Climb the North Face of Pico de Orizaba

To be able to arrive from Mexico City to the base camp of the North face, it is necessary to take the road to Veracruz and in the tollbooth Esperanza, go toward Ciudad Serdan. Once in that direction, you should continue to the town of Tlalchichuca. If you do not have a 4x4 vehicle, you can rent one in the village or pay one of the many 4x4 "taxis" that will take you to the camp. If you have a 4x4 vehicle you should go to the town San Miguel Zoapan, only about 15 minutes from Tlalchichuca. The “Piedra Grande” shelter is an hour and a half from San Miguel and the road crosses the coniferous forest until reaching 4,200 meters where the vehicles remain and the ascent to the volcano begins.

The North face route is well marked and is divided into: first nest, second nest, and labyrinth and to finalize the Jamapa glacier. The road is marked with raised stones and paint marks on the rocks, yet it is very easy to lose track, it is important not to lose the road as there are ravines and dangerous glens at the sides of the route. Once at the base of the glacier, the road is very simple but dangerous, with a slope of 45 degrees. The glacier, almost 800 meters high, is the hardest part of the climb, but once at the top, you can enjoy the view of the highest point of the country.