Pico De Orizaba (18,500 ft in Mexico) info needed

[timf]

OK, I'm in.
Just got a ticket to MEX. Reserved a spot with SummitOrizaba. 1/16 through 1/24.
That's the limit of my plans for now.

chris

Welcome aboard, Chris! Feel free to PM me or timf and perhaps the three of us can get together for a drink/bite to eat and figure things out.

Sweet! Looking forward to this. Let's chat offline.

[BirdMan]

Hey All - I apologize if this is in other trip reports but a few questions about Orizaba.

A group of 4 of us are going down over Thanksgiving and I'm wondering:

1) Should I expect my CamelBak tube to freeze up on me up high? This could be dependent on the weather on a given day, or maybe it's always that cold at this time of year?
2) We're planning on tent camping at the hut. Is it ok to leave food in the tents, or will unwelcome critters get in and cause general havoc?
3) I know there's outhouses at the hut, but is there water available to wash with? (Not planning on drinking water)

Thanks All!

[timf]

So little confused as to the mileage specs on the normal route. Now I hear 4500' gain +/-.

Antivoyage states in a Amazon sample of his book that the round trip from Piedra Grande to the summit and back is 7km or 4.3 miles.
The sample map in the same book sample though shows a 3km legend and that it would appear 9-10km or 6 miles just to go one way?

Then SnowAlien's trip report gives mileage in RT and summit day is listed as 6.2mi or 10K RT?

2.15 miles, 6 miles, 3.1 miles? Kind of a big difference.
Don't have my outdated Secor book handy.

[adamjm]

I've been looking for the answer to the RT mileage question as well with no luck on consistency. I guess it would depend on how you work your way up the glacier. But if anyone here has a good estimate please let me know!

[akoller]

My gps watch measured 6.8 miles round trip. It will depend on how many switchbacks you take up the glacier, I suppose.

[akoller]

Hey All - I apologize if this is in other trip reports but a few questions about Orizaba.

A group of 4 of us are going down over Thanksgiving and I'm wondering:

1) Should I expect my CamelBak tube to freeze up on me up high? This could be dependent on the weather on a given day, or maybe it's always that cold at this time of year?
2) We're planning on tent camping at the hut. Is it ok to leave food in the tents, or will unwelcome critters get in and cause general havoc?
3) I know there's outhouses at the hut, but is there water available to wash with? (Not planning on drinking water)

Thanks All!

1) I wouldn't use a camelbak. Treat it like a cold winter day in CO.
2) ? There are definitely lots of mice around, it's up to you.
3) There is a water source just down the hill from the hut towards the valley.

[Rainier_Wolfcastle]

Camelback: you could day hike with one up to the glacier. But if you do a 3am start hike to the summit, even if you blow it out everytime, I think you would run into trouble. It is very cold above 15k in the dark or early morning.

Mice: these are the reason to use a tent, we did one night in the yellow shelter and were repeatedly woken up and had some stuff contaminated. We did one night in the tent and had nothing disturbed, including what we left on summit day. BTW, people are pests too...families will drive up to the hut during the day and they will play a few games of finders keepers...may want to lock the tent.

Water: we did not see or use any natural water sources, but we also did not look for any.

[antivoyage]

Hey Tim!

One thing that has to be kept in mind is that aside from the concrete aqueduct and some cairns in the draw left by the Jamapa Glacier there's no "official trail". With all the switchbacks and turns you can end up with substantially higher mileage than an as-the-crow-flies point to point measurement.

I'm afraid you may be interpreting the scale incorrectly. Although it is divided in four from the zero mark aligned with the peak, those are 250 m increments totaling 1km or 0.62 miles. One way up the mountain is roughly 3.5 km (2.1 mi) and the round trip is 7km (4.2) mi. If you wander off into the Labyrinth that distance could go up or you could bring it down by taking a more direct line to the peak. I always preferred the Espolon de Oro route which requires a bit of a dog leg.

I just consulted the Secor book and he doesn't list distances, only times, suggesting that the normal Jamapa Route takes six to ten hours from the Piedra Grande Huts. That sounds about right to me. I had someone survey all of the climber reports from this and other trip report sites and the average time to the summit clusters around either six or eight hours for most people most of the time.

Regarding the elevation gain The hut is at 4,245 m and the peak is 5,636 m. That's a 1,391m ascent or 4,564 feet. You'll feel it!

Happy hiking! It's a phenomenal trip. If I can add any more color let me know.

-A

So little confused as to the mileage specs on the normal route. Now I hear 4500' gain +/-.

Antivoyage states in a Amazon sample of his book that the round trip from Piedra Grande to the summit and back is 7km or 4.3 miles.
The sample map in the same book sample though shows a 3km legend and that it would appear 9-10km or 6 miles just to go one way?

Then SnowAlien's trip report gives mileage in RT and summit day is listed as 6.2mi or 10K RT?

2.15 miles, 6 miles, 3.1 miles? Kind of a big difference.
Don't have my outdated Secor book handy.

[antivoyage]

Hey Birdman!

I used a Camelbak my first year and definitely had the tube freeze up on the climb. I think I was able to remedy this by tucking the hose inside my backpack with the spigot locked off. My body heat was perfectly adequate to keep water bottles in my backpack from freezing.

There is a lot of discussion about mice in these forums, but from my experience in recent years, the problem is a little overblown. One thing to keep in mind is that these field mice called the grassy fields home long before climbers started climbing. Keeping food bagged in something like an UrSack or hung from a nail is probably all you'd need to keep your food safe around the huts.

Regarding water for washing, the 20 L (water cooler sized) jugs the drivers supply climbers with is usually more than enough for eating and drinking for 4-5 days. For tooth brushing, etc. I went a safe distance away and spat into bushes. There are no sinks or anything in the hut. The water supply is a five minute hike straight out the front of the hut around the gully. Just follow the contour.

Have an awesome time and let us know how the conditions are!

[edited to indicate there is a water supply]

Hey All - I apologize if this is in other trip reports but a few questions about Orizaba.

A group of 4 of us are going down over Thanksgiving and I'm wondering:

1) Should I expect my CamelBak tube to freeze up on me up high? This could be dependent on the weather on a given day, or maybe it's always that cold at this time of year?
2) We're planning on tent camping at the hut. Is it ok to leave food in the tents, or will unwelcome critters get in and cause general havoc?
3) I know there's outhouses at the hut, but is there water available to wash with? (Not planning on drinking water)

Thanks All!