There are now many routes to the top of Orizaba. They include the Glacier de Jamapa - see green line on map (Jamapa Glacier or Normal Route), Ruta Espinoza (Espinoza Route) - a Jamapa variation, the Serpent's Head - includes a ten pitch ice climb on the west face of the Sarcofago, the Horror Frost - climbs the northwest face ampitheater, La Ruta Juventud (Youth Route) - northwest face, Ruta Alejandre - left side of the west face, Ruta Abrego - central west face, La Cara del Muerto (The Face of Death) - loose rock face to the right of Routa Abrego, Ruta Vasquez - southwest glacier joining the southern route, Ruta Sur (Southern Route) - the old normal route, El Perfil del Diablo (The Devil's Profile) - southeast ridge, Glacier Este (East Glacier) - technically the most difficult route and El Filo de Chichimeco (Chichimeco Ridge) - the east ridge route.

On our 1990 climb the "normal route" (a variation) was already firmly established and is represented by the YELLOW line. It went up right across the glacier to the ridge marking the Ruta Espinoza. It then traversed back onto the glacier from right to left and about 30 meters below the summit again cut right, back across the face, to the summit.

As you arrive at 13,800 ft. you'll find two huts available to sleep in. One, the large hut can sleep 30+ climbers (and often does) and the other, the Agusto Pellet Hut can sleep about 6 (4 comfortably). I like the Pellet Hut as it is less congested and you can monitor your gear better.

This page will offer a description of the Ruta Normal or Jamapa Glacier Route. The Jamapa Glacier Route begins at Piedra Grande and the two huts found there. A large iron cross and some additional memorials located to the right of the Augusto Pellet hut mark the start of the Jamapa Glacier Route. This is a fairly well-worn trail marked by an occasional cairn and climbs to the right of the obvious gully up which this route begins. Following the trail up you'll come to a stone aqueduct (you can see it very well from the huts) running diagonal to the trail at 14,300 ft. The trail follows left along the top of this "sidewalk" for about 75 feet and rejoin the trail climbing the slope above. You'll then meet a second aqueduct at an obvious break in it's wall at about 14,600 ft. Again go left along this aqueduct for about 150 ft. to it's end marked by a stone tank with plastic outlet pipes at 14,640 ft. Follow the trail (staying to the right of the gully) leading to a small moraine in a bare, rocky valley. Continue switching back and forth up the trail through the valley to a flat area at around 16,000 ft. This flat area provides a popular "high camp" for those looking to make the final glacier assult from here. There are several well-defined tent platforms excavated here, including rock wind walls. Just beyond this (depending on the season and the year) the glacier begins.

Most parties use the start of the glacier to stop shortly and prepare for the second phase of the climb. You have just climbed 2,024 ft. on a fairly well-defined trail through scree, rocks and dirt, and you have 2410 ft. of more direct glacier/snow/ice travel (at altitude) ahead. The trail (1st leg) moves back and forth on switchbacks eliminating any pure vertical slogging. Most people (depending again on weather), climb this leg in leather or plastic boots, and pile with perhaps a windbreak. Conditions up this gully vary greatly from warm and still to windy and cold. If you are planning on summitting in one push (four to seven hours), you will have left Piedra Grande in an alpine start, between 1:00 and 4:00 AM. This first leg, in this case, is obviously very dark and a good headlamp(s) will help greatly with routefinding. At the start of the glacier you may see many parties unpacking and gearing up for the final assult. This section is likely the most dangerous section of the climb because here lies a section of the glacier (there is no bergschrund) that is devoid of snow and can be blue ice at times. Though not very steep a fall here can roll onto some formidable rocks at speed. Crampons, gaiters, ice-axes, harnesses, gortex (tops and bottoms), expedition mittens are donned and some teams choose to rope up here. Also take time to sunscreen up (for the approaching dawn), drink, drink, drink and fuel up (GU is great as it provides plenty of fast fuel with minimal energy diverted to the task of digesting). This may also be a good time to swallow an asprin or tylenol as the beginnings of a headache might be creeping in. Often the transition area from scree to glacier on Orizaba is the most technical section. There is no noticible bergschrund, the transition is level, but the pitch is rather steep. Due to the glacial melt during the day the rocks at the transition point are usually covered in a very thin hard ice as you head up and again heading down. Many, many of the serious accident that occur on Orizaba happen at this transition point (and more often coming down). In 1998 Bill Morris helped rescue a climber that slipped here and slid, at speed, over a ledge and onto the rocks and bolders below. The guy ripped off part of his nose and detached his ear. Going up you are used to rock and good purchase and coming down you are used to the nice corn snow and porous ice found higher on the glacier. This ice in a transition period can be treacherous and should be taken very seriously. Make sure you move slowly and deliberately and make good flat (all point) contact with your crampons.

In contrast to the one day alpine start push, I recommend a subsequent camp. This not only allows one to climb during the day but also allows to simulate a "high camp" if you are warming up for bigger things. Place your high camp at 4900 to 4950 meters (see map) at the top of the Jamapa tongue, jut below and to the left of the Sarcofago. There are lots of great campsites here. Should you have camped at 16,600 (which again, I highly recommend) you'll want to get up at 5:00 to 6:00 AM, cook up a light breakfast, boil some drinking water, pack all of your summitt non-essentials into your tent, gear up and head up. From here on up it is just a long slow hump up the ever steepening glacier. The key to success is to go slowly (rest-step) with as few stops as possible. Again, at this point GU is your friend. Drink at least every half-hour. Every hour pull over and squirt down a packet of GU with a hefty slug of water. This will keep you hydrated and energized again without a lot of digestive effort. Your digestive system has a more difficult time digesting complex foods at altitude, so keep your intake simple. You don't want to break down digestively on the glacier. In 1999 a female member of a team from Illinois got the squirts and had anchor, drop trough, on a busy route, and rectally spew as traffic passed by to the left. There's a Kodak moment ! Again the route is in no way technical, we chose not to rope up and I don't think it's necessary. However most expedition groups, AAI etc.., do rope up (likely for liability reasons).

The normal route moves up on the left hand side of the Jamapa to the right of the Chichimeco ridge. A more direct route moves right from the glacier foot to the top of the Sarcofago and up the Ruta Espinoza directly to the true summit. The Normal Route slogs steadily straight up the glacier which is ever steepening. Just before sunrise look to your right (if it's clear) and you can see Popo belching smoke. You can also see Ixta and La Malinche. You'll reach the crater rim just right of the Aguja de Hielo and about 100-150 yards from the actual summit. You can rest here (many leave their packs) and slog on up to the actual summit where you'll find lots of junk and a large iron cross (usually the summit is void of snow but sometimes it's buried in different degrees in snow and ice). The Ruta Espinoza is much more direct, shorter and steeper and puts you at the actual summit when you reach the rim. On top you may be a little altitude intoxicated so think and move deliberately. Don't leave anything on top you don't mean to and pose for the camera. Coming down be careful and be ready to self-arrest if you fall. Don't use ski sticks all the way up, keep an axe in your hand for safety and leash the axe to your harness with a sling. In snow, clouds or fog, route finding may be more difficult. Wands are not a bad idea. Some people are probably rolling their eyes as Orizaba is really non-technical, but hey, why not err on the safe side, weather can make an "easy" mountain very dangerous. Orizaba is great skills prep for Cotopaxi, Chimborazo or even Denali, why not use the equipment you'd use on a more technical mountain here as well. Are there crevasses ? Some, and usually small, but not always. Many people make the climb without any crevass contact. Should you rope up ? Thats a great question, and subject to opinion and personal preference. On any given day you'll see parties roped and unroped climbing side by side. Are there avalanches on Orizaba ? Yes, in 1999 an RMI Guide on Ruta Espinoza just to our right turned his father/son party around after hearing lots of popping and having a small slab seperate underfoot. Several years back 3 or 4 roped climbers were killed traversing just below the rim as the snow broke away and avalanched. This year 3 Russian Americans were killed descending from the summit and straying off their intended route, El Filo de Chichimeco (see the Posts page for more detail).

Typical conditions are very firm crusty snow bordering on ice. Many people ski the descent (not a bad idea). Again the run is not technical, but it can be icy. A French group (complete with cine cameras) skiied down from the top in about 5 minutes what it took us and hour and a half to walk (back to the high camp).