Was a great day and a great acclimitizing hike. Two days prior, I had been at sea level, so I was a bit winded! Was breathtaking to see el Pico de Orizaba for the first time. I had 8 dogs for guides accompany me up the mountain!
tjbst47 - Mar 8, 2006 9:06 pm Date Climbed: Nov 12, 2005
La Malinche
Normal route.
mxclimber - Feb 15, 2006 1:05 am Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2005
Normal Route
Reached the summit in about 4 hours from centro vacaccional IMSS. Very nice weather.
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: January 12,2006
This is a wonderful mountain especially after the holiday season has wound down a bit. Don't forget to treat yourself to some tacos at Julio Cesar's place by the resort when you return.
Had a great time hiking up with Day Hiker and cp0915. This was our first acclimation hike before Orizaba a few days later. Weather was outstanding (even a bit on the warm side). No snow present. There are many use trails. On descent we descended further down the ridge than from where we came up.
Day Hiker - Jan 11, 2006 1:01 am Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2006
Route Climbed: Standard
This was the first of a couple of summits to train for Pico de Orizaba. This hike did have significance for me, since it was my highest elevation to date and my first summit outside of the U.S. My GPS, after averaging a position for over 20 minutes, twice gave me a summit elevation of 14575 feet, which differs significantly from the published 14640.
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: November 14, 2005
With Dan Bailey and his wife. Still a bit tired after climbing Pico de Orizaba two days earlier. Using the blue route shown in this picture for the way up is definitely a good idea. And yes, the dogs are still there ;)
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: november 12, 2005
Nice climb, I was a little tired from climbing Orizaba the day before, but it was still nice to climb Melinche. I did not care much for the scree field , I should have taken the ridge a little earlier...Still, a nice summit and great views...
My wife and I on our honeymoon used this awesome hike as an acclimatization hike for Orizaba. It is definitely worth climbing in its' own right since it has amazing views and awesome volcanic geology. 5 dogs followed us to the top. Crazy!
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: May 11-12, 2005
Went with three friends at the end of a semester in Puebla (elevation: 7000 ft.), so the altitude was no problem at all. Camped at the tree line. (Note: the crater is only 3/4's there, so there is no crater lake, and therefore no fresh water streams on the mountain. BRING ALL WATER!) The climb to the top was great, minus the graffiti on the rocks, but you could clearly see Pico de Orizaba to the east, and Popo and Izta to the west (with tons of smoke coming out of Popo!). Nothing technical about the climb, but it is a workout.
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: November 19, 2000
It happened the weekend we went was part of a Mexican National Holiday so the place was packed. The locals partied until about 4 in the morning. I must have gotten 5 hours of sleep. Best guess there were about 20 Americans on La Malinche that morning; all heading for El Pico De Orizaba.
Very easy, a must for any unexperienced hiker/mountaneer who is curious about the effects of Altitude. Beautiful view of purple air and nothing else, the pollution around there is toxic
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: March 17, 2005
Easy climb (7 hour round trip with breaks and lunch)after five days at altitude. Good acclimation for Ixta/Orizaba. Strong winds (35-40mph steady) on saddle after scree slope. Boulder field full of anklebreakers. Gloves off near summit to maneuver on rock. Several dogs followed us to summit from camp. We were shabby climbers in comparison. Disappointed by spraypaint on rocks at summit, but beautiful views of ixta and popo when the clouds would break.
Route Climbed: normal Date Climbed: December 17, 2004
Recent snow and bad weather made for an interesting climb. Snow in the pine forest all the way up to the plateau and bottom of the scree slope. Snow, ice covered rocks and winds made for a cold and a very cautious climb. Unfortunately, no views due to dark, damp clouds but day cleared up.
To note:
- Collectivo buses leave from Apizaco beginning at 8:30 am. Afternoon departures from IMSS are at 1 pm and not again until 5 pm.
- IMSS will watch your bags, let you use the bathroom, etc. for 120 pesos ($1.20) even if you don't stay at the camp site.
- To start the route, begin on the paved road and then you can take the dirt packed trails (which intersect with the paved road) until the main trails heads off to the left. Route marker was primarily red but I saw a lot of blue and some green markings as well.
- Upon reaching the plateau after the pine forest, there is a scree slope to the left. To the right is an alternate route which consists of dirt and rock which would probably save time and energy slip -sliding away on the scree slope. (I found this route on the way down, wish I would have know on the way up).
TheBootfitter - Jul 31, 2006 2:26 pm Date Climbed: Nov 12, 2005
Normal RouteTried a couple of days earlier, but lost the trail in a white-out. Beautiful, cloudless skies on this day, though!
Wandering Sole Images - May 15, 2006 10:23 pm Date Climbed: Mar 8, 2006
Normal RouteWas a great day and a great acclimitizing hike. Two days prior, I had been at sea level, so I was a bit winded! Was breathtaking to see el Pico de Orizaba for the first time. I had 8 dogs for guides accompany me up the mountain!
tjbst47 - Mar 8, 2006 9:06 pm Date Climbed: Nov 12, 2005
La MalincheNormal route.
mxclimber - Feb 15, 2006 1:05 am Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2005
Normal RouteReached the summit in about 4 hours from centro vacaccional IMSS. Very nice weather.
Panchoescalero - Jan 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: January 12,2006This is a wonderful mountain especially after the holiday season has wound down a bit. Don't forget to treat yourself to some tacos at Julio Cesar's place by the resort when you return.
Rick Kent - Jan 13, 2006 1:14 pm
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2006Had a great time hiking up with Day Hiker and cp0915. This was our first acclimation hike before Orizaba a few days later. Weather was outstanding (even a bit on the warm side). No snow present. There are many use trails. On descent we descended further down the ridge than from where we came up.
Day Hiker - Jan 11, 2006 1:01 am Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2006
Route Climbed: StandardThis was the first of a couple of summits to train for Pico de Orizaba. This hike did have significance for me, since it was my highest elevation to date and my first summit outside of the U.S. My GPS, after averaging a position for over 20 minutes, twice gave me a summit elevation of 14575 feet, which differs significantly from the published 14640.
timfoltz - Dec 6, 2005 10:23 pm
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: November 21, 2005Got started late, and ended up coming down in the dark. Great climb, although theirs tons of Graffiti on the rocks.
joe_akeem - Nov 18, 2005 5:57 pm
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: November 14, 2005With Dan Bailey and his wife. Still a bit tired after climbing Pico de Orizaba two days earlier. Using the blue route shown in this picture for the way up is definitely a good idea. And yes, the dogs are still there ;)
RModelli - Nov 14, 2005 4:28 pm
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: november 12, 2005Nice climb, I was a little tired from climbing Orizaba the day before, but it was still nice to climb Melinche. I did not care much for the scree field , I should have taken the ridge a little earlier...Still, a nice summit and great views...
Seth Maciejowski - Oct 14, 2005 5:08 pm
Route Climbed: North Side Date Climbed: July 2004My wife and I on our honeymoon used this awesome hike as an acclimatization hike for Orizaba. It is definitely worth climbing in its' own right since it has amazing views and awesome volcanic geology. 5 dogs followed us to the top. Crazy!
km_donovan - Sep 16, 2005 10:58 am
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: November 19, 2000Our team used it as an acclimatization peak before going to el Pico de Orizaba. The day was an Mexican Holiday and it was very crowded.
melindahalasz - Sep 11, 2005 3:47 pm
Date Climbed: August 9, 2005It was my nicest way alone in Mexico. Very easy hiking, the summit is just three hours from the camp Malintzi.
GT_climber - Jun 20, 2005 2:17 pm
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: May 11-12, 2005Went with three friends at the end of a semester in Puebla (elevation: 7000 ft.), so the altitude was no problem at all. Camped at the tree line. (Note: the crater is only 3/4's there, so there is no crater lake, and therefore no fresh water streams on the mountain. BRING ALL WATER!) The climb to the top was great, minus the graffiti on the rocks, but you could clearly see Pico de Orizaba to the east, and Popo and Izta to the west (with tons of smoke coming out of Popo!). Nothing technical about the climb, but it is a workout.
km_donovan - Jun 9, 2005 6:51 am
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: November 19, 2000It happened the weekend we went was part of a Mexican National Holiday so the place was packed. The locals partied until about 4 in the morning. I must have gotten 5 hours of sleep. Best guess there were about 20 Americans on La Malinche that morning; all heading for El Pico De Orizaba.
wingedfeet - May 16, 2005 3:08 pm
Route Climbed: Canoa, Standard, Apizaco Date Climbed: Diferent times since the 80'sWent to the top of the mountain many times by different routes, most often from San Miguel Canoa (Altitude 2660 mts, about 8730 ft).
ClimberMan420 - Apr 26, 2005 10:47 pm
Route Climbed: normal Date Climbed: DEc 11 2004Very easy, a must for any unexperienced hiker/mountaneer who is curious about the effects of Altitude. Beautiful view of purple air and nothing else, the pollution around there is toxic
Newnan - Mar 22, 2005 11:20 am
Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: March 17, 2005Easy climb (7 hour round trip with breaks and lunch)after five days at altitude. Good acclimation for Ixta/Orizaba. Strong winds (35-40mph steady) on saddle after scree slope. Boulder field full of anklebreakers. Gloves off near summit to maneuver on rock. Several dogs followed us to summit from camp. We were shabby climbers in comparison. Disappointed by spraypaint on rocks at summit, but beautiful views of ixta and popo when the clouds would break.
sdespins - Dec 21, 2004 4:55 pm
Route Climbed: normal Date Climbed: December 17, 2004Recent snow and bad weather made for an interesting climb. Snow in the pine forest all the way up to the plateau and bottom of the scree slope. Snow, ice covered rocks and winds made for a cold and a very cautious climb. Unfortunately, no views due to dark, damp clouds but day cleared up.
To note:
- Collectivo buses leave from Apizaco beginning at 8:30 am. Afternoon departures from IMSS are at 1 pm and not again until 5 pm.
- IMSS will watch your bags, let you use the bathroom, etc. for 120 pesos ($1.20) even if you don't stay at the camp site.
- To start the route, begin on the paved road and then you can take the dirt packed trails (which intersect with the paved road) until the main trails heads off to the left. Route marker was primarily red but I saw a lot of blue and some green markings as well.
- Upon reaching the plateau after the pine forest, there is a scree slope to the left. To the right is an alternate route which consists of dirt and rock which would probably save time and energy slip -sliding away on the scree slope. (I found this route on the way down, wish I would have know on the way up).
See trip report for more details.
dharmadog - Jun 21, 2004 12:18 am
Route Climbed: normal Date Climbed: november 2000used to warm up for its big sisters to the south. very high winds on the summit ridge. no snow. great view of orizaba