Puebla de Zaragoza – Day 2: Hiking Iztaccíhuatl
PUEBLA DE ZARAGOZA
Day 2: Hiking Iztaccíhuatl
August 11, 2022
As charming as Puebla is, I gotta admit that the highlight of my stay there was, by far, an adventure I had outside of the city – a hike to Iztaccíhuatl. On my second day there, I’d be trading in my trainers for Blister – my long-time travelling companion slash best friend slash hiking boots.
Together, Blister and I had survived countless hikes and treks, climbed over mountains, trudged through swamps, and roamed in jungles. Until I became a doctor, that is. For two long years, I had been biding my time, saving money, and preparing for this one trip. And now that it was finally here, I could put good ol’ Blister back to good use! Granted, I wouldn’t be going on a multi-day expedition that would push the both of us to our breaking point – it’d be a short hike on one of the many trails on the mountain. Even so, I could barely contain my excitement – especially since I hadn’t been on one in ages!
The Journey
Another name for Iztaccíhuatl it is the Mujer Dormida, which literally translates to “Sleeping Woman” – so named because it resembles the silhouette of a woman lying on her back, with its peaks representing the tips of the feet, the knees, the belly, the breasts, and the head. Popocatépetl, an active volcano, sits right beside the mountain. In the nearby town of San Nicolás de los Ranchos, it is revered as a god and is called Don Goyo (short for Gregorio Chino Popocatépetl). People pray to it, and every twelfth of March they celebrate it by walking all the way up to the crater and offering sacrifices such as flowers and food. When they don’t, it is said that Don Goyo’s ire manifests itself in the form of an eruption.
Quite amateurishly, I’d be climbing to just one of its lowest peaks – the ankles of the sleeping woman, standing tall at a whopping 4,500 metres above sea level. Luckily enough, I’d be accompanied by Ariel – a guide who made it a point to explain everything he could think of, answer every single one of my endless questions until my curiosity was satisfied, and also made sure not to topple over with the 4×4 on the incredibly bumpy ride leading to the mountains. Truly an excellent experience and 100% rec – oops, forgot this isn’t a TripAdvisor review.
Having left Puebla and reached the rural community of San Nicolás de los Ranchos, the dirt road slowly began to gain elevation as we drove through an overgrown path that led directly to the base of the mountain. Carsick though I might have been, the landscapes around us proved to be a valuable distraction – a barrage of birds and snakes standing in our way turned the ride into a very interesting obstacle course. Once we were parked at the entry station, I was left to mind my own business as Ariel checked us in with the park ranger. Standing on the edge of the mountainside, overlooking the verdant surroundings and the grey sky looming above, with the cold wind blasting into me, I felt freer than ever. Finally, I was on a mountain once again!
The Destination
It would be just a three-hour hike according to Ariel. “¡Tranquilo, vamos a caminar muy despacio!” he assured me after seeing my expression the second I looked at the peak we’d be climbing . I genuinely had no idea how I’d perform. I had done my fair share of hiking and trekking before, but it had been a couple of years since the last time.
It might have been three hours, sure, but at such an altitude, I can definitely say it felt more like twenty. Mostly because I’d get short of breath every other minute or so. I kept apologising to Ariel for my frequent stops, though he did a fantastic job at hiding his probable frustration, telling me that he’d actually had worse (I took it as a compliment).
I was breathless in part because of the lack of oxygen, but mostly because of the multitude of vistas and panoramas laid out in front of me. The opposing peaks of Izta, Popo to the side, and the clouds engulfing everything in sight were truly a sight to behold. Between one view and another, flora and fauna of all kinds had me in awe. Among them were the volcano pigmy rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) – the cutest and most elusive of creatures – and the cardo de los volcanes (Cirsium nivale) – a reddish-pink spiny flower with thorns along its stem – both of which can only be found on such terrain at such high altitudes.
The hike consisted of two checkpoints, each marked by a cross and a safety kit – a tin box full of first aid equipment and food. These were set up a few years ago after a tragic incident involving a group of kids who climbed the mountain without any form of guidance, got lost and were then found dead a few days later. Between checkpoints are the portillos, or ‘doors’. These are points on the mountain with unobstructed views of both sides of the mountain lending themselves the most gorgeous of views. On one side, the lush, verdant mountainside beneath the blue sky was full of life. On the other, the dry brown grass and grey, craggy hills were enshrouded in clouds. Truly a stunning contrast!
The hike consisted of two checkpoints, each marked by a cross and a safety kit – a tin box full of first aid equipment and food. These, Ariel explained, were set up a few years ago after a tragic incident involving a group of kids who climbed the mountain without any form of guidance, got lost and were then found dead a few days later. Luckily, we didn’t end up needing them. Instead, we went on our way and kept on climbing up, every step of the way conferring even grander views. Between checkpoints, we could appreciate the portillos, or ‘doors’. These are points on the mountain with unobstructed views of both sides, offering some of the most gorgeous panoramas
Brief though the hike might have been, getting from one checkpoint to the next was quite the ordeal for me. I was still smoking, I was out of shape, and I was still used to Malta’s altitude (or lack thereof). I needed multiple breaks – sometimes stopping to take an entire photoshoot as an excuse to buy some time. Ariel, on the other hand, could have easily run up and down the mountain without so much as breaking a sweat. I was equally envious and inspired – seeing him climb the mountain effortlessly as I did my best to barely keep up.
By the time we got to the ankle peak, my panting and heaving had become almost too much to bear – my heart thumping in my throat and my legs all crampy. The worst part was that this was nothing. I had done way more challenging treks than this before, yet somehow it felt as if I were doing this for the very first time. Worse still was the fact that ahead of us lay the rest of the mountain – all those trails I wouldn’t get to hike, simply because I hadn’t known about them. It turns out most people visiting Iztaccíhuatl usually do so as part of an overnight trip – something I had no idea about.
At the peak, which also happens to be another portillo offering a stupendous vista of the mountainside and Popo, I finally had some time to recuperate and gather myself as we munched on a couple of sandwiches. That part I excelled at. Man had I missed that feeling. No matter how hard, no matter how draining trekking is, it all feels worth the sacrifice in that moment – the moment you get to the top, when you can relax, eat, and have a cigarette while facing all that you’ve managed to conquer. Nothing could ever beat that.
As we started heading back, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat defeated. Realistically speaking, I’d probably never visit this place again, yet I had only covered a minute area of it. I’d probably never know what lay further ahead. Granted, I didn’t even know whether I had what it takes to go further anyway. In a way, going back felt like giving up – and as hard as things might get, that’s something I rarely (if ever) do.
Be that as it may, I had managed to do what I had set out to do. By no means do I suspect that the rest of the trails held anything less breathtaking than what I did manage to see, but there would be more of that throughout my trip. I was so hyped about all the treks and hikes that still awaited me on this journey!