Mexico's Volcanoes 2008
Climbing the main volcanoes in Mexico during the year 2008: Iztaccihuatl, La Malinche, Nevado de Toluca, and Sierra Negra
Idioma/Language: English Español - Visita también: Volcanes de México 2009 - Volcanes de México 2010
Climbing the main volcanoes in Mexico during the year 2008: Iztaccihuatl, La Malinche, Nevado de Toluca, and Sierra Negra
La Malinche, also called Malintzin, Matlacueyetl, Matlalcueye or Matlalcueitl, is a dormant volcano east of Mexico City and north of Puebla. With a height of 4,420 m, it is among the 10 highest mountains in Mexico.
Being a mountain of easy access and low difficulty, it is often used to acclimatize before tackling more difficult mountains as Iztaccihuatl or Pico de Orizaba.
La Malinche, also called Malintzin, Malinalli, or Doña Marina, was a young native who was given to Hernan Cortés along with 19 other women, after the Battle of Centla. La Malinche was mistress of Hernan Cortés (fathered an illegitimate child with him), acted as interpreter and advised the Spanish on military and social customs of the natives.
In the Exhacienda de San Antonio Chautla in San Martín Texmelucan, a painting of La Malinche and Hernan Cortés can be seen:
The climb of the volcano La Malinche on the north slope begins at the Centro Vacacional IMSS La Malintzi (holiday resort), that can be reached by a paved road. From that point, the paved road continues a few miles, but access is restricted to authorized vehicles.
During the first few miles the route crosses a forest, first on the paved road (the hiking trail cuts across the road switchbacks for the first section) and then by a path that goes into the forest:
The timberline lies roughly between 3,700 and 3,800 m, a considerable height when compared to Spain, where it is difficult to find a lush forest above 2,000 m:
In the following video, the sandy terrain of this part of the moutain can be seen:
Once the forest is left below (near 4,000 m), the path moves into an area of grassland, and then the final leg of the route that presents a very steep climb. In this area a good pace is difficult to maintain, since the lack of oxygen due to the altitude and the steep slope pose a challenge.
Once placed on the ridge crest, the path is easy with a small rock climb near the top:
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