Next week my friends Patrick (pictured right with Elizabeth), Robert, Scott and I will be in Mexico climbing the 3rd highest peak in North America at 18,880 feet, 5754 meter. However various sources quote the altitude somewhere between 18,400 and 18,900. I will take my GPS and measure from the summit! The one week expedition will be my first climb in Mexico. We call ourselves the "cuatro hombres lentos de los Estados Unidos que buscan una cumbre y una cerveza" or more charitably, The Orizaba 4!
This will be a special climb since...
it will be with close friends rather than strangers from around the world. Patrick, Robert and I have climbed more than twenty of the Colorado 14ers together plus we summited Rainier a few years ago as part of the Rainier 9 Team we put together.
My dispatches may be a little different this time since many friends and family of our Orizaba 4 will be following us.
We fly into Mexico City and meet with Dave Elmore of Mountain Professionals. After a short ride to Tlachichuca (7,000') we will begin the acclimatization process which will take us to the Piedra Grande Hut at 13,972'. We will make a carry to establish the high camp and launch our summit push from there early Saturday morning, January 27th.
Orizaba is a dormant volcano and is mostly loose rock or scree but a permanent glacier starts around 15,000' and covers the upper parts of the mountain. We will rope up in this area for additional safety.
We expect the weather to be mild at lower elevations but cold and windy near the summit and will be in full alpine gear. Here is a link to the current weather.
This will be fun! Also it will be my last climb before Everest in April and May.
Finally, I want to let everyone know that I will be speaking at several fund raisers for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund (CAF) on March 4th and 5th in the Santa Clara and Palo Alto areas of Northern California and another event at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, Colorado on March 13. Refreshments will be available plus a brief update on the CAF. I will show pictures of some of my climbs including Deanli, Shisha Pangma, Ama Dablam and of course, Everest.
I hope you can attend or help spread the word. More information will be available in early February.
OK, that's it for now. More from Mexico!!
Remember: Memories are Everything
Climb On!
This is Alan
