A Dream Trip to Iztaccíhuatl- Popocatépetl National Park
One of my earliest memories of the Volcano Popocatepetl in Mexico come from my childhood. I remember a cartoon with talking animals in which the volcano was teaching a crow how to pronounce its name. I tried to find this cartoon as an adult but so far, unsuccessfully. I have always been fascinated by volcanoes and I have tried to get as close as possible to many of them that were in my path during my travels. So when I finally got the opportunity to hike in the Iztaccíhuatl- Popocatépetl National Park, it truly was a dream come true.
I found a reputable guide with the help of National Geographic Travel magazine, called Paralelo 19 México and it only took one quick look through their schedule to find the perfect day-trip: I was going to hike the Iztachiuatl mountain right next to Popocatepetl. Climbing the volcano of Popocatepetl has been prohibited to the public since 1994 because of its constant activity, spewing gases and rocks into the air every 20 minutes or so. During the trip I learned about a group of people sneaking into the area and trying to climb Popo that ended in tragedy last year.
Both Popocatepetl and Iztaccíhuatl are volcanoes, but only Popocatépetl is active today. Their names come from the Nahuatl language and mean the Smoking Mountain and White Woman respectively. In ancient mythology they represent the love between princess Iztachiuatl and the warrior Popocatepetl. They are the 2nd and 3rd highest peaks of the country at 5,426 and 5,230 meters.
Our trip started at 6AM on a chilly January morning. I met with the guides and other participants in the center of Mexico City and headed out to the state of Puebla. After many winding roads steeply ascending to the national park, we arrived at around 8:30 at an elevation of 3400m-s. We began our hike at the saddle connecting the two mountains. We could already see Popocatepetl shooting up gasses and it was a sight I won’t soon forget. We headed out into the direction of Iztaccíhuatl with our backs to Popocatépetl, crossing through wooded areas and extensive grasslands. The ground was covered in volcanic ash, our feet kicking up big clouds of it as we were walking. I was definitely worried for my camera equipment and tried to keep my distance from other hikers to minimize the amount of ash that got on my gear – something I definitely recommend thinking about before heading out for this hike. Also good eye-protection is essential. Sturdy, reflective and high UV filtering glasses are a must, but I would go as far as to recommend side shades for the glasses or some kind of face cover to prevent the volcanic ash getting into your eyes. Once it is there, it is just a constant prickling sensation and quite impossible to get out.
We hiked in a very comfortable pace, which made a lot of sense taking into account the altitude that we were at and considering the fact that we were gaining 800 meters in elevation, eventually arriving at 4200m-s. After a couple of hours and walking and getting closer and closer the breathtaking peak of Iztaccíhuatl, we reached and passed the base camp, where mountaineers were acclimatizing and preparing to “attack” the peak the next morning. We went above the basecamp to find a really good viewpoint of both Izta in front of us and Popo behind us. It was a magical and magnificent experience. The most interesting part of it for me was that the further along we got, the more energized I felt. It was as if the mountain was giving me the energy necessary to keep going.
Eventually we headed back to basecamp where we ate a hearty warm chicken soup and a good mug of café de olla, a sweet coffe blend containing coffee, raw dark sugar and cinnamon, that became my favorite during my time in Mexico. We weren’t in a hurry and shared some experiences with people attempting the summit the next day. I couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous, even though I knew it would be a straining and exhausting feat, but a huge accomplishment at the end I am sure.
Eventually we started heading back to Mexico City and as soon as we got to lower elevations we could all feel the effects of the day, of the sunshine, the walk and the elevation. We felt tired and sunburnt, even though we kept applying sunscreen every half an hour or so, and at a certain point we could all feel our bodies become heavy and sluggish because of the change of altitude and air pressure. It was definitely one of the best sleeps I had afterwards and I was under the effect of the high of the adventure for days after. I knew as soon as I got back that I will be returning to attempt the summit sooner or later.
