Derrumbada Azul from the south

Derrumbada Azul from the south

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 19.30207°N / 97.47022°W
Additional Information Route Type: Hiking
Additional Information Time Required: Most of a day
Additional Information Difficulty: Medium
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

With a listed altitude of 3420 m a.s.l., Derrumbada Azul is the lesser of the two domes belonging to the Derrumbada massif. It is nevertheless among Mexico's top 30 major peaks, and its southern route to the summit provides an elevation gain of just under 1000 m. Having tried ascents from other sides of the mountain, this is, as far as I know, the only route to the top.

DISCLAIMER: It is a long, tedious and dangerous route in terms of geographical isolation, soil quality and vegetation, particularly the last 300 m of elevation. If you want to go ahead regardless, pay attention to my recommendations below, and you’ll most probably be fine. I’d still advise you to take other routes nearby for very similar, safer and more enjoyable experiences ― like Derrumbada Roja from the northeast, which is easily my favorite route in the region.

Looking south from close to the summit of Derrumbada Azul Looking south from close to the summit

Getting There

On federal highway 140 (Tepeaca–Veracruz), go to the town of San José Zacatepec, Pue. There is an eastward dirt road at 19°15'47"N 97°31'55"W. Take this road, turn right on the fork and continue some 4 km until you find a gravel road to the left (leading north/uphill). You will now drive around Las Ventanas hill, interesting on its own right for its window rocks. Drive a few more kilometers until the road makes a strong right turn at the entrance of Kolitas mine. Exactly at 19°15'48"N 97°28'49"W, there is just enough room to park a small car beside the road without obstructing the occasional truck from taking a wide turn.

Derrumbada Azul trailhead Derrumbada Azul trailhead

Route Description

There seem to be just two ways from the trail head, namely to the mine (left) or further uphill (right); but you will start by descending into a ditch between these two roads, then getting out of it into an abandoned road. Continue eastbound for 900 m until you see a clear trail between the pines to the left. Take this trail and, as it gets stonier and stonier, keep left at around 2.3 km total to avoid finding yourself inside the gully later on.

After about 3.7 km, just before the path makes a left turn, it will start losing elevation. Don’t worry: It’s only a few meters, maybe 30. As you reach the lowest point, keep your left and continue northwest-bound into a dry riverbed. From here, you can pay attention to little red ribbons tied on tree branches which mark the way to the summit. A bit after that, you will notice a pretty rocky part on your right, which is the mouth of the gully that takes you to the upper parts of the mountain.

Turn right and continue into the gully. Just before reaching an elevation of 3000 m, take a steep path which exits the gully to the right, after about 5.9 km. You will notice that you are now in a cooler environment, as the open pine-oak forest makes way for a darker, fresher and more humid fir forest. For about  500 m, the path is relatively steep, until you reach the saddle between the summit on your left and the false summit (ca. 3170 m a.s.l.) on your right. If you are already kinda tired, I strongly advise you to stay here and enjoy the forest and its singing birds, as the upper parts can (and do) get pretty tricky.

…Wanna go ahead? Okay…

Derrumbada Azul trail Derrumbada Azul trail

From here, there isn’t really a “correct” route. Even the ones marked with the red ribbons are exhaustingly steep, narrow, rocky gullies full of bushes and fallen trees. On its narrowest part, the forest strip is just 200 m wide, divided into 4 or 5 prominent, occasionally slippery ridgelines, and bordered by cliffs and untraversable rock formations. Personally, I’ve found it easier to ascend on the ridgeline close to the left (west) margin of the forest strip, gradually moving to the right (east) as I reach the successive ridge tops. There is no marked path here, but as this slope lies on a sunnier part, it is less overgrown than the gullies.

Once you reach 3300 m a.s.l., though, the shrubland disappears again and the rich fir forest is back at you with its thick undergrowth layer of well-smelling, but otherwise annoying groundsels (Roldana spp.). Continue your way through them and eventually you will reach a plateau. The summit is placed somewhere in the middle of this table, and it offers no view but from the forest itself. You can get close to the east cliffs and watch the impressive formations below, though.

Essential Gear

As the complete loop may take up to 9 hours, it is imperative to bring sufficient water (at least 2 l) and snacks (apples, nuts, sandwiches). Sunscreen is also required on the lower parts. The last time I went there, I took my mountain bike and left it hidden and locked in the forest (at around 2780 m a.s.l.). This made my descent significantly shorter, as I completed the last 4.5 km in less than half an hour.

External Links



Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.