Ski holidays in Mexico

Mexico 

Mexico is a country with a real shortage of ski-mountaineering opportunities, but two volcanoes will give excellent ascents if you catch them at the right time of year. Downsides are the huge numbers of thieves and swindlers, compared to any other Latin American country.

Orizaba will make the best ski ascent, with over 600m of steep descent on the summit glacier, and a reasonably short hike to get there from the road end. Another option would be the Ayoloco glacier route on Ixtacihuatl, another nice steep slope that should hold snow well in the wet season.

Popocatepetl is a volcano with forested slopes and a snow-capped cone and large crater. It is the second highest peak in Mexico at 17,887 feet (5452 metres) behind Pico de Orizaba at 18,405feet. The name Popocatepetl is Aztec for Smoking Mountain, and is often, conveniently, shortened to Popo.

Popo and its neighboring volcano Iztaccihuatl (17,342 feet.) dominate the sky southeast of Mexico City. They are located less than fifty miles from the city, and are separated from each other by a ten mile ridge. Popo’s last major eruption was in 1947, although on December 21st 1994, it awakened from dormancy, spewing gas and ash, which was carried by the wind as far as Puebla, 25 miles east. Surrounding towns were evacuated, and scientists have since been closely monitoring Popo for signs of a possible eruption.

The first recorded ascent of Popocatepetl was by the Tecuanipas tribe in 1289. The first Spanish ascent of the mountain was an expedition led by Diego de Ordaz in 1519. Emperor Moctezuma sent ten warriors to climb the mountain sometime between 1502 and 1519. Only two of these warriors survived the climb.

http://www.visitmexicopress.com/

If you’re travelling here, we recommend that you take a good guidebook. We like the layout and content of the Lonely Planet book. It provides an excellent mix of travel information and practical advice. Click below to purchase. You won’t regret buying it!