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Does anyone have recomendations for a reliable driver that can take us to/from Puebla to the Orizaba hut? Just need transport, no guiding is expected or desired.

Targeting the 2nd week of January. Team of 2 climbers, maybe 3. Going light.

Thanks

I used public transportation twice and it was very reliable. Once in Tlachichuca, I also used Senor Gerrado of Hotel Gerar twice to get to the Hut. He's very realiable and a very nice man. I highly recommend him.

Have fun on Orizaba.

I used Mr Canchola- he charges $50 if you are in a group and $100 if you are solo (unless you can negotiate less beforehand).

Woodie

Should I contact these people to confirm that they will be avaialable beforehand or should I just wing it, gringo style, and just show up with a full pack and start asking around fingers crossed ?

UncleBob wrote:Should I contact these people to confirm that they will be avaialable beforehand or should I just wing it, gringo style, and just show up with a full pack and start asking around fingers crossed ?

I just showed up and asked around. Everyone knows Senor Gerrado.

kevin trieu wrote:

UncleBob wrote:Should I contact these people to confirm that they will be avaialable beforehand or should I just wing it, gringo style, and just show up with a full pack and start asking around fingers crossed ?

I just showed up and asked around. Everyone knows Senor Gerrado.

How much did he charge ? Do I need/should have US currency or is a sack full of pesos fine ?

Woodie Hopper wrote:I used Mr Canchola- he charges $50 if you are in a group and $100 if you are solo (unless you can negotiate less beforehand).

Woodie

Ditto. He's got cheap, clean lodging and good food. We stored out extra gear there while we were on the mountain.

Ok, so I'm starting to look at flights.

Right now, it's 200-250$ cheaper to land in mexico city than puebla. My initial plan was to land in puebla and get a 4x4 from there. Do you think the money I'll save by going to mexico instead and getting a shuttle to puebla will be worth the extra risk and hassle? Is public transport feasable from the airport ? I'm really not keen about running around mexico city in my fancy rich gringo duds if I don't have to.

Also, can anyone confirm that I can get canisters for my MSR reactor in puebla? If it's not a certainty, I'll go back to white gas.

Thanks

UncleBob wrote:Ok, so I'm starting to look at flights.

Right now, it's 200-250$ cheaper to land in mexico city than puebla. My initial plan was to land in puebla and get a 4x4 from there. Do you think the money I'll save by going to mexico instead and getting a shuttle to puebla will be worth the extra risk and hassle? Is public transport feasable from the airport ? I'm really not keen about running around mexico city in my fancy rich gringo duds if I don't have to.

Also, can anyone confirm that I can get canisters for my MSR reactor in puebla? If it's not a certainty, I'll go back to white gas.

Thanks

I flew into Mexico City and took a direct bus to Puebla (from the airport), I want to say it was a Red Star or Red something bus. Then took a bus the same day from Puebla to Tlachichuca, and a 4x4 to Piedra Grande the next morning w/ Sr. Canchola. None of it was arranged in advance. If you want me to look up the company or anything, send me an email, as i doubt i'll stumble across this forum again.

Also, i don't know how risky Mexico City is. We spent a week and a half in Mexico City (lots of walking around, riding metro, out and about) after climbing Orizaba and cruising down to Guatemala. I didn't ever feel unsafe while i was there. In a lot of ways, it's like any other capital city in a poorer country. I think you'll be fine if you've got some street smarts and speak at least a little spanish. I've only felt unsafe in a city once, a bit lost in Tangier, Morocco.

Anyway, not sure where to get the canisters. Hope you have a nice trip!

Cheers

-John

Mexico City is perfectly safe to wander around (kinda) .

At the airport you can (and should) get an authorised taxi. They are yellow and white. You buy your ticket at clearly marked booths in the airport (prices are fixed but vary from company to comapny). The prices are fair and the taxis very safe. You get your ticket, join a queue and are whisked off to your destination without having to set foot outside the airport. To get to the bus station will only cost you a few dollars. The bus stations are pretty safe and relatively simple to navigate. I guessthe bus comapny referred to above is either Estrella Roja or Flecha Roja. But in the station ticket desks have their destinations clearly marked. As mentioned above some destinations areserved by buses directly from the airport too.

A bus to Puebla from Mexico City will only take a coupla hours and will not cost much. Well worth the $200 savings...

The bus to puebla is easy from the airport in Mexico City. I arrived at midnight and had no problem catching the last bus to Puebla. Pearson told me to get porters, but i just lugged everything myself and found the station easily. It's pretty cheap and easy.

UncleBob wrote:Ok, so I'm starting to look at flights.

Right now, it's 200-250$ cheaper to land in mexico city than puebla. My initial plan was to land in puebla and get a 4x4 from there. Do you think the money I'll save by going to mexico instead and getting a shuttle to puebla will be worth the extra risk and hassle? Is public transport feasable from the airport ? I'm really not keen about running around mexico city in my fancy rich gringo duds if I don't have to.

Also, can anyone confirm that I can get canisters for my MSR reactor in puebla? If it's not a certainty, I'll go back to white gas.

Thanks

I would avoid trying to arrange a 4x4 directly from Puebla! I'm sure its possible, but the buses from the Puebla bus station to Tlachichuca are easy to find and are quite pleasant.

The buses from Mexico to Puebla are also fairly easy to locate as well- once you arrive in the Mexico City airport. Many people, particularly airport officials, speak English and can help you find the right bus.

As for finding fuel in Puebla, once again, I'm sure its possible, but I would save yourself the headache and just bring a white-gas stove. You can find white gas at a paint store in Tlachichuca.

My friend and I made no reservations whatsoever for our lodging or our transportaion; and we made it from Mexico City to a comfortable room at Sr. Gerar in about 7-8 hours total.

Such a fun mountain. I would love to go back someday. Enjoy it!

Thanks, use gas canisters would be nice.

The plan was to start off at the hut and camp elsewhere. I wanted to cross over towards the sarcophago and have a look at the serpent's head in the off chance that it is in. Too soon to commit to specific routes.