CAMBIANDO EL JUEGO
Citlaltapetl (Pico de Orizaba) - 18,491ft
November 22nd-25th, 2012
Climbing Team: Jeff, Bill, Emily, Keegan, Matt
Route: Ridge of Gold
Route:
- Day 1: Travel to Mexico City by air, then to the Cancholas Family Hostel in Tlachichuca by bus
- Day 2: Arrive at Piedra Grande Hut (13,972'), acclimatization hike to base of The Labyrinth (approx. 15,750ft)
- Day 3: Summit from Hut via Ridge of Gold(18,491ft), return to Cancholas Family Hostel
- Day 4: Return to Mexico City
To climb the mountains of the world is to travel the world, which for me constitutes purpose. The journey is the adventure, while the summit is only a goal, a common unifying goal which drives us all to be there. Succeed or fail, we learn about ourselves, each other and this small planet for which we are all inhabitants. Perhaps Dougal Halston said it best, “(climbing is) overcoming and watching others overcome.” In the end of November 2012, I joined 4 friends from Colorado and traveled south to Mexico to make an attempt on the 18,491’ volcano, Pico de Orizaba (known locally as Citlaltapetl). |
The third tallest peak on the continent is more accessible than Mt Logan or Denali, but still presents a significant challenge. Having never been above 14,433’ (Mt Elbert, Colorado), I was filled with both anxiety and excitement…the arena, as well as the game, were about to change forever. |
Day 1: Heading South
After meeting in Downtown Denver for our
“last meal” on Wednesday night, I headed to bed. The alarm was set for 3am, but
sleep came easy. Sarah dropped me at DIA around 4am and the adventure had
begun. After a quick stop in Dallas, I was on my way abroad for the first time
in almost 5 years (not counting Canada, of course!).
The landscape below seemed very different than what I was accustomed to and the smog of Mexico City unfortunately lived up to its reputation. As we descended into the cloud, the first true seeds of excitement and adventure became apparent. This was another country with another language and culture. Mexico City and the rural villages we would travel to were a far cry from the coast lined tourist towns that I had visited in the past. |
The customs process went off without a hitch as did the exchanging of currency. The 4 of us met up with Emily, who had arrived a few days earlier, and headed towards the bus. Even after 2 flights, a full day of travel still lay ahead, though I was not bothered in the slightest.
Our first bus was a “First Class” coach from Mexico City to Puebla, complete with Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, a bathroom and a movie (X-men: The First Class). We did not have to leave the airport and the process was quite easy. I grabbed my headphones and camera and settled in for the 2-hour journey (210 Pesos). The security was comforting and losing track of our luggage was not really a concern, as had been suggested by some of our friends. Overall, I greatly enjoyed the experience of using public transportation throughout the expedition.
Once in Puebla, and after some confusion, we located the Valles Bus Company which would take us to Tlachichuca (Appox. $3 USD). This bus lacked a bathroom and made many, many stops. The reason for the sharp decrease in price quickly became apparent as we cautiously watched our bags each time someone got on or off the bus. At each stop, locals would hop on and try and sell us drinks and snacks. None of us every bought anything, but many travelers did. We were a far cry from the city, happily in rural Mexico.
Shortly after dark, the driver dropped us 1 block from the Cancholas Hostel. After over 12 hours of travel, we had arrived at our destination.
Maribel opened the large door for us and greeted us with a warm smile. It was instantly clear that we were most welcome and in very good hands. The hostel was a full compound, complete with 10 rooms and 3 bathrooms, as well as full access to their house! One must wonder if there is a safer place in all of Mexico. We dropped our bags, made introductions and before too long we were enjoying a fine, home-cooked Mexican dinner, complete with Cervezas.
The town was full of life as a small carnival was set up in the square to celebrate St Cecilia. Some expedition details were discussed and we were then encouraged to venture out into the town. We sampled some food, drank some beers and eventually settled into bed, full of excitement and wonder for the following days ahead. |
Day 2: Journeying Higher Than Ever Before
Keegan getting his gear together.
Bubbling with anticipation, none of us slept past 8am. The breakfast was delightful and thoroughly enjoyed. We had agreed on a 10am departure time and everyone was busy scurrying around, making last minute gear decisions and lining our packs up outside. Maribel was adamant that we leave anything of value in the hostel as she would take personal responsibility for our belongings. As usual, the family’s reputation far surpassed any expectations.
We piled into a bright yellow Jeep Cherokee that rivaled me in age just before our intended departure time and we were on our way. The drive spoke little English was pleasant (tip your drivers!). We slowly made our way out of town towards the National Park, once again taking in the glory of the alien culture which few of our peers will ever see. |
Treeline was not reached until just before the huts came into view. At almost 14,000ft, the Piedra Grande huts appear as an oasis in the desert sky. The driver dropped us off and unloaded the truck while we curiously scoped out the area. Upon first glance, baffling as it may be, it appeared that we were alone.
The base camp consists of 2 huts. The first, a large stone building that supposedly has room for 60 people, and the second, a much smaller yellow metal structure from the mid-1950s. Where to sleep had been a matter of contention for some time and we had brought along 3 tents. Now, in the empty camp and wanting to take in the full experience, Keegan and I chose to bunk in the small hut. Bill, Jeff and Emily set up their tents nearby. |
As we made camp, we noticed 2 climbers descending the trail. Though far from crowded, we would indeed have neighbors. It turned out that an older Mexican native from California, a guide, and his friend would be staying in the larger hut. We waved as they passed but made little conversation as we were all eager to get started on a hike of our own, and to break our personal altitude records. Regardless of what our plans for the summit were, parties must make a recon of the lower hike and the infamous Labyrinth in order to get their bearings since the required alpine start means the approach will be done in pitch black on summit day. |
The trail is mostly loose scree on a moderate slope that follows the right edge of a prominent gully. It is well cairned and easy to follow…in daylight. I think we were all pleasantly surprised by the way we felt, starting our hike at 14k instead of ending there! After 30 minutes we had all broken our previous altitude records, and after an hour we had climbed above 15,000ft.
Shortly thereafter we crossed the gully and took our rest near a large boulder among a field full of them. The terrain had flattened out and the route ahead was in full view, though whether or not we liked what we say was a matter of opinion.
The original plan called for an acclimatization day on day 2 (Saturday), followed by a summit attempt on day 3 (Sunday). However, resting at almost 16,000ft, we all sensed that we could be ready sooner than expected (isn’t it GREAT to live in Colorado!) The crux of the entire route, The Labyrinth, was directly in front of us and at least one of us was going to have to scope it out. Since Jeff and Emily were already ahead, they continued on. Back in the day, this section was barely worth mentioning as it was simply a low angled snow climb. “Walk from the trail to the glacier,” a guidebook might say. These days it lives up to its reputation as a maze of rock and ice blocks easy passage to the glacier, and to make matters worse, you must do this climb in the dark. |
We knew, as all teams do, that to be successful on summit day, we would need a pretty good idea of where we were going. Jeff continued even further ahead and looked at 2 distinct routes through the lower Labyrinth. Upon his return it was clear that he felt a bit discouraged.
He had located 2 routes that “went,” but neither lived up to Orizaba’s “easy” reputation. The first was low angled enough, but almost bullet proof snow above sharp rocks made for a dangerous fall line and terrain that would be hard to arrest on. The second involved climbing Class 3 and possibly 4 terrain in crampons as you linked small snow traverses. Both routes had cairns and flags. Both routes had danger.
The sun was high in the sky and we decided to head down, talking about our possibilities. We made dinner, got our gear together and showed some pictures to the guide to get his opinion. Shortly before 7pm we settled in for the night, having agreed to go for the summit the following morning…game time was set for 2am.
He had located 2 routes that “went,” but neither lived up to Orizaba’s “easy” reputation. The first was low angled enough, but almost bullet proof snow above sharp rocks made for a dangerous fall line and terrain that would be hard to arrest on. The second involved climbing Class 3 and possibly 4 terrain in crampons as you linked small snow traverses. Both routes had cairns and flags. Both routes had danger.
The sun was high in the sky and we decided to head down, talking about our possibilities. We made dinner, got our gear together and showed some pictures to the guide to get his opinion. Shortly before 7pm we settled in for the night, having agreed to go for the summit the following morning…game time was set for 2am.
Day 3: Touching the Sky
Jeff traverses a snow slope in the Labyrinth.
7 hours seemed plenty of time to rest when I lay down, but it was 1:15am before I knew it. I had been kept up by anticipation as well as the need to pee every hour due to the tremendous amount of water I had been drinking. The hut even came complete with its own mice colony. I woke Keegan and left the hut, immediately noticing lights in my teammate’s tents as well as a sole headlamp far above us. “Man that guy got an early start,” I thought. Another team had arrived late the night before and they were also getting their stuff together. We were only 20 minutes behind our 2am target when we hit the trail.
The sky was clear and the air was cold. We could see the outline of the great mountain before us. From friends who had climbed at altitude before, I knew the keys to success lie in proper eating and drinking as well as taking it slow. I continually curbed my excitement and slowed my pace when my body just wanted to run. It was hard to believe that we were already above 14,000ft.
Though I have many alpine starts under my belt, this one sure felt different. Traveling upwards into the dark abyss seemed to lead to another world. Sure, we were in another country, climbing higher than we had before by far, but this was something else. Perhaps the images of fallen climbers were in my mind, as it was easy to realize the very real danger we were about to be in. A climber had fallen thousands of feet down the glacier just 4 weeks before. I knew that by trusting myself and moving confidently, that we would be alright.
The sky was clear and the air was cold. We could see the outline of the great mountain before us. From friends who had climbed at altitude before, I knew the keys to success lie in proper eating and drinking as well as taking it slow. I continually curbed my excitement and slowed my pace when my body just wanted to run. It was hard to believe that we were already above 14,000ft.
Though I have many alpine starts under my belt, this one sure felt different. Traveling upwards into the dark abyss seemed to lead to another world. Sure, we were in another country, climbing higher than we had before by far, but this was something else. Perhaps the images of fallen climbers were in my mind, as it was easy to realize the very real danger we were about to be in. A climber had fallen thousands of feet down the glacier just 4 weeks before. I knew that by trusting myself and moving confidently, that we would be alright.
We played leapfrog with the other group a few times before getting to the base of the Labyrinth around 4am. Jeff was already there, looking up at the first route he had discovered the day before. “I don’t like it,” he said. The snow was bulletproof and possibly in its least climbable condition at 4am. We traversed to the left a bit and stopped to put on Crampons. Feeling eager to see what Jeff had seen the day before, I set out first and made quick work of the first snow slope. It was a low angled traverse up and left for about 100ft towards a reflective flag. I rested on a rock and the rest of the team quickly followed. At this point the route continues up and left and I asked Jeff to take the lead, since he was the strongest pure snow climber in our group.
After his traverse we regrouped and the task at hand felt daunting for the first time. Flags were seen in various places, but what was best? What was safest? Jeff climbed himself into a trap before Keegan took off in the opposite direction in search of a route. I followed him after getting cold and impatient. He stopped to look for the easiest way, but as usual, I simply said “this goes” and front pointed a couple of hundred feet up a low angled slope that was fairly iced over. The rest of the team took their time and made their own way, but eventually we were all together, and just below what seemed to be the exit. A bit more front pointing and some rock moves and I pulled myself onto a large plateau, Orizaba’s glacier was in full view.
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By now 2 things had happened. The first was the sun had started to come up and our surroundings were becoming more and more clear. The second was we were gaining altitude fast and it was getting cold and harder to breathe. I stopped and lagged behind for a bit while I put on my Big Puffy and then we all met up at the base of the glacier. The standard route, the Jampa (north) Glacier was reportedly out, and we had agreed beforehand to take the Ridge of Gold variation, known formally as the Espinoza Route. We stepped onto the snow and excitement ran wild. This is what we live for. |
Emily went up and to the left, following the distant sight of the guide, and went into Speedy Gonzalez Mode (SGM). Jeff took a line more to the right, and Keegan, Bill and I followed somewhere in the middle. The sun was now up, but the route was in the shadows. Each of us was on our own to take care of ourselves, manage our breathing and put 1 foot in front of the other. The angle starts out less than 25 degrees and there is now sense of danger. While the glacier seems to stretch on forever, clear progress is seen as you make your way.
“Go slow, don’t rush,” I kept reminding myself. I wanted to enjoy the climb, I wanted to avoid altitude sickness and I wanted to have a lot left in the tank for the descent. I resisted the temptation to try and keep up and drifted off into my own world (Enjoying a wonderful Phish ’93 show). I continued more towards Jeff and a few wands on the route and despite my slow stepping, I made quicker progress than expected. I looked at my altimeter and realized I was above 17,000ft. “Holy shit,” was all I could think.
“Go slow, don’t rush,” I kept reminding myself. I wanted to enjoy the climb, I wanted to avoid altitude sickness and I wanted to have a lot left in the tank for the descent. I resisted the temptation to try and keep up and drifted off into my own world (Enjoying a wonderful Phish ’93 show). I continued more towards Jeff and a few wands on the route and despite my slow stepping, I made quicker progress than expected. I looked at my altimeter and realized I was above 17,000ft. “Holy shit,” was all I could think.
The higher I climbed, the harder it got. I had eaten and drank plenty, but the usual nausea was creeping up. I was very grateful to find myself in a trench with kicked steps; it appeared as we had found “the route.” Emily was out of view, and Jeff was far ahead. I retreated further into my own head. “Ok – 10 steps on the left foot before a break,” I told myself, “You can do this.” I repeated this process for what seemed like an endless amount of time, frequently checking my altimeter.
I was heading towards the top, I could see the slope break, but how far was I? Who knew? The altimeter read 18ish, so I expected 500ft more. All at once I looked up and saw Jeff waving at me. He had no pack. Could this be it? A few more steps and I would have my answer. I stepped onto the summit crater’s rim and took the last few steps to the summit before collapsing. Whew!
I was heading towards the top, I could see the slope break, but how far was I? Who knew? The altimeter read 18ish, so I expected 500ft more. All at once I looked up and saw Jeff waving at me. He had no pack. Could this be it? A few more steps and I would have my answer. I stepped onto the summit crater’s rim and took the last few steps to the summit before collapsing. Whew!
The crater was every bit as magnificent as promised, like nothing I have ever seen. The views around were breathtaking, as was the altitude. I quickly put on sun screen, but did not avoid the inevitable sun burn. We took photos, ate and drank and enjoyed conversation. Jeff tried to avoid getting frost bite and Keegan flew his Alpine Club colors. Though we spent over an hour on the summit, it all seemed over too fast. We discussed everyone descend at their own pace on the glacier and to meet up before trying to find a better way down The Labyrinth.
The descent of the glacier was uneventful and fun. The low angled slopes made the process quick and easy and in little over an hour I was laying on a rock in the sun at 16,000ft. Our team regrouped and met up with the team from earlier (they had not liked the icy conditions and had bailed). They asked if we would help them down and we obliged. “Jeff, you play Diplomat and I’ll play scout”, I yelled. He agreed.
This time I stayed close to the wall (left side) and went down a different route than we used on our ascent. Once at the bottom I realized I had descended our first ascent route that we passed over. I wonder which would have been the better choice…hard to tell. |
A short time later our team was all safely below the difficulties and only a trail hike remained. Just before 2:30pm I reached the huts, roughly 12 hours after setting out. The camp was crowded now and we had passed dozens of people on the trail. We remarked at how lucky we had been in our relative isolation and the danger that a crowded route would have presented. We made quick work of breaking down camp as our driver had already been waiting 5 hours for us! Back at the Hostel we drank and ate like Kings and Queens before retiring to our beds for 12 hours.
Day 4: Return to the Jungle
We woke and ate our fill on Sunday morning, knowing full well that we had dodged the busy slopes the mountain harbored today. Two climbers from New Jersey were getting ready to head out and we helped them with some last minute questions. After a morning beer (or 4) we packed our stuff, settled the tab for the hostel ($185 USD/per person) and boarded the bus to Puebla. I was feeling pretty euphoric with my early morning buzz and sense of accomplishment. Before too long we were back in Puebla, and then again back in Mexico City. Emily’s friend Ellie had graciously offered our team a place to stay and we spent the night celebrating with food, beer and tequila. We spent the next day sightseeing around the city and feeling ready to be home.
This was a wonderful experience and two first for me, both high altitude and international climbing. Thank you to my teammates for making this a wonderful trip.