Pico de Orizaba: Jamapa Glacier (North Route)
Route to the summit of Pico de Orizaba (18,491 ft) up the Jamapa Glacier from the Piedra Grande hut.
Photo: panza.rayada, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 4.6 mi
- round trip
- 4,800 ft
- climb
- 18,491 ft
- summit
- Out and back
- route
Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltépetl) rises to 18,491 ft (5,636 m) on the Puebla–Veracruz border and is Mexico's highest peak. This is the standard north route: it starts at the Piedra Grande hut (about 13,900 ft), reached by 4x4 from Tlachichuca, climbs through the rock band known as El Laberinto and then up the Jamapa Glacier to the crater rim, covering about 4.6 miles round trip with about 4,800 ft of climbing. Most parties leave the hut between midnight and 2 a.m. and take 8 to 15 hours round trip. Crampons and an ice axe are essential; the glacier can be icy, and many parties rope up. The Jamapa Glacier is retreating quickly, so conditions change from one season to the next. The usual climbing season is October to March; April to September is the rainy season.
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Route details
- Distance
- 4.6 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 4,800 ft
- Starts at
- Piedra Grande hut
- Summit
- 18,491 ft
- Difficulty
- Expert
Permits and fees
Parque Nacional Pico de Orizaba charges entry fees on the way up. Current amounts could not be confirmed from an official source, so confirm them locally before you go.
Other routes up Pico de Orizaba
Questions about this route
How long is the Jamapa Glacier (North Route) on Pico de Orizaba?
About 4.6 mi round trip from Piedra Grande hut.
How much elevation gain is on the Jamapa Glacier (North Route)?
About 4,800 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Jamapa Glacier (North Route)?
It is rated expert.
Where does the Jamapa Glacier (North Route) start?
Piedra Grande hut.
Do you need a permit for the Jamapa Glacier (North Route)?
Parque Nacional Pico de Orizaba charges entry fees on the way up. Current amounts could not be confirmed from an official source, so confirm them locally before you go.
How many routes go up Pico de Orizaba?
2: Jamapa Glacier (North Route) and Cara Sur (South Route).
Conditions and forecast on Pico de Orizaba
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
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