Orizaba Gear List

seano wrote:

Same -- you'll be plenty warm while moving, but it's nice to throw on a hooded puffy on the top, since there isn't a good place to hide from the wind.  For reference, here's my friend suitably dressed for Orizaba's summit last year around Christmas:

Jeans, beanie, long-sleeved bike jersey, fleece gloves.  He wasn't warm enough to hang around long, but he was plenty comfortable moving.

Haha I've always had the impression that Orizaba was a little more intense than that!  Maybe Sean should look at something in Ecuador for the winter   

seano wrote:

Same -- you'll be plenty warm while moving, but it's nice to throw on a hooded puffy on the top, since there isn't a good place to hide from the wind.  For reference, here's my friend suitably dressed for Orizaba's summit last year around Christmas:

Jeans, beanie, long-sleeved bike jersey, fleece gloves.  He wasn't warm enough to hang around long, but he was plenty comfortable moving.

I think you are sandbagging him. This looks like the summit of Itza not Orizaba. Its COLD on Orizaba

C Brooks wrote:

I think you are sandbagging him. This looks like the summit of Itza not Orizaba. Its COLD on Orizaba

No, this is Orizaba.  The key is (1) not getting up butt-early to summit at dawn, and (2) taking the south route, which is not as bad as some people claim.  We slept in at our hotel in Ciudad Serdan, then drove up to the trailhead and started around mid-morning.  TR here -- http://www.drdirtbag.com/2016/01/02/pico-de-orizaba-citlatepetl-3h40-up/

There may be some Ecuador this winter, though I probably won't wear jeans for that ;-).

Sean Hoffecker wrote:

Oh I'll have my big down parka in my pack.  Warmest thing I own and packs down small thanks to the power of 800 fill hydrophobic down :)

Admittedly, the Ferrosi isn't the most windproof jacket I own, but the breathability is top notch and I tend to run hot going up hill.  I have a nice 3L hardshell I could bring instead, but I hate hiking in it unless it's pouring or the wind is blowing me off the mountain, in which case I'm going to be miserable anyway.  

Would you more experienced guys suggest a hardshell over a softer softshell?

Nah man hardshells are pretty pointless if it's not raining. As said you run hot so you'll be a swampy mess in a hardshell. 

I also get very hot and don't even wear a softshell, just a micro grid fleece under a windshirt down to -20C. 

I think that whoever came up with the industry hardshell marketing schtick is probably some sort of revered wizard. I see them used everywhere they're not designed to be used, -30 ski touring to +20 climbing. 

seano wrote:

Same -- you'll be plenty warm while moving, but it's nice to throw on a hooded puffy on the top, since there isn't a good place to hide from the wind.  For reference, here's my friend suitably dressed for Orizaba's summit last year around Christmas:

Jeans, beanie, long-sleeved bike jersey, fleece gloves.  He wasn't warm enough to hang around long, but he was plenty comfortable moving.

Cue the cotton kills in the mountains unsafe I pay for rescues irresponsible appropriate footwear ankle support leather boot etc etc comments

Beean wrote:

Cue the cotton kills in the mountains unsafe ...

My death-cloth t-shirts have so far failed to kill me, and stink much less than the "technical" ones I picked up at some races, and wear toward laundry day. ;-)

seano wrote:

My death-cloth t-shirts have so far failed to kill me, and stink much less than the "technical" ones I picked up at some races, and wear toward laundry day. ;-)

I bet you've got some stories from your interactions with backcountry alphas though. That's half the reason I wear cotton. 

Really those images should cue the “wtf global warming” 

Oh, and nothing beats wool. 

I just came back from Orizaba, Izta, and Malinche earlier this week.  My thoughts....

In some sections, Orizaba is a big sheet of steep ice, in others it's a very soft snow field... be prepared.

You would be wise to have gear to rope up. We used pickets twice on Orizaba, I'm glad we had them. Once was to catch sunrise / mountain shadow, the other was to fix broken crampon. Crampon repair on steep, hard ice would have been very dangerous without protection.

The weather was quite warm, until 50+ mph winds kicked up....then it got cold. Bring the extra gloves...mountain forecasts are always wrong and it's just training weight.

The volcanoes are very very dusty. When the wind kicks up it's like getting sandblasted. I was glad I had glasses with clear lenses to protect my eyes when climbing in the dark. My partners weren't so lucky. 

Have a good acclimatization plan. 

Have fun, it's a beautiful climb.

So no high camp, maybe a more robust softshell for the wind, properly acclimatize, two pairs of gloves, and consider bringing the rope (thanks David). 

I also experimented with layering this weekend and the addition of my Houdini windshell was a gamechanger.

Synthetic base layer,

R1 Fleece

Houdini Windshell

Synth Midlayer (TNF Thermoball hoodie)

OR Ferrosi Softshell

BIG OL' Puffy

I was completely stationary in 30* temps for a couple hours and was plenty warm up top.  

I also recommend staying at Sr. Reyes climbing hostel in Tlachichuca.  Great place and abuela Reyes cooks great meals.  

Brian wrote:

I also recommend staying at Sr. Reyes climbing hostel in Tlachichuca.  Great place and abuela Reyes cooks great meals.  

+1 on Sr Reyes at servimont.

David S wrote:

+1 on Sr Reyes at servimont.

Already contacted them ;)