This year Quest will again return to Mexico to climb the trio of high altitude peaks that can be found there. We start the trip with some acclimitazation in Mexico City then a day at the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan, home to the second largest pyramid in the world. We then quickly progress in height to La Malinche (14,636′), Iztaccíhuatl (17,159) and finally Pico de Orizaba (18,490′).

Pico de Orizaba, also called Citlaltépetl (Star Mountain) is the highest in Mexico, third highest in North America. Iztaccihuatl (or Izta for short) is the 3rd highest peak in Mexico and is said to depict a sleeping female figure. This mountain is made up of 4 summits which look like the head, chest, knees and feet. Izta is only 44 miles southeast of Mexico City but is often not visible due to the air around the city.

This trip is designed for the novice but excited mountaineer. We will spend time working our way up the peaks and teaching the skills you need to be successful and safe on the mountain. Our goal will be the summits but sometimes weather does not always cooperate. This is the peak of the Mexico climbing season. In 2003 we were hit by a good storm on the mountain, we made it safely back down but it was a good reminder of the power of mountain weather.

Date Days Possible Itinerary
12/27 1 Su Arrive in Mexico City
12/28 2 Mo Visit Teotihuacan (7500’)
12/29 3 Tu Transport to Malintzi Resort (10,000’) early, hike up La Malinche (14,736′)
12/30 4 We Transport to Izta, stop in Amecameca, to La Joya, hike to hut
12/31 5 Th Glacier School
1/1 6 Fr Climb Ridge of the Sun or Ayoloco (preferably Ayoloco) Descend to La Joya and pick up, transport to Tlachichuca
1/2 7 Sa Rest day in Tlachichuca
1/3 8 Su Depart for Pico De Orizaba 10am
1/4 9 Mo Acclimatization hike
1/5 10 Tu Summit
1/6 11 We Weather Option day and pick-up (2pm???), return to Tlachichuca
1/7 12 Th Tlachichuca to Mexico City
1/8 13 Fr Depart Mexico City

Equipment List:

If you have equipment questions, please let me know. Some of this equipment (noted with star) Quest does have available for usage. We hold a deposit for the course.

Sleeping Gear:
*Backpack – Approximately 5-6000 Cu In. We’ll be carrying quite a bit of gear to our camps on Izta and Orizaba, you want a way to carry all of this. Orizaba will have our gear dropped off  by truck.
Small Additional Duffle Bag – To store items you leave behind.s.
Small Daypack – For car/airport time.
*Sleeping Bag – Rated to 20 degrees. Down or Synthetic. I will be using a synthetic one.
Compression Bag – To shrink sleeping bag and save pack space
*Sleeping Pad – Foam or inflatable. Bring repair kit if inflatable.
* 3/4 or 4 Season Tent. Don’t compromise here. Bivy Sack/Tarp combos could also work. Discuss if you have questions.

Technical Gear:
*Climbing Helmet
*Lightweight Climbing Harness
*Crampons
*Ice Axe (mountaineering/glacier travel)
Trekking Poles (not optional, please bring to save your knees, we’ll have big loads)
* 3 Locking Carabiners
20′ 5-6mm Cord

Head Gear: (no, not braces)
Warm Fleece Hat – ideally thin enough to also work under helmet.
Balaclava or Neck Gaiter -
Baseball Hat -
Sunglasses – Full wrap or glacier glasses. Don’t skimp here. We can help you pick.
Goggles – Amber lenses help in mixed and stormy weather
Headlamp – with spare batteries. The cold can really eat them up.

Extremities Gear:
Gloves (insulating) – 1-2 pairs of fleece. I bring two different weights of fleece that fit inside each other. The heavier pair should be wind/water resistant or proof.
Gloves (shell) – Waterproof/Windproof.
Mountaineering Boots – Plastic or leather but must be completely rigid (full shank), and insulated.
Hiking Boots/Hiking Shoes – For  Town, and airport

Camp Shoes – Crocs work well as do Down Booties.Sandals – for town time and post climb foot relaxation.

Gaiters – Knee length, gore-tex or equivalent and fit over your big boots.

Socks – Wool or syntethic. Find ones that work for you. Need multiple pairs for trip. Liner socks are optional, some people like them, some don’t. I personally don’t.

Core Gear:
This gear should work for you over several days of climbing. Don’t bring too much but have yourself covered.

Base layers – Synthetic, long sleeve, lightweight. Ventable if possible
Insulating Layers – have several options
Long-sleeve lightweight shirt with collar – synthetic. To protect yourself from the sun on warm glacier practice days.
Shell Jacket – With hood, Gore-Tex or equivalent.
Insulated Parka or down jacket ideally with hood – for stormy and cold weather.
Street Clothes – for travel times

Leg Gear:
Base Layers – same as above but long leg vs. long sleeved
Insulating layer – fleece pants or equivalent
Shell Pants – Gore-Tex, full side zip if possible.
Lightweight synthetic pants for non-summit days but on snow still
Hiking Shorts
Street Clothes

Other gear to have:
Sunscreen and lip protection. Bring spares.
Utensils, cup, bowl
2-3 quart sized water bottle, wide mouth. Hydration bladders are fine but can freeze so still have 2 bottles with you.
Several Large Garbage bags and zip-locks for keeping things dry
Toiletries – toothbrush, deoderant, etc.
Bio-degradable toilet paper.
Ear Plugs
Camera – if you’re into that sort of thing, spare batteries/memory cards.
Personal Medical supplies – first aid kit (especially for blisters) and any prescription/non-prescription items
Water Purification Source
Stove – per cook group
Fuel Bottle (we’ll get fuel in Tacoma)
Cooking Pots
Cooking Utensils
Reading Materials
Stuff sacks for organizing gear
Knife/Leatherman (put in checked luggage, not carry on).

Payment Schedule

To Register for this Trip please contact our office via phone or e-mail. We prefer cash or checks but can take credit card payment via PayPal.

A non-refundable deposit of $200 secures your place on the trip.

Pay Deposit:

Make a Payment:
Contact our office or send payment to quest@bloomu.edu via Paypal

Full payment is due no later than eight weeks prior to the departure date.

In the Event of Cancellation:
All Extended Trips have a non-refundable deposit to reserve your place on the trip. If for any reason Quest cancels the trip, this will be fully refunded.

If you notify the Quest office of your cancellation after the full payment has been received you will be refunded as follows:

If cancellation notice is received five weeks prior to the trip departure date, you will receive 75% of the balance due after the deposit.

If cancellation notice is received four weeks prior to the trip departure date, you will receive 50% of the balance due after the deposit.

For cancellations received less than four weeks prior to the trip, there can be no refund.

Costs
We have the costs nailed down for this program finally. Sorry for the delay. Our costs have a varying scale due to our role within the university. We are excited to offer a new program for our extended trips.

For every person you get to register for the same extended trip you are participating in, you will receive 10% off the Quest fee applicable to you. There is no limit up to 10 people. If you get 10 people to sign up, you would go for free.

Please add your contact info to the section titled “notes to merchant” on PayPal’s site. Shopping cart is at the bottom of this page.

Cost for enrolled BU Students: $900

Cost for BU Alumni, Faculty, Staff – $1100

Cost for Community Members – $1300

Costs include all in-country transport, lodging, guide fees, logistics arrangement, permits and admissions based on the current itinerary. This also covers 2 days of meals at the Reyes family facility in Tlachichuca. If the group decides to change the itinerary or visit additional fee sites this would not be covered.

Costs will not include airfare,most food or any tips for drivers or additional fees, etc.

Trip Leaders
This trip will be led by Brett Simpson, Quest’s director. This will be Brett’s third time to Pico de Orizaba. He has led trips throughout the world in a wide range of course areas. He most recently led a successful climb in the Cascades of Washington State. The group summitted Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. This trip will happen annually eventually climbing all of the glaciated Cascades from northern California to southern British Columbia.

Brett will be assisted by current Bloomsburg senior who also helped with the Cascades trip, Ben Liken. Ben is one of Quest’s senior climbing instructor and also completed a NOLS semester course with a large climbing/mountaineering section.

e-mail Brett with any questions.

New Quest Promotional Opportunity

Quest has started a new promotional program to help you find a way to lower your trip cost. Attached below is our promotional poster for this trip. For every person you get to sign up for a trip that you are going on we will give you a 10% discount on your Quest trip fee. There is no limit to this discount outside of the maximum number of participants allowed on that trip. You can also earn discounts (5%) for posting this poster in places and people letting us know where they saw it.

Click here for the Mexico Mountaineering poster