008/mexico/index.html

From our experience, I would do two things:

1. Plan your flights so that you can spend less time in Mexico city, which has terrible air pollution. Try to arrive in the afternoon and immediately bus to Puebla or someplace nice. Also try to depart so that you can sleep elsewhere and bus straight to the Mexico City airport.

2. Try to gradually move up your sleeping elevation. We had headaches when we slept, but not during the day while we hiked. And the gradual becomes more important as you go higher (i.e. 5k to 9k is not a problem, but 10k to 14k, the same 4k jump, might be). I'd think about going from Puebla (8k) to the cabins at La Malinche (10k), etc..

Thanks Splattski! Great trip report! I can definitely take away some good info from reading it.

splattski wrote:We just got back from Orizaba (thanks for the advice, Haliku!). Trip report:
http://www.splattski.com/2008/mexico/index.html

From our experience, I would do two things:

1. Plan your flights so that you can spend less time in Mexico city, which has terrible air pollution. Try to arrive in the afternoon and immediately bus to Puebla or someplace nice. Also try to depart so that you can sleep elsewhere and bus straight to the Mexico City airport.

2. Try to gradually move up your sleeping elevation. We had headaches when we slept, but not during the day while we hiked. And the gradual becomes more important as you go higher (i.e. 5k to 9k is not a problem, but 10k to 14k, the same 4k jump, might be). I'd think about going from Puebla (8k) to the cabins at La Malinche (10k), etc..

Splattski, just wanted to say nice TR! I am going with Oso in January, and he gave me a link to your TR for conditions... funny seeing it again!

splattski wrote:We just got back from Orizaba (thanks for the advice, Haliku!). Trip report:
http://www.splattski.com/2008/mexico/index.html

From our experience, I would do two things:

1. Plan your flights so that you can spend less time in Mexico city, which has terrible air pollution. Try to arrive in the afternoon and immediately bus to Puebla or someplace nice. Also try to depart so that you can sleep elsewhere and bus straight to the Mexico City airport.

2. Try to gradually move up your sleeping elevation. We had headaches when we slept, but not during the day while we hiked. And the gradual becomes more important as you go higher (i.e. 5k to 9k is not a problem, but 10k to 14k, the same 4k jump, might be). I'd think about going from Puebla (8k) to the cabins at La Malinche (10k), etc..

Congrats on a great trip. Nice TR. The choice to take a rope or not is a tough one based on the skill of the team. I'm glad Oso could help out. Cheers!