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
The Nevado de Toluca is a dormant volcano located in the State of Mexico, west of Mexico City. This is Mexico's fourth highest mountain (4,680 m). The Aztec name of this mountain is Xinantecatl, meaning "the naked man".
Due to its easy access and proximity to Mexico City, the Nevado de Toluca is frequently used as training/aclimatization climb.
A unique feature of this volcano is that one can drive into the crater of this extinct volcano. Another unique feature is that it has two lakes inside the crater, where diving can be practiced.
To access the volcano's crater, one has to pass a couple of checkpoints where an access fee has to be paid:
In the next satellite picture the dirt road surrounding the Nevado de Toluca by the north can be seen; this dirt road provides access into the crater of the volcano by the east; in the center, the Laguna del Sol (the Lake of the Sun, the largest one, on the left) and the Laguna de la Luna (the Lake of the Moon, the smallest one, on the right) can be seen:
The Nevado de Toluca has two summits, the higher Pico del Fraile (Friar's Peak) at 4,680 meters to the south, and Pico del Aguila (Eagle's Peak) at 4,620 meters on the northern side of the crater rim:
In the next picture, the Laguna del Sol (the largest one) and the Laguna de la Luna (on the background and on the right) can be seen from the summit of Nevado de Toluca:
A video on the summit of Nevado de Toluca:
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