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For anyone who's climbed Ixta, are there decent markets in Amecameca to obtain last minute food or should we load up on Mountain House before we arrive in Mexico? Also is white gas relatively easy to find in the hardware or paint stores?

There's a WalMart-esque (WalMart bought the company (forgot actual name) but the locals threw a fit so they retained their name but are backed by WalMart etc etc.) place right in the middle of Amecameca. You just about can't miss it - the main street heading into town from either direction runs right next to it.

There are also plenty of shops/restaurants in an adjacent square, as well as a farmer's market in front of the church across the square. It's a decent sized town.

We didn't have much luck finding white gas or other fuel, but we didn't exactly go searching around for it.

I guess another concern is hauling enough water up to high camp for 2 days. Anyone make their summit bid from the Altzomoni Hut instead of Grupo de los Cien as a way around this problem?

We climbed Izta from Altzomoni. We also got food, gas, and water in Amecameca.
Trip report:
http://www.splattski.com/2008/mexico/index.html

We day tripped it from the TH just beyond Altzomoni and had no problems. It took around 9 hours I think with an 8:30 start. We wound up camping behind a building at the TH because of a miscommunication concerning the hut. If one does carry water to the higher huts, it wouldn't be that big of a deal as it is a relatively cruiser trail up to them. A couple steeper sections right before the minor passes, but not too bad.

Also, trail runners and bread bags would have been perfectly fine and far more appropriate for Ixta with the conditions we had a few weeks ago (Thanksgiving day in US). We seriously regretted hauling mountaineering boots and kit, but your conditions might be different of course.The Ayaloco routes are in pitiful conditions.

mtvalley wrote:I guess another concern is hauling enough water up to high camp for 2 days. Anyone make their summit bid from the Altzomoni Hut instead of Grupo de los Cien as a way around this problem?

Those attempting Ixta should know that crampons or at least microspikes are needed for the glacier as of last week. The glacier is about 150 meters across, not especially steep but very icy.

Our group made it to the false summit but hesitated to cross the glacier because we left our crampons and axes at the trailhead on advice from some who said they were unnecessary.