While the purpose was to climb the volcanoes, we did tourist around Mexico City for a few days as acclimatization before trying the first two peaks (Popo & Ixta). After the last volcano (Orizaba) we headed for a few days at the beaches of Puerto Vallarta.
Roy did a great job of organizing the trip and keeping us on track. He was aided by having two trip members who spoke Spanish, Ann who had worked in Mexico for a period of time, and Bruce who was in Mexico already for an aid program.
We arrived in Mexico City the day after Christmas (1984) and it was real joy. The holiday period extends from Christmas until Three Kings Day and the public places were all decorated. Our hotel in Mexico City, Hotel Cortes, was a beautiful old style hotel across from major plaza. It was 2 stories tall and its exterior was mostly solid and blank. Inside there was a lovely open courtyard which all the rooms opened on to. In the courtyard while enjoying an evening margarita, you could hardly hear the nearby traffic noise over the water cascading in the fountain.
After Mexico City we drove in two rented VW microbuses to a lodge in the saddle between Popo and Ixta. We did an acclimatization hike one day then left the next to climb Popo at 17,800 feet. A few folks in our team weren’t feeling well on account of the altitude and had to turn back before the summit.
A note on the “climbing”. None of the routes we did required any technical gear or ropes. We did use crampons in the morning on the frozen snow pack and carry ice axes for self arrest should you misstep and start to slide on the hard snow.
After a rest day at the lodge we took on Ixta. People were getting more acclimatized and we all summited the 17,300 foot peak.
The last peak, Orizaba, is a half-day drive away from Popo and Ixta. Additionally, we had to hire a local to drive us in a truck that last few miles to the climber’s hut at the base of the mountain on account of the road being too rough for the VW buses. Orizaba is the highest peak in Mexico at 18,700 feet and the 3rd highest in North America (Mount McKinley in Alaska is 1st and Mount Logan in the Yukon is 2nd). Even though Orizaba is 900 feet higher than Popo, everybody was well acclimatized and summited.
It was time to vamos a la playa, so we were off to Puerto Vallarta for sun, sand and surf before returning to winter in the PNW.
