An unfortunate tangle of steel rubble marks the true summit.

All Locations > International > N America > Mexico > Veracruz > Pico de Orizaba

An unfortunate tangle of steel rubble marks the true summit.

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Refugio, summit, and the remains of an old aqueduct. The route to the glacier heads up the obvious drainage. The Sarcafogo is the large rock outcrop just right of the summit.

View of Pico de Orizaba from the village of Miguel Hidalgo, reported to be the highest village in North America (11,150 ft).

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Dustin Clelen

Dec 3, 2009

“An unfortunate tangle of steel rubble marks the true summit.”

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Nearby Photos

Craig Manker near the summit, Orizaba.

Orizaba from the air

Orizaba from the town of Tlachichuca

Newel Jensen dropping the knee, above the clouds on our telemark ski descent of Orizaba in 1997.

On the summit of Orizaba 1972

Looking into the crater.

Summit ridge.

Refugio, summit, and the remains of an old aqueduct. The route to the glacier heads up the obvious drainage. The Sarcafogo is the large rock outcrop just right of the summit.

An unfortunate tangle of steel rubble marks the true summit.

View of Pico de Orizaba from the village of Miguel Hidalgo, reported to be the highest village in North America (11,150 ft).

The 'pile of steel' were crucifixes. Hopefully knocked down by wind and the big snow years, not by vandals.

View of Pico de Orizaba from the cemetery in Tlachichuca on Dia de los Muertos, 2006.

Matt Clow (RIP) on the East Glacier route, left side.

Pano of the crater from the summit.

Expect plenty of freezing mist on this peak. Being that it's close to the gulf, conditions can be both humid and cold.

Following the boot track up through the thinning air.

Pretty much the meanest thistle I've ever seen. Spotted on the descent, this thing was two feet tall and coated in about 1/4 inch of ice.

The smaller hut at Piedre Grande.

Less than 100 vertical feet from the summit! January 2009

Dodge Power Wagons in front of the large hut at Piedre Grande.

Another look at the large hut at Piedre Grande.

Piedre Grande huts at a little over 14,000 ft. The summit of Orizaba is in the clouds (upper left).

Refugio and the summit...way up there.

Looking over Mexico from the summit or Citlaltepetl. January 2009

The further from the summit you reach the crater rim, the more walking at 18,000 feet you have to do. Counterclockwise from the top of the East Glacier.

Ascending the Jamapa Glacier with Piedre Grande in the distance.

Pico de Orizaba from the road to the refugio.

Just before arriving the region received the biggest snowfall in 20 years.

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