Page Type:
|
Route |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
19.49346°N / 102.25199°W |
Route Type:
|
Hiking |
Season:
|
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
|
Time Required:
|
Most of a day |
|
Difficulty:
|
YDS class 1 hike |
|
Grade:
|
I |
|
Overview
This is a popular ascent route up the volcano and allows you to get amongst the fumeroles at the southern lava vent. The horses are left at a shade tree at the bottom of the cone. The ascent will take 45 minutes to an hour. The descent will leave you emptying your footwear.Getting There
Refer to the main page for how to arrive. The approach is covered on horseback.Route Description
Beneath the prominent vertical descent trough is a shade tree. Here three paths converge: the descent, the standard sloping ascent route, and furthere to the right a less obvious path through the jumbled basalt to the souther volcanic vent.Wind along the narrow path to the Boca de Lava or Lava Mouth. It is a short journey of perhaps 15-20 minutes. There is no sulfur to be smelled, but there are a lot of active steam vents. Arriving with the volcano behind you, turn around and find the poor trail through the soft ash and cinders to the low point on the rim above you. Expect another 30 minutes to reach the rim, and 5-10 to circuit the crater.
The rim has two high points similar in height and two similar low points. The summit is the westernmost but most people do a circuit around the crater to view all the lava flows and vents.
The environmentally friendly descent route is to take the more gentle, winding standard ascent path down but that philosophy has not reach this part of Mexico yet. If you came with a local guide he will take you directly down the descent gulley.