Climb the South Face of Pico de Orizaba

Chalchicomula de Sesma, Mexico

4.0/5

based on 2 reviews

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Details

Distance

6 miles

Elevation Gain

3280 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Javier Casillas

Pico de Orizaba is the third highest mountain of South America (18,570 ft.).

To get to the south face of Pico de Orizaba, you need to go towards Ciudad Serdán, Puebla. Once you pass "Esperanza" toll station, you have to divert to the right towards Atzizintla. You have to follow this road all the way to get to the National Park. Once you are there, the road is going to divide, the one on the right takes you to the Fausto González shelter.

4x4 vehicles can get very close to the shelter so visitors can walk only for a few minutes to get there. If you don't have this type of car you have to leave your car on the division of the road.

Fausto González shelter is 15,308 ft. high. You must spend the night there in order to start the ascent in the early morning. The summit is located at 18,570 ft. The approximately time from the shelter to the summit is between 5 and 8 hours depending on the pace.

Pico de Orizaba is the highest mountain in México and the third one of North America. It's an inactive volcano which climb to its crater it's a well worth experience.

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Reviews

Explorer

Kyle Frost

Explorer

Climb the South Face of Pico de Orizaba

12/03/21

We ended up on the south route after a nasty cold spell turned the north glacier to sheet ice. There’s quite a bit of scree to tackle on the way up before hitting snow in the last push.

4.0

Michael Riley

Climb the South Face of Pico de Orizaba

01/29/19

javier, help me out. i was just there one month ago close to the south route. is the V in the road you are talking about, where there is a guard shack and you have to go right?? i went down that road a mile and turned around. i could not see another road to go up to the fausto gonzalez hut. was i on the right road?? can you help me??

4.0

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Climb the South Face of Pico de Orizaba

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