Ultimate Guide to Successfully Climbing Iztaccihuatl

Climbing Iztaccihuatl Facts

Elevation: 5230 meters, 17159ft (third highest in Mexico)
Distance: 13.5 kms return. 8.4 miles.
Elevation gain: 1256 meters, 4120ft(for Ridge of the Sun route)
Climbing difficulty: Class 2-3, scree, and short scrambles as well as some moderate snow traverse
Hiking time: 10-14 hours depending on you. We split it up into two days.

Iztaccihuatl Hike Without a Guide

Climbing Iztaccihuatl was mind-blowing and as we arrived one thing that we had read about the mountain stood out to us. We could see her, the sleeping lady. Her head starting in the north end before dipping into the neck and then rising again into the breasts before following the natural progression of a woman’s body.

Iztaccihuatl was an incredibly beautiful yet challenging hike that gave us a good introduction to being at an elevation of over 5000 meters. There are several sections of the climb and you pass through several different climates on your way to the mountain making the whole experience pretty magical. Not to mention the fact that Iztaccihuatl or Ixta as I’ll call it from now on is almost cradled by Popocatepetl, Mexico’s second-highest mountain. We were fortunate enough also to witness Popocatepetl periodically blowing large plumes of gas into the air. Unfortunately, you can not climb Popocatepetl. It has been active for many years and the Mexican government closed it off to climbers in 1994. But it is an incredibly beautiful view to have while climbing Ixta.

We also have another post about climbing Pico de Orizaba. Mexico’s highest peak. This was one of our main goals while in Mexico and you can follow the link to read all about it.

Getting to Iztaccihuatl

Iztaccihuatl is located only 90kms from Mexico city and the drive takes just over 2 hours.

If you have decided to hire a guide for climbing Iztaccihuatl(we went without one) then all this should be taken care of but if not here is what you need to know.

With your own car

As you head South East out of the city you make your way to Amecameca. You arrive here after about 60kms. This is also your last chance to stock up on supplies if you have not already. There is no water on the mountain so make sure you have enough.
After Amecameca the road gets a little worse and driving will slow down but it is still a basically fine road suitable for all types of vehicles.
After 25kms you will arrive at the entrance to the Iztaccihuatl-Popocatepetl National Park. Here you need to head into the ranger station, register and pay the entrance fee of 32 pesos (1.50 USD) per person.
The office is only open between 7 am and 6 pm. So if you want an alpine start you will need to arrive the day before.

From here you make your way to the La Joya car park where the hike for the La Arista del Sol (Ridge of the Sun) route actually starts from. This road takes about 30 minutes and is a little bumpy. We literally saw every kind of car in the parking lot though so don’t worry.

Getting to Iztaccihuatl by bus

You also have the option of taking a bus. Buses run frequently from Mexico City to Amecameca. For there you would need to organize a taxi or private transport up to the La Joya car park.
Alternatively, you could head to Amecameca and then try to hitch a ride up the mountain. Due to the close proximity to Mexico City, this is a commonplace for both climbers and sightseers so getting a ride should not be too hard.

Where to stay in Mexico City

Budget – Barrio Downtown Mexico City Hostel – Beautiful hostel located in the heart of the historic district.

Midrange – Histórico Central Boutique Hotel – With a rating 9.8 after more than 1700 reviews on hotels.com might make it a hard one to beat. Right in the heart of the historic district also.

Luxury – Four Season

Hiking Iztaccihuatl Without a Guide.

This is our guide on climbing Iztaccihuatl, this is just what we did, your experience might vary but this is a basic guide and what ultimately got us there. We met others that did it in one day and that looked terrible haha. I mean I don’t mind a long hike but if we have the chance we like to enjoy the mountain also.

We hiked the La Arista del Sol (Ridge of the Sun) route, it is the most common and was the easiest to find information on.
This route starts at the La Joya car park trailhead at 3974 meters (13040 ft).

Shortly after the start of the track, you need to locate and take a steep uphill to the right. After a short distance, you will turn left onto the main trail. One thing you want to make sure you do not do is head down into the valley. You can visibly see another route here and it is also possible to hike but you will need to be better prepared. From what we read about this route it requires a little more technical ability and gear.

The hiking here is mild and enjoyable with beautiful views. After about 500 or 600 meters you will arrive at the old parking lot, now defunct. Here you need to make sure you stay to the right again as the trail to the left will again take you down into the valley. From here the hiking becomes a little more difficult.

From here it is just kind of a long slow ascent underneath some cliffs before you come out on the east side of the ridge for the final steep ascent to the refuge. By this stage, I was dying. It had been 6 to 7 hours and I was like we must be there by now. But we were not haha. The hiking was fine and fairly easy overall but the altitude will chip away at you.

We had decided to camp and then start the hike at about 3:30 the next morning for an alpine summit. With camping, you have a few options. One is to stay in the Grupo de Los Cien Hut. This hut can fill up quickly on weekends or at popular times of the year so make sure you get there early or be ready to camp.

We had already made the decision to camp and here there are a few options also. There are flat spots around the hut but due to the number of people, it can be a little noisy. We decided to stay about 5 or 10 minutes before the hut.

This camp spot is also kind of popular but far less so than the actual hut. You should hopefully be able to find the trail to your left before you get to the hut but if you arrive at the hut you just need to turn around and walk to the highest peak back the way you came from and it is down behind that. But I will pin it on the map below just so it is clear.

Day Two on Iztaccihuatl

We got up at 3:30 AM hoping to make it past the knees and to the old climbers hit for sunrise. This part is definitely the most difficult part of the hike and we got super lucky with it. When we went up in the morning the scree was completely frozen and therefore it was literally just one step forward, no steps back. Which if you have ever hiked up really bad scree you will know steep scree is a nightmare and this scenario is a dream come true.
After the scree is where it gets a little more technical. It is not overly bad at any point but there are some incredibly steep sections, that, especially in the dark look like you might be falling forever. It is nothing to be worried about and ropes are not necessary at any point but it had Sara a little scared a few times.

After the scree and the steep section, you arrive on a small plateau where there is an old Refugio, well what is left of it. Apparently, it used to be an old climbers shelter but crazy winds ripped it from its foundation and threw it down the mountain. This is all that remains.

From here there is still quite a lot of hike left although from this point it flattens out dramatically. Still steep in sections but the worst of it is over.

This is also where you’re going to have to traverse a glacier and pass three different summits is you actually want to reach the true summit.

For the glacier, you are going to want crampons and an ice axe. We actually wore ours up the scree due to the fact it was so frozen and we just wanted to be sure of our footing.

We didn’t make the true summit. This was mostly all on me as Sara was ready to go but I had been feeling pretty sick for the last hour or so and the altitude was really getting to me. On top of this thick clouds rolled in, visibility was incredibly poor and the wind was blowing so strongly it felt like it was cutting through every piece of clothing we had on. It eventually cleared but by this time we were well on our way down.

But to pass along the three summits you follow the beautiful open ridgeline, pictured above, with what are normally incredible views on both sides.

Heading down.

Heading down was nice, especially once the clouds cleared a little. I was a little bummed we didn’t really summit but I was also super stoked with the morning and it was clear we had overcome the hardest parts of the hike.

The scree coming down had loosened up completely and was almost like skiing or skating down and we passed this section extremely quickly.

After this, we packed up our gear and headed for the car park. We got super lucky and there was a tour group staying near us. They had left someone behind at camp to mind their gear and they offered to keep an eye on our stuff also if we didn’t want to take it up the mountain. This was a huge relief and allowed us to sleep a little longer and also carry less weight up. But if it was not for them I’m not sure how confident I’d be leaving my stuff there. Everyone is there for the same reasons and I can’t really imagine other climbers stealing but I’m sure it does happen.

At no extra cost to you, some of the links in this article are affiliate links and by using them Sara and I receive a small commission. This goes towards helping us continue to explore and write articles like this. 😁

Iztaccíhuatl Hiking Tour

We did not actually take a tour but we made some friends in Baja. One of which had lead expeditions up Denali, Aconcagua and used to guide tours up Pico de Orizaba. He put us in touch with some of his other friends that owned one of the local Mexico City climbing store and they put us onto these guys. Nomada Mexico.

Iztaccihuatl climbing route.

The standard climbing route for Iztaccihuatl is pretty easy to follow but I’ll upload a couple of photos of the route from some different apps.

Your best bet for finding the right route to follow is to download the Alltrails app. It has a nice detailed map of the hike. There are multiple apps with the route this just happens to be the one we used. Hiking project and maps.me both had maps you could follow.

Iztaccihuatl Climbing Season

So the best weather for climbing Iztaccihuatl generally falls between December and March.

We climbed Iztaccihuatl on the 2nd of September though. During this time of year, thunderstorms are common and there is frequently much more snow on the mountain than at other times of the year. This was good and bad for us. We loved the snow on Iztaccihuatl but the clouds did come in around 930am and we really couldn’t see much after that. So if you do decide to do the hike this time of year then make sure you get an early start. The first day of the hike had perfect weather though.

Packing list for Iztaccihuatl

So almost all of this gear is mens gear. But most of the brands have both mens and women’s options available. Sara and I normally use the male-female equivalent products. Mostly because we try and find the best quality gear we can at the most reasonable price. So almost everything you see here can be found for both men and women.

• Ice ax
• Crampons
• Helmet We didn’t actually use them but it is a strong recommendation.
• Good Hiking Boots Boots are highly personal but we have had these in everything from minus 35C to plus 30 and they have been perfect for everything. I wouldn’t attempt Everest in them though haha.
• Good socks lifetime warranty merino wool socks
• Thermal Top thermals are pretty essential for all travel I feel. Light weight and warm. Personally from day to day I have not found much difference between a $20 pair and a $100 pair in terms of daily usage. However I do still have one of my first ever pair of Marmot thermals from about 15 years ago that I still wear fairly regularly.
• Thermal Bottom
• Gators, not needed if there is no snow but life saving if there is.
• Sun cream, environmentally friendly sun cream
• Sunglasses, it gets soooo bright and the sun is harsh.
• Jacket – these roll down tiny and Patagonia has a lifetime warranty on all products
• Gortex Shell – The wind gets brutal and a simple down jacket is not enough
• Gloves – Nothing ruins your day faster than cold hands.
• Camera – were shooting the Sony A7riii and A7ii. Recent upgrade to the A7Siii mostly for filming. A7riii is still the go to for photos for now.
• Lenses – we have a few different lenses here are the two best all-around ones.
• Sony 16-35mm f2.8 – super wide lens great for wide landscapes
• Sony 24-70mm f4 – If you are only needing one lens then I think this is it. It covers such a huge range of everything that I would be happy to carry only this most of the time.
• GoPro – The new GoPro Hero 12 black has amazing image stabilization making even the bumpiest of moments look super smooth.
• Pants
• Backpack – There are a million different types of packs and it is all personal preference. But We are just using basic Osprey packs
• Water Bottle – I use a Camelbak for long hikes personally(linked at the bottom of post) but these Sawyer water bottles are amazing. They filter 99.999% of bacteria as well as strange smells and tastes. They also come with a million-gallon guarantee, meaning they should last your entire life.
• Camping Gear
• Sleeping Mat these are super comfy and pack down tiny
• Sleeping Bag, nothing is worse than being cold all the time, this is the best $300 to $400 I ever spent. Minus 18C might not be needed for everyone but it does get cold up the top and this is something that can take you into most cold climates with a good level of comfort.
• Tent – if camping and not staying in the hut. This might be over kill and you can probably save a 100 bucks if you add a few hundred grams to the tent but this is just what we are using and its pretty awesome especially for multi-day hikes.
• Stove – unless you are happy with cold food and no coffee
• Something to read or music – Kindles are great for travel but books are also nice. I’m currently reading The Ledge, it is a crazy story of survival in the mountains which was made a little more exciting by the fact we were actually in the mountains.

The history of Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl

We found the story behind these two volcanos extremely entertaining. Both volcanos sit extremely close to one another making the story come to life a little more once you’re standing atop one looking out at the other.

Rumor has it that Iztaccihuatl was a Nahua princess that fell in love with her Father’s number one officer.

Daddy wasn’t really all that stoked about this and ordered Popocatepetl off to war with a small army against an enemy, that her father had no doubt Popocatepetl would never return from.

With Popo now out of the picture Daddy arranged a match for his daughter that he thought was far more suitable.

When Iztaccihuatl found out about her father’s deceit she apparently stabbed herself with a dagger.

After returning home to find the Popo carried her body to the top of the mountain and there he froze to death. Where he still sits today watching over her.

There are a few conflicting stories here. Another version is that when Popocatepetl asked for Iztas hand in marriage her father agreed. But news later came back he was killed in a war and Izta died of a broken heart.

Upon returning home Popo sent thousands of slaves to build her a grave facing the sun. Apparently, they put 10 mountains on top of one another and when they laid her to rest as soon as her body touched the grave the peak became snowy. And it is said Popocatepetl sat on his hill guarding his princesses’ tomb.

This next one is my personal favourite.

Apparently, Popocatepetl battled Xinantecatl aka Nevado de Toluca for the right to marry Itza. The fought with fire, rocks, and ice but eventually, Popo emerged victorious after decapitating his enemy.

Tips on how to hike sustainably

So this is something we think about every time we go anywhere and it ranges from things as simple as buying a banana and making a sandwich instead of buying plastic wrapped products to buying clothing from companies that support sustainable business practices. These are just a couple of practices that can help a little.

Bananas are actually one of the most environmentally friendly things you can buy. They travel well, hold for a long time during transport and they have their own natural packaging.

Here are a few little tips to help you hike more sustainably.

If you travel and hike often one of the things I would suggest investing in is a Water bladder. Osprey makes a nice series of them that range from 1.5 liters to 3 liters. I use one of these every hike unless it is below negative 5(Which it shouldn’t be on Izta) then the water tends to get really cold and or freeze. The benefit for me is that as you drink the packaging gets smaller and you end up with more room in your pack for a jacket or something else you might take off later and you never actually have to take your bag off to get a drink, just hang the straw over your shoulder and drink as you see fit. It is also reusable for a long time. I have been using my current one since 2010. So that’s 9 years of constant use and it looks good for another 10years.

Now if a Camelbak is not your thing, I know some people really don’t like them a reusable non-plastic water bottle is also something that will cut a crazy amount of plastic waste out of your life. Sawyer filtered water bottle is a company making water bottles with built-in filters. The filter also comes with a million-gallon guarantee, meaning it should last your entire life. These are perfect for travel also as you can fill them up from any tap in any country and they will remove 99.99% of bacteria and most of the smells and weird taste of any different water source.

Food, food is almost always wrapped in plastic when you buy it but this has been a surprisingly easy one to get around. It may be a little harder if you are backpacking but we’re traveling in our van so we have a small kitchen. We have started to make everything and package it in reusable containers that we just take on the next hike. Sara has been perfecting making these protein balls that are a mix of oats, peanut butter, cranberries, almonds and whatever else we have lying around. Also fruit! But if you buy fruit do not throw the peel along the track. These things can take forever to break down especially if they are not regional fruits and no one really wants to see someone’s old orange or banana peel lying around on the track.

Clothing is something that is often overlooked as a sustainable product as you just kind of wear things till they are old and then throw them away but there is a range of companies out there these days that are making amazing products built to last. Patagonia is one company I can not push enough. They support so many environmental campaigns, they have a lifetime warranty on everything they sell and they give one percent of all sales back to small grassroots charities. They will also repair any clothes you take into them with minor issues.