Pico de Orizaba Solo

Nothing is more fun than setting out on a trip you have planned. By planned, I mean you have arranged all the logistics. This is a real adventure. Excited by this task, I began to plan my climb to Pico de Orizaba via the Glaciar de Jamapa / Northern Route.

To come up with this preliminary itinerary, I talked to people, went to http://www.summitpost.org/, looked at internet trip reports and read RJ Secore's book. There are details of the trail in Mexico's Volcanos by RJ Secor. This book can be bought in many places. http://www.chesslerbooks.com/eCart/viewItem.asp?idProduct=877
A lot of this info may not be current but it is a place to start. This adds to the adventure.

Itinerary
Getting to the mt:
To avoid gear theft, take only what you need. Plan to carry it in your backpack.
Alaska Airlines has direct flights to Mexico City, Mexico.
Get pesos before leaving the airport, their are no ATMs near the mt
Arrive early so I could get to Tlachichuca before dark
In the airport, at Mexico City, the Estrella Roja bus line goes to Puebla
Keep an eye on your pack,Keep outside pockets locked or empty.
At Puebla, next to the Estrella line take the AU bus at Valles (#8 or # 9) to Tlachichuca
There, find the Reyes Compound(near the Pemex building)
Here you can get dinner, sleep, clean up and breakfast
You can get water and fuel here as well.
About noon, the next day,Sr Reyes can drive you to Piedra Grande(basecamp)
You can also walk to basecamp and depending on the weather, you may have too.
Basecamp is at 4250m or 13,943 feet
At basecamp, there is a stone hut which sleeps 60 on shelves
There is a smaller wooden hut which sleeps 4-12
or as I will, you can tent it.
Going up the mountain can take 1 day or a week.
Everyone has their own style and their own acclimatization schedule.
Some climbers go alpine style, some climb high, sleep low.
Day 1 on the mountain:
Find the start of the trail marked by the large iron cross near the smaller hut.
Scout out the trail as high as possible in the daylight.
Day2 on the mountain:
Go up and camp at 16,000 feet
Day3 on the mt:
Summit, you can descend all the way to the Reyes Compound if you want.

Use these suggestions at your own risk