Tlachichuca to Mexico City

The morning after our climb of Pico de Orizaba, after a great breakfast (Mexican food!), we decided we should wander over to the bus station and see what the schedule was. We found that we had exactly 15 minutes to pack and get back there, which we did successfully. At Puebla, we easily made the transfer to the Mexico City bus, this time First Class with snacks and a movie. The bus took us right to our hotel, more or less. Our whole trip just seemed to flow like this.

Overview

• 21st: fly to Mexico City
• 22nd:bus to Amecameca, taxi to Altzomoni Lodge (13k)
• 23rd: climb Izta, taxi to Amecameca, bus to Puebla
• 24th: bus to Tlachichuca
• 25th: drive to Piedra Grande hut (14k), acclimate
• 26th: climb Pico de Orizaba, drive back to Tlachichuca
• 27th: bus to Mexico City
• 28th: fly home (+ links and stats)

Special note: Do not use the credit-card phone service at Camino Real: extreme ripoff! You will pay $40 US for a two-minute call.

After another night at the Camino Real Aeropuerto Hotel, we caught the shuttle to the airport and were home. I wouldn't say I was exhausted from this trip, but perhaps a little dizzy. We had very little down time and we went an awful lot of places. Mariel said it was by far her smoothest trip to Mexico, even though we did way more than she has in the past.

However, I want to point out that without Mariel, this trip would have been much more difficult. Her Spanish skills, her attitude, her willingness to push when the clock required it, and her great spirit (not to mention her willingness to put up with her dad) all made this a very special trip for this dad.

Mexico links

Servimont

The company we used in Tlachichuca that houses climbers and transports them up to the Piedra Grande hut

Hotel Colonial de Puebla

The nice, historic hotel we stayed at in Puebla, right on the zocalo

Altzomoni web cam

A web cam at Altzomoni on Izta, facing Popo

SummitPost pages (with lots of info, trip reports, pictures, etc.)

• Pico de Orizaba
• Izta
• La Malinche

Izta/Popo National Park

Orizaba Mountain Guides

Oso

Yahoo weather

For Puebla (includes link for 10-day forecast)

Misc data points

Oxygen and acclimation

Before we climbed Orizaba at Tlachichuca (9000'), a friend had a blood oximeter, a device that measures the oxygen in your blood. I was 98% @60bpm. Mariel was 96% at 76bpm.

At Piedra Grande immediately after returning from our hike up to the labyrinth, we were in the mid- to upper-80s, although we were told it would be higher had we been resting.

GPS altitudes and times

These altitudes are not necessarily accurate. I only offer them for reference and pacing.

Izta

• Altzomoni lodge 13160' 1am
• Las Rodillas (Knees) 16182' 6:39am
• Summit of Izta 16932' 9:03am
• Altzomoni 2:30pm
• Stats
  • 13 1/2 hours round trip
  • 4.33 miles each way (GPS straight line)
  • 3772' total gain (471'/hr)

Pico de Orizaba

• Piedra Grande 13650' 1:15am
• Start of labyrinth 15499' 3:33am
• Glacier above labyrinth 16471' 5:32am
• Glacier 16986' 6:13am
• Summit of Pico de Orizaba 18305' 8:50am
• Piedra Grande 12:30pm
• Stats
  • 11 1/4 hours round trip
  • 1.9 miles each way (GPS straight line)
  • 4655' total gain (620'/hr)

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