I leave for Mexico this evening to climb the "Trilogy", and have a hotel reserved in Mexico City. I'm meeting my cllimbing partner, who might still be on crutches after a soccer accident. (He says he'll be able to climb). After a night or 2 in Mexico City, I'm winging it. Our plan is to climb Nevado de Toluca first. Is there a decent hotel in Toluca or somewhere near there that will let me leave my non-climbing stuff and watch it?
Any last minute advice?
I have 2 duffels packed (couldn't get down to one duffel):
Duffel#1 has my Osprey Aether 75 packed with essential gear- like cookset (GSI aluminum) and stoves (Jetboil and pocket rocket), tent, 20 degree sleeping bag etc. and my Scarpa Charmoz boots and all the climbing layers I'll need on the mountain (including Volant down jacket and fleece full zip pants. Also have some food (over 10 lbs). I have a wheely thing to turn this into a rolling duffel.
Duffel #2 has the ice axes- Raven Pro ice axe (and a grivel air tech evo 2nd tool), crampons, poles, my 50L Deuter climbing pack for summiting, Thermarest, Ridgerest, and extra clothes.
I'm planning to go unroped, but I'm bringing my harness and biners anyway just in case I team up with another party with a rope.
I'm wearing my Lowa Civetta Extreme plastic boots through the airport, and carrying my Tevas. Once through security, I intend to take off the plastics and carry them on the plane.
I have a little daypack to carry on the plane.
What have I overlooked?
Questions: Best place to get pesos in Mexico City? Are there good places to exchange money in Amecameca and Tlachichuca?
Where are there lockers, and how big are they? How much stuff will they hold?
After Toluca, I will need to get to Izta. Who's a good driver for a ride up to Izta?

There are a number of decent hotels in Toluca, but easier, just head to the mountain directly from Mexico City. The bus system (catch it at the airport) runs regularly, is cheap, and works beautifully. Once at the bus station in Toluca, simply barter your way into a cab ride to the mountain. Ask them how much to wait for you while you climb, then take you back to the bus station for your bus back to Mex City. Expect to pay around $200 (or slightly less) for the cab-to-mountain-wait-for-you-to-bring-you-back set-up.

As for pesos, you can easily exchange at any of 4 dozen places at the Mex City airport. But, why bother? Almost everywhere takes US money.

cp0915 wrote:But, why bother? Almost everywhere takes US money.

My experience in Mexico has taught me that while yes indeed almost everywhere will take U.S. dollars, it's wise to carry and pay with pesos. This helps you avoid the "exchange rate rip-off" that happens so very frequently if you are not careful about double checking the math. Why risk the problems when it is so easy to buy pesos? Not to mention the fact that simply paying with local currency shows a respect for the country in which you are traveling.

Just my dos centavos.

By the way, good luck and have fun!

sloggmeister wrote:I leave for Mexico this evening to climb the "Trilogy", and have a hotel reserved in Mexico City. I'm meeting my cllimbing partner, who might still be on crutches after a soccer accident. (He says he'll be able to climb). After a night or 2 in Mexico City, I'm winging it. Our plan is to climb Nevado de Toluca first. Is there a decent hotel in Toluca or somewhere near there that will let me leave my non-climbing stuff and watch it?
Any last minute advice?
I have 2 duffels packed (couldn't get down to one duffel):
Duffel#1 has my Osprey Aether 75 packed with essential gear- like cookset (GSI aluminum) and stoves (Jetboil and pocket rocket), tent, 20 degree sleeping bag etc. and my Scarpa Charmoz boots and all the climbing layers I'll need on the mountain (including Volant down jacket and fleece full zip pants. Also have some food (over 10 lbs). I have a wheely thing to turn this into a rolling duffel.
Duffel #2 has the ice axes- Raven Pro ice axe (and a grivel air tech evo 2nd tool), crampons, poles, my 50L Deuter climbing pack for summiting, Thermarest, Ridgerest, and extra clothes.
I'm planning to go unroped, but I'm bringing my harness and biners anyway just in case I team up with another party with a rope.
I'm wearing my Lowa Civetta Extreme plastic boots through the airport, and carrying my Tevas. Once through security, I intend to take off the plastics and carry them on the plane.
I have a little daypack to carry on the plane.
What have I overlooked?
Questions: Best place to get pesos in Mexico City? Are there good places to exchange money in Amecameca and Tlachichuca?
Where are there lockers, and how big are they? How much stuff will they hold?
After Toluca, I will need to get to Izta. Who's a good driver for a ride up to Izta?

If you want to stay in Toluca, the Hotel Colonial is alright - 400 pesos or so (about 40 usd) for a double. taxi drivers at the bus station know it. I`d imagine they`ll look after stuff for you, most hotels here do.

Best place to get pesos? From an ATM. Use your US bank card - you`ll get the best rate. Security - use a proper ATM attached to (or pref in) a bank). There are loads at the airport, in Amecameca there is a HSBC next door to the hotel on the square.

Please don`t use US dollars unless you absolutely have to - it screws things up for the rest of us.

When you pick up a taxi in Toluca ask him to pick you up th next morning for the Nevado - get the price - if you don`t like it, just flag one down in the morning or get the hotel to call you one.

In amecameca you`ll probably be approached by taxi drivers around the square asking if you want to go la joya. no probs finding one to take you.

make sure you get your permit to go to izta - there is a check point.

in amecameca the tamales are great. Cantina Mi Oficina (on the square) is cool little dive bar imo, but don`t go to the pulqueria unless you are feeling very adventurous.

have fun, the weather has turned nice again!

oh yeah. tommorrow is a `public holiday here, some stuff will be closed, the roads will be busy, and cos we`re getting a dodgy president there might be a few protests here and there.

There are a number of decent hotels in Toluca, but easier, just head to the mountain directly from Mexico City. The bus system (catch it at the airport) runs regularly, is cheap, and works beautifully. Once at the bus station in Toluca, simply barter your way into a cab ride to the mountain. Ask them how much to wait for you while you climb, then take you back to the bus station for your bus back to Mex City. Expect to pay around $200 (or slightly less) for the cab-to-mountain-wait-for-you-to-bring-you-back set-up.

It (a taxi) may be easiest, but you can actually take a bus all the way to the turn off to Nevado Toluca and near the Albergue without any trouble at all.

From Toluca (city), take the bus towards Sutepec (spelling?), but get off at Raices. The bus only cost a buck or so and it puts you right there to climb Toluca. Getting up the dirt road is easy and I was offered rides to the albergue and crater both times I was there, without even asking. Even if you didn't get a ride along the gravel, it's a nice and pretty easy walk right to the mountain.

cp0915 wrote: Once at the bus station in Toluca, simply barter your way into a cab ride to the mountain. Ask them how much to wait for you while you climb, then take you back to the bus station for your bus back to Mex City. Expect to pay around $200 (or slightly less) for the cab-to-mountain-wait-for-you-to-bring-you-back set-up.
.

200 usd????? or 200 pesos?

200 pesos is cheap. 200 dollars is way over the odds. We usually pay 50ish usd. (400 - 700 pesos on average)

Stuart -

Nice. $50 is great. I've been to Nevado de Toluca twice and never got there anywhere near that cheap. Both times was right around $180-200...but that's having them take me, wait while I climb, and then take me back. Granted the price is high, but obviously I don't (didn't) have an issue paying it.

CP

Dont fall and slide to your death?

mad maximus wrote:Dont fall and slide to your death?

Thanks.
I didn't think of that.

bird wrote:Your probably gone, but man it sounds like you way over packed. Charmoz and Civettas? 2 Axes? Harness? If you get this, leave half of everything at home.
Good luck, have fun, be safe.

I also packed my Ecrin Roc helmet. Is that overkill too?
I'm not planning on using the harness or the second tool. I was just bringing them in case.... like if the ice was really hard I might need a second tool on the steep part, and if there was another team with a rope who I could join up with, not having a harness would eliminate that option. I guess that with my wealth of inexperience, I tend to overpack and prepare for all possible eventualities. I'll probably carry more water than I should also. I just hope the hotel lets me leave all my extra crap and that it's still there when I get off the mountain.

cp0915 wrote:Stuart -

Nice. $50 is great. I've been to Nevado de Toluca twice and never got there anywhere near that cheap. Both times was right around $180-200...but that's having them take me, wait while I climb, and then take me back. Granted the price is high, but obviously I don't (didn't) have an issue paying it.

CP

Last time i was there, we paid 1200 pesos (about 110 usd) for the ride up to the crater, the guy waiting all day for us and then taking us to Valle de Bravo - without Valle he was offering 700 pesos (60 usd) for the round trip and several hours wait.

other times the price has been around 50-60 usd.

i`m glad you don`t mind paying 200 dollars, lets just hope we never get your taxi drver eh?

Hey Sloggmeister,

How was the trip? Can you give me an update on current conditions? I leave in a few weeks.

Thanks!

Dave