Entries from Mexico
Big day today!
We summited Ixta this morning around ocho in the morning with our entire crew. Everyone did very well, including a random puppy who joined us from our night at the Altzimoni hut and stayed with us the entire way to the top. We were treated to amazing weather, barely any wind and clear skies above, the lights of Amecameca and Mexico City to the West and Puebla to the East. As the sun rose it cast a shadow of the Lady Ixta and illuminated our next climb, Pico de Orizaba. Quite a beautiful day on the mountain, now to be complimented by a celebratory dinner in the Districto Historico here in Puebla where we will relax for a day and rest up for the next adventure.
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We hiked about five hours to our high camp today while brushing up on some mountaineering skills such as ice axe arrest, cramponing and roped travel. After dinner and our summit chat, it'll be off to bed in anticipation of our summit bid in the morning! The team is doing well, feeling strong and excited for the morning.
Wish us luck!
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Hola from the south! Today we left La Malinche and drove to the town of Amecameca where we picked up the last of our supplies for our attempt on Ixta. Leaving Amecameca we wound our way thousands of feet above the town, past Christmas tree farms and corn stalks with an eye on our mountain for the next few days. We rallied our bus up the road of fine moondust to the Altzimoni Hut, our launch pad for tomorrow. We spent the afternoon packing and topped it off with a big dinner. Now its off to bed to get some rest before our move to high camp.
Greetings from La Malintzi, the former Mexican Olympic Team training grounds and our first chance to taste a little altitude. Today we left Mexico City and arrived here, quickly getting ready for our hike up to 13,800 feet. We walked through dry forests before leaving the trees behind and gaining the ridge of La Malinche where we were able to see our future objectives, Ixta and Pico de Orizaba.
Tonight we will get some rest and start our journey to Ixta.
Today the team managed to summit El Pico de Orizaba!
We needed a perfect weather setup and that's just what we got. Sunshine yesterday combined with wind from just the right direction diminished the avalanche hazard from the previous storm. We awoke before midnight to crystal clear skis and no wind. After suffering through the storm on Ixta, and never even roping up, the team was psyched to go for the summit on Orizaba. The unusually large snowpack this year was a delight as the normally rocky and challenging lower mountain was a snow-climb right out of the hut. However as we ascended onto the Jamapa glacier our tough luck returned in the form of a cold wind that averaged at least 25 miles an hour. This made the final hours of the climb a total battle. It was cold enough that we spent less than 10 minutes on the summit before retreating, but the success after all of our adversity felt great.
Tonight we overnight in Tlachichuca and tomorrow we head to the airport in Mexico City for our flights home.
Well done team!
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We made it to Piedra Grande!
After getting blasted by snow on Ixta and hearing grim reports of bad roads, we're pleasantly supprised to have a bit of good luck today. The sun came out this morning as we left Puebla and we were treated to an excellent view of El Pico de Orizaba as we aproached the village of Tlachichuca. After packing and a late breakfast we headed out in four wheel drive trucks, hoping to get at least half way to the hut at Piedra Grande. Fortunately we were able to get within a few miles and a truck with our gear made it to within 1.5 miles of the hut. We had sunny but cool weather as we hiked the road, which made for pleasant walking conditions. We have just finished dinner and we're all looking forward to roping up and trying for the summit tonight. I'll check in tomorrow. If all goes well, we'll be on the summit.
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Hi this is Seth. The team is all in Puebla relaxing after a long day yesterday. We encountered a major storm at high camp on Ixta that prevented us from climbing to the summit. I was up most of the night checking in with the climbers and making sure that the tents were properly anchored and not getting covered in snow. It snowed most of the night and by the time we began our descent there were over three foot drifts in places. The blizzard increased in intensity as we left camp and the descent was a difficult one. Everyone remained in good spirits however and we managed to descend back to the Altzimoni hut by two o'clock PM. Once we were there we discovered, to our dismay, that the road was snowed in and our vehicles would not be able to pick us up. Our resourceful local staff was able to hike out and find a National Park employee with a four wheel drive truck that agreed to help us. His truck could only get to within a half mile of the hut so we shuttled loads in the blowing snow, loaded the truck with our gear, and hiked six miles out the road to the Paseo de Cortez. At the pass our vans were there waiting for us and we hopped in and drove to Puebla where we are staying at the beautiful Hotel Colonial. What a difference a day makes! The city seems a million miles away from where we were yesterday.
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Hi this is Seth calling from Ixta where it is currently snowing an inch per hour and blowing hard. We did not climb last night as the snow had drifted up to three feet behind our tents here at high camp. Right now we are having some hot drinks and will start packing up and trying to get back down to La Jolla. We are hoping the snow line is above there.
I hope all is well in Seattle. I found winter...it's in Mexico.
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Hi this is Seth checking in from high camp on Ixta. The group is all tucked in their tents as it is cold and snowy here. The fact that there is snow on the ground here is an unusual thing but it did make for nice walking today. Everone is in high spirits as the summit is only a few hours away. The weather has been clear every morning and that's what we are hoping for in the early hours. I'll check in again tomorrow, hopefully from the summit of Ixta.
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Hello from the Altzimoni Hut on Ixta. Today we picked up our two delayed climbers in the village of Amecameca. They had been delayed due to weather in the U.S. but thanks to our outfitter, Servimont, we are now a united team.
On our drive to Amecameca we had great views of Ixta, but as we drove up the Paseo de Cortez clouds rolled in. We hiked for a few hours this afternoon in breezy conditions with the occasional snow flurry. Everyone is doing great though and we're all looking forward to spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner.
I'll check in tomorrow from high camp.
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