November 8 - 16, 2003 & November 22 - 30, 2003

Trip Report November 8 - 16, 2003

Report filed by Michael McCarthy

Participants:
Mark Rietman, Mark McCormick, Frederic Guyard, Scott Freeburn, Craig Hanneman, and Bob Jossis.

Guides:
Hector Ponce de Leon, Michael McCarthy, Ruben Garcia, and Alfredo.

Weather and Conditions:
Fabulous weather. Glacier on Orizaba had some wind and melt/freeze crust on top of some sugary snow in spots, but it wasn't too bad for summit or descent.

Itinerary & Expedition Account:

Nov 8: The group arrived upbeat and excited in the Mexico City airport, despite the long flights (one from Paris) and usual international travel mayhem. The evening was spent settling into the Hotel Maria Christina and dining at the lofty ceiling Sanborns in the Centro Historico near the palace of fine arts.

Nov 9: Explored the pyramids at Teohican with lunch near the pyramids at La Cabana Loc. 24. We then moved on to the hotel at Amecameca near the base of Ixta and Popo where we had an amazing dinner at a Spanish restaurant.

Nov 10: The weather was much cooler than yesterday. Perhaps because of this, we had truly amazing views of the volcanoes along our drive to the Paso de Cortez and the hut/interpretive center at 13,000 feet. We took a short acclimatization hike to around 14,400 feet and then returned to the hut for a great dinner of herbed chicken, mashed potatoes, and sliced tomatoes. Most of the group were feeling the affects of altitude and chose to take naps before dinner, which seemed to help (along with the copious amounts of herbal tea). Our team member from Florida was hit hardest and with the elevation change, yet after a good nights rest, he came bouncing back and ready to hump his pack up to high camp on Ixta the next day.

Nov 11: We began the day with a toasty breakfast at the hut. After packing our gear and changing a flat on the van, we hiked to high camp, which was around 14,500 feet. The hike was around 2.5 hours. We set-up camp as threatening afternoon clouds rolled in making us wonder about the next days conditions. Our guide Hector predicted it would be clear for the summit attempt. Dinner and then an early bed as we got ready to summit.

Nov 12: Hector was right! We awoke at 3:00 a.m. to shimmering stars and a near full moon, which gave us enough light to view the stunning and immense Mexico City valley. The group was moving towards the summit by 4:30 a.m. Our climb was strenuous and we traversed roughly three miles of ridgeline above 15,000 feet before the group reached the summit. Jubilation and fatigue! (One member had some difficulty reaching the summit and was assisted by our guide Alfredo. He successfully summited around 9:00 a.m.)

This was probably our hardest day, not only because we traveled a considerable distance, but also because the day wasn’t over until the camp was broken down and we hiked back to the van. We made it back to high camp by noon and to the car by around 2:00 p.m. By this time we were all dying for a hot shower and warm meal! Our drive back to Amecameca felt much too long, but we eventually got to the hotel checked in and cleaned up. The group then walked to the nearby Spanish restaurant where we had an amazing five-course meal. The restaurant became a favorite (they serve a great breakfast as well!).

Nov 13: Drove to our hotel in Cholula and explored the pyramid in the famed city of churches. From a vantage point on the pyramid one could see many of the 365 ornate and colorful buildings for which the city is famous. That evening we explored the nearby city of Puebla with its Moorish architecture and amazing cathedral. Dinner was in a converted abbey straight out of the 17th century with the best food on the trip so far. The hotel in Cholula was very nice with a courtyard and fine restaurant.

Nov 14: We drove to Tlachichuca the following day and met Joaquin and his family who operate a small hotel in town. After a simple, but tasty lunch we packed up the four-wheel drive vehicles and started up Orizaba to the hut at Piedra Grande (13,972 ft.). The two-hour drive was bumpy and rutted, but it only added to the feeling of adventure for our attempt at the highest mountain in Mexico. The air was chilly at 13,900 feet and our bodies started to remember that it was to be at altitude again. The previous trip up Ixta followed by a good rest lower made the return to altitude much easier. One member developed quite a head cold and decided he did not feel up the attempt. We arranged for him to return to Tlachichuca with Joaquin for some rest and recovery.

Nov 15: Awoke at 2:30 a.m. for summiting. The weather was as fine as it had been on Ixta and the 4:00 a.m. start up the mountain was nearly painless. We entered the rock band in full light and there wasn't too much ice nor was it very treacherous. The sun was shining when we reached the toe of the Glacier de Jamapa, and all in the group were in good spirits. The four rope teams all made the round trip to the summit and returned to the toe of the glacier by around 2:00 p.m.

The safe and successful summit confirmed the advantage of our route. As most of the group gathered, our guide Hector began talking about safety and why we had chosen that particular route. Just when he finished he noticed a private climber sliding down the glacier from about 1,000 feet above us. We turned and watched in horror as the victim gained speed and "rag-dolled" into the moraine. Luckily he had survived the tumble into the moraine and was lying face up on his small pack and in great pain. Our initial assessment found no excessive bleeding, a clear airway, and no apparent head, back or abdominal injury. The victim did have a broken left arm with a massive ablation of the skin on his elbow, which was exposing the bone. He may have had a broken right ankle and many bruises and abrasions on his legs and other arm. Hector and I cut off his upper clothes and covered him with jackets.

The group was taken back to Cholula with guides Alfredo and Ruben while Hector and I stabilized the victim and waited for other rescue personnel who had been contacted via cell phone. The victim was eventually moved into a sleeping bag and tent by 7:00 p.m. whereupon Hector and I continued down to Tlachichuca and much deserved dinner and rest. The victim was flown out the next day to a hospital in Puebla. This is another incidence where our route selection, not to mention our first aid training, paid off!

Nov 16: We drove to the hotel in Cholula and met the group for breakfast. They all seemed pleased with the trip and happy to have summited both mountains with great weather. Left for the Mexico City airport around noon. Most of the group flew out that day, but some chose to stay an extra day and explore Mexico City.

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Mountain Madness Mexican Volcanoes Trip Report
November 22-30, 2003

PREPARED BY – Chris Brixey

PARTICIPANTS
Matthew Thrasher, Dennis Thrasher, Bernhard Fischer, Matthew Dooley, Peter Ravey, Jessy Huey (from MM office)

GUIDES
Hector Ponce de Leon, Chris Brixey, Alfredo, Rueben Garcia

ITENERARY & EXPEDITION SUMMARY

11/22- All team members arrived in Mexico City and were met at the airport. After we all checked and settled in to the Hotel Maria Christiana, we traveled across town for a great dinner in the Coyoacan neighborhood.

11/23- After an 8:00am breakfast at the hotel, we hopped in the van and drove to the ancient pyramids of Teohican. Climbing up and down the steep stairs of the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon were just a small taste of the climbing ahead. After a hearty lunch, we returned to the Hotel Maria Christina to pick up our bags and continue on to Amecameca, near the base of Popo and Ixta. Our hotel in Amecameca was tucked away in a pleasant planned neighborhood just a few minutes walk to the Spanish Restaurant, where we were to have several delicious meals.

11/24- We started the day with a family style breakfast of fresh squeezed juice, sliced fruit, yogurt, bacon, eggs, bread, and coffee at the Spanish Restaurant. We then drove to the Popo/Ixta National Park. We were treated to spectacular view of the two volcanoes as we wound our way up up up through pristine forests to the Paso de Cortez. After settling in to the climbers hut at 13,000’, we took a short acclimatization hike and had lunch at about 14,400’. Returning to the hut, most clients took a short nap while the chicken, pasta, soups, and hot drinks were prepared for dinner.

11/25- Today we moved our camp up to 14,500’. It was a steep haul with heavy packs. From roads end at La Jolla to our high camp we hiked about 3 hours and gained over 2000’ vertical. The amazing views up to the haunting spires near the summit ridge, and down the yawning glacier valleys and forests below were our only company as we set tents, ate dinner, and hit the sack early for our 3:00 am summit bid.

11/26- We awoke early to a steady stream of shooting stars in the clear night sky. Bellies warmed by hot drink and cereal, we set out by the cone of our headlights up the rocky slopes of Ixta. By sunrise we gained the never-ending summit ridge. Two and a half hours later we were at the true summit swapping cameras for the obligatory photos of our smiling, tired faces. Usually the summit is the half way mark, but knowing we had to break camp and return to Amecameca, the lion’s share of our day’s effort still lay below us. The descent was long and arduous, but our steady pace brought us down to camp by 2:00pm, then on to Amecameca by 6:00pm. Showered, with clean clothes and exhausted bodies, we walked to the Spanish Restaurant for another amazing meal.

11/27- Rest day! After another great breakfast at the Spanish Restaurant, we traveled to Cholula. There, we explored the remains of a great pyramid, shopped the many stalls that lined the quaint Mexican streets, and relaxed in our comfortable hotel rooms. We had dinner in the amazing city of Puebla, after touring the great 16th century cathedral there.

11/28- Today we traveled to Tlachichuca, where our transportation to Orizaba was waiting. After we loaded up the 4x4’s, we set out up the bumpy road and picked our way up to the hut at Piedra Grande at 13,900’. There was one other party in the hut, so there was lots of space for us. Still, a couple of us decided to forgo the hut and pitch a tent instead. It was much easier to ascend to this altitude a second time in a week, than on our trip up Ixta. We all took our turns in the outhouse with the ‘greatest view’ on the mountain, and after an early, full meal, we retired to bed.

11/29- Another amazing summit morning! The other party left just before us, so as we finalized our packs, ate and drank, we had the comfort of the hut all to ourselves. Once again we set out by the cone of our headlamps with stars shooting overhead. Though it’s a thousand feet higher, Orizaba is a much more straightforward climb than Ixta. Our path traced a long graceful arc from the base of the glacier to the summit cone. At the top, a small plateau led to the true summit. Members of our group, with Hector in the lead, passed the first party and broke trail for the rest of the climbers on the mountain that day. We each had or turn on the summit, where we ate lunch, shot photos, and congratulated ourselves at the top of another Mexican volcano. We descended to the hut with light hearts and heavy legs. Back at the hut, we packed our bags, loaded them into the 4x4’s, and began the bumpy drive back to Tlachichuca. There, the family of our drivers had a hot, hearty meal on the table waiting for us. With bellies full and bodies exhausted, the drive back to Cholula was a dream for most of us. With bed heavy on our minds, a couple of us rallied for one last cerveca in celebration of our trip.

11/30- After check out, we piled into the van for one last group journey. We drove straight to the airport in Mexico City, were a couple folks caught afternoon flights. For those of us leaving the next day, we took a cab to the bull fights across town. It was an amazing trip, and we were all a bit saddened to see it end. But already, plans were being laid for the next one…

WEATHER
We had fantastic weather on the whole trip. Absolutely fantastic! Each morning was clear and bright, and every afternoon high clouds would roll in from the gulf. Sometimes these late afternoon clouds seemed to threaten us with precipitation, but to no avail. Only on or summit bid on Orizaba did it we encounter a skiff of fresh snow on the upper mountain, which greatly improved the condition of the route. Our summit morning on Ixta was the coldest of the trip. A steady wind stung our cheeks, but once we began climbing we warmed up quickly. November is a great time of year to me on the Mexican volcanoes.

EQUIPMENT
The expedition equipment list provided by Mountain Madness proved comprehensive. For the times when not all the gear was needed, we were able to leave the unused equipment in safety at our hotels. This enabled us to travel much lighter when needed. Other odds and ends, such as film and sunscreen, were easily purchased on the road.

ITENERARY NOTES
For a few people in our group, it was their first trip to Mexico, and they were able arrange for extra day to explore further. There is so much to see in and around Mexico City; it is well worth the extra time to begin to take it all in.

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