Mountain Orizaba (5 636 m / 18 491 ft)

Orizaba attracts tourists from all over the world for many reasons: it's status as one of the most significant peaks in the region and the whole world, picturesque Mexican views, and nature of its trails offering a real challenge even for experienced and trained mountaineers. Ascent to Orizaba is a very serious event. The main difficulties are the high altitude and glacier climbing that begins at 5000 m and continues up to the top. Even the most popular routes are not a cakewalk, and some of the trails in the eastern and western slopes provide ascent in almost complete isolation from the other climbers but it will have to be compensated by more complicated technique of the ascent, associated with certain risks. Before starting the ascent it would be smart to check the forecast and avalanches condition that might be dangerous on the south side of the mountain during the summer and autumn. As a rule, before the climb to Orizaba mountaineers take an acclimatization ascent to one of the Orizaba's sup-peaks Sierra Negra.

Orizaba or Citlaltépetl - volcano in Mexico, the highest peak in the country and the third in North America. It's the highest volcano of North America and one of the "7 Volcanoes" collection. The peak altitude is 5636 meters - only McKinley and Logan are higher on the continent . It is located on the border of the states of Veracruz and Puebla and it is listed as dormant, but not completely extinct volcano. Orizaba rises above the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, 110 km from the port of Veracruz - the mountain is clearly seen in the distance from the shore in the Gulf's waters. The topography of the mountain is asymmetric - the eastern slope is very steep while the north-western part is much flatter, which allowed large glaciers to form on its surface. The majority of ascents to the summit are carried out on these slopes. Orizaba is only the one of the three volcanoes in Mexico, which continue to support on its surface large masses of ice, most of which is concentrated in the glacier Grand Glaciar Norte ("The Great Northern Glacier"). There are nine glaciers on the mountain. This fact, as well as a variety of slopes and approaches to the top of the mountain make Orizaba an alluring tourist attraction, which is included in the compulsory program of climbers visiting Mexico.

• Mexico State High Points
• North America Threshold Lists
• North America 14,000-foot Peaks (4 265 metres)
• Volcanic Seven Summits
• Country High Points of the Americas
• United States 14,000-foot Peaks (4 265 metres)

About 400 km east of capital Mexico City, on the border of two states - Puebla and Veracruz.

Most tourists prefer to travel through Mexico City, but Puebla and Veracruz, can also be the starting point for the journey. As a rule, from these cities the routes' starting points to Orizaba summit can be reached by taxi - the most popular destination here is Tlachichuka: taxi goes to La Tapo, from there bus takes tourists to trailhead.

One of the issues related to Pico de Orizaba (the highest volcano of North America) is the numbers of its published heights. Any data from 18400 feet to 18900 feet are claimed as a true. With the increasing of GPS reliability the numbers informal and at least one scientific surveys have been taken to determine the true height of the volcano. According to Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Texas (USA, San Antonio) the real height of Orizaba is 18490,5 feet with maximum error of 50 feet.

 

4x4 vehicles can take travelers to Pico de Orizaba to an altitude of 4280 meters, from where further climb is possible only by foot.

 

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Guided Tours

• SWS Mountain Guides
• High Guiding

• http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=8049
• https://www.summitpost.org/pico-de-orizaba/150192
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_de_Orizaba