View source for Pico de Orizaba

{{Short description|Highest peak in Mexico and highest volcano in North America}}
{{for|the town and municipality|Citlaltépetl, Veracruz}} 
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Citlaltépetl<br />(Pico de Orizaba)
| other_name = Citlaltepec<br />Poyauhtécatl<br />Poiauhtécatl<br />Zeuctépetl<br />Teuctépetl<br />Pojautécatl
| photo = Pico de Orizaba desde Hidalgo, Puebla.jpg
| photo_caption = 
| elevation_m = 5636
| elevation_ref = <ref name="Sombrilla2003" /><ref>The elevation given by [[INEGI]] mapping is 5,611 m. Higher elevations are given by various other authorities (including 5,747 m by the National Geographic Society).</ref>
| prominence_m = 4922
| prominence_ref = <ref>[http://peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/mexico.html "Mexico Ultras"]. See also [http://peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/mexico.html#1 Note #1]. Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2012-10-20.</ref>
| map = Mexico
| relief = 1
| map_caption = Mexico
| label_position = left
| listing = {{unbulleted list
|[[List of mountain peaks by prominence|World most prominent peaks]] 7th
|[[Topographic isolation|World most isolated peaks]] 16th
|[[Seven Third Summits]] 3rd
|[[Volcanic Seven Summits]] 4th
|[[List of elevation extremes by country|Country high points]] 20th
|[[List of the highest major summits of North America|North America highest peaks]] 3rd
|[[List of the most prominent summits of North America|North America prominent]] 3rd
|[[List of mountain peaks of Mexico#Highest major summits|Mexico highest major peaks]] 1st
}}
| location = [[Veracruz]], [[Mexico]]
| range = 
| coordinates = {{coord|19|01|48|N|97|16|12|W|type:mountain_region:MX_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates = 
| coordinates_ref = 
| topo = 
| type = [[Stratovolcano]]
| age = 
| volcanic_belt = [[Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt]]
| last_eruption = 1846
| first_ascent = 1848 by F. Maynard & [[William F. Raynolds]]{{NoteTag|As the land surrounding the peak has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples for time immemorial, it is assumed that it had been ascended by those people prior to 1848.}}
| easiest_route = moderate snow/ice climb
}}

'''Citlaltépetl''' (from [[Nahuan languages|Náhuatl]] {{lang|nah|citlal(in)}} = star, and {{lang|nah|tepētl}} = mountain), otherwise known as '''Pico de Orizaba''', is an active [[volcano]], the highest [[mountain]] in [[Mexico]]<ref name="Sombrilla2003">{{cite web|url=http://utsa.edu/pub/sombrilla/pdfs/summer2003.pdf|last=Brown|first=Stephen|title=Orizaba|page=23|work=Sombrilla|publisher=University of Texas at San Antonio|year=2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051030031654/http://utsa.edu/pub/sombrilla/pdfs/summer2003.pdf|archive-date=October 30, 2005}}</ref> and [[Table of the highest major summits of North America|third highest]] in [[North America]], after [[Denali]]/Mount McKinley of the [[United States]] and [[Mount Logan]] of [[Canada]]. Pico de Orizaba is also the highest volcano in North America. It rises {{convert|5,636|m}} above sea level in the eastern end of the [[Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt]], on the border between the states of [[Veracruz]] and [[Puebla]].<ref name="Sombrilla2003" /> The volcano is currently [[dormant volcano|dormant]] but not [[extinct volcano|extinct]], with the last eruption taking place during the 19th century. It is the second most [[topographic prominence|prominent]] volcanic peak in the world after [[Mount Kilimanjaro]]. Pico de Orizaba is ranked 16th by [[topographic isolation]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-27 |title=Pico de Orizaba |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/mountains/pico-de-orizaba.html |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Toponymy==
Pico de Orizaba overlooks the valley and city of [[Orizaba]], from which it gets its Spanish name – literally ''"Orizaba's [[Summit|peak]]"''. During the colonial era, the volcano was also known as '''Cerro de San Andrés''' due to the nearby settlement of [[Ciudad Serdán|San Andrés Chalchicomula]] at its base.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lara |first=Pamela Camacho |date=2021-10-01 |title=Facts about Pico de Orizaba the highest volcano in Mexico |url=https://www.poblanerias.com/2021/10/english-why-is-it-called-pico-de-orizaba/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |language=es}}</ref>

Its Náhuatl name, Citlaltépetl, comes from ''[https://es.wiktionary.org/wiki/citlalli citlalli]'' (star) and [https://es.wiktionary.org/wiki/tep%C4%93tl tepētl] (mountain) and thus means "Star Mountain". This name is thought to be based on the fact that the snow-covered peak can be seen year round for hundreds of kilometers throughout the region.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} This name is not, however, used by the [[Orizaba Nahuatl|contemporary Náhuatl speakers of the Orizaba area]], who instead call it '''''Istaktepetl''''' (o''r '''Iztactépetl'''''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Global Volcanism Program {{!}} Pico de Orizaba |url=https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=341100 |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Smithsonian Institution {{!}} Global Volcanism Program |language=en}}</ref> in the traditional orthography for [[Classical Nahuatl]]), meaning 'White Mountain'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-01 |title=Etimologías falsas |url=https://visionlinguistica.wordpress.com/2019/06/01/etimologias-falsas/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Visión lingüística |language=es}}</ref> The name Citlaltepetl is now believed to have been invented by a Spanish speaker who was likely knowledgeable in Náhuatl, but was unfamiliar with the actual name of the mountain itself.<ref>David Tuggy (15 July 2018). «[https://web.archive.org/web/20180716171427/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHAZyl49jQE&gl=US&hl=en Aprende Náhuatl Básico: SUSTANTIVOS]». Archived from [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHAZyl49jQE the original] on 16 July 2018. Retrieved on the 16 July 2018</ref>

A third name, '''Poyauhtecatl''',<ref name=":0" /> which means "the one that colours or illuminates", has also been recorded. This name was given by the [[Tlaxcaltec]]s in memory of their lost country.<ref>Map of Cuauhtinchan 2 Vol 2. Keiko Yoneda. p 239</ref>

==Topography==
The peak of Citlaltépetl rises dramatically to an elevation of {{convert|5,636|m|abbr=on}} above sea level; it has a [[topographic prominence]] of {{convert|4,922|m|abbr=on}}. Regionally dominant, Pico de Orizaba is the highest peak in Mexico and the highest volcano in North America;<ref name=":0"/> it is also the third highest peak in North America after [[Denali]] and [[Mount Logan]]. Orizaba is ranked [[List of peaks by prominence|7th]] in the world in [[topographic prominence]]. It is the second most prominent [[Volcanic Seven Summits|volcanic peak]] in the world after Africa's [[Mount Kilimanjaro]], and the volcano is ranked 16th in the world for [[topographic isolation]]. About {{convert|110|km|abbr=on}} to the west of the port of [[Veracruz (city)|Veracruz]], its peak is visible to ships approaching the port in the [[Gulf of Mexico]], and at dawn rays of sunlight strike the Pico while Veracruz still lies in shadow. The topography of Pico de Orizaba is [[Asymmetry|asymmetrical]] from the center of the crater; the eastern face is the steepest side of the volcano and the northwestern face the most gradual side. The gradual slopes of the northwestern face of the volcano allow for the presence of large glaciers and provide the most traveled route for hikers traveling to the summit.

==Glaciers==
[[File:Citlaltépetl Glaciers.svg|thumb|right|The main peaks and glaciers of Pico de Orizaba]]

Pico de Orizaba is one of only three volcanoes in México that continue to support glaciers and is home to the largest glacier in Mexico, [[Gran Glaciar Norte]]. Orizaba has nine known glaciers: Gran Glaciar Norte, Lengua del Chichimeco, Jamapa, Toro, Glaciar de la Barba, Noroccidental, Occidental, Suroccidental, and Oriental. The [[Snow line|equilibrium line altitude]] (ELA) is not known for Orizaba. Snow on the south and southeast sides of the volcano melts quickly because of solar radiation, but lower temperatures on the northwest and north sides allow for glaciers. The insolation angle and wind redeposition on the northwest and north sides allow for constant accumulation of snow providing a source for the [[Glacier#Types|outlet glaciers]]. On the north side of Orizaba, the Gran Glaciar Norte fills the elongated highland basin and is the source for seven outlet glaciers. The main glacier extends {{convert|3.5|km|abbr=on}} north of the crater rim, has a surface area of about {{convert|9.08|km2|abbr=on}} descending from {{convert|5650|m|abbr=on}} to about {{convert|5000|m|abbr=on}}. It has a slightly irregular and stepped profile that is caused in part by the configuration of the bedrock. Most [[crevasses]] show an ice thickness of approximately {{convert|50|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="orizaba_glaciers">{{cite web |last=White |first=Sidney E. |title=Glaciers of North America: Glaciers of México |publisher=[[U.S. Geological Survey]] |date=March 7, 2002 |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1386j/mexico/mexico-lores.pdf |access-date=2011-02-20 }}</ref>

[[File:Pico de Orizaba 1 Zoom.jpg|thumb|left|Pico de Orizaba looking south from atop [[Cofre de Perote]]]]
Below the {{convert|5,000|m|ft|abbr=on}} in elevation on the north side of the volcano, the outlet glaciers Lengua del Chichimeco and Jamapa extend north and northwest another {{convert|1.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} and {{convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}}, respectively. The terminal lobe of Lengua del Chichimeco at {{convert|4,740|m|ft|abbr=on}}, having a gradient of only {{convert|140|m/km|abbr=on}}, is a low, broad ice fan that has a convex-upward profile, a front typical of almost all Mexican glaciers. The most distinct glacier is Glaciar de Jamapa, which leaves Gran Glaciar Norte at about {{convert|4,975|m|ft|abbr=on}} and, after {{convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}} with a gradient of {{convert|145|m/km|abbr=on}}, divides into two small tongues that end at {{convert|4,650|m|ft|abbr=on}} and {{convert|4,640|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Both tongues terminate in broad convex-upward ice fans thinning along their edges. The retreat of these tongues prior to 1994 produced much erosion downstream and buried their edges by ablation rock debris.<ref name="orizaba_glaciers" />

The west side of Gran Glaciar Norte generates five outlet glaciers. From north to south, the first two, Glaciar del Toro and Glaciar de la Barba, are hanging cliff or icefall glaciers, reaching the tops of giant lava steps at {{convert|4,930|m|ft|abbr=on}} and {{convert|5,090|m|ft|abbr=on}}, respectively. They then descend {{convert|200|to|300|m|ft|abbr=on}} farther down into the heads of stream valleys as huge ice blocks but are not regenerated there. About {{convert|1|km|mi|abbr=on}}, Glaciar Noroccidental, a small outlet glacier {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, drains away from the side of Gran Glaciar Norte at about {{convert|5,100|m|ft|abbr=on}} and draws down the ice surface a few tens of meters over a distance of {{convert|500|m|ft|abbr=on}}, descending to {{convert|4,920|m|ft|abbr=on}} with a gradient of {{convert|255|m/km|abbr=on}}. Another {{convert|1|km|mi|abbr=on}} still farther south, Glaciar Occidental breaks away from Gran Glaciar Norte west of the summit crater at about {{convert|5,175|m|ft|abbr=on}} as a steep, {{convert|1|km|mi|abbr=on}} long glacier having a gradient of {{convert|270|m/km|abbr=on}} that ends at {{convert|4,930|m|ft|abbr=on}}. From the southwest corner of the mountain, another outlet glacier, Glaciar Suroccidental, {{convert|1.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} long, flows from Gran Glaciar Norte at {{convert|5,250|m|ft|abbr=on}} with a gradient of {{convert|200|m/km|abbr=on}}, which also ends at {{convert|4,930|m|ft|abbr=on}} in a long smooth surface.<ref name="orizaba_glaciers" />

East of the summit cone, a separate steep niche glacier, Glaciar Oriental, {{convert|1.2|km|abbr=on}} long and having a gradient of {{convert|440|m/km|abbr=on}}, flows down the mountainside from about {{convert|5,600|to|5,070|m|ft|abbr=on}}; it contains many crevasses and seracs and is the most difficult glacier to climb. Glacier Oriental had a surface area of about {{convert|420,000|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} in 1958, which makes the total area of glaciers and firn field on Citlaltépetl about {{convert|9.5|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. No earlier historical record of glacier tongue activity (advance or recession) is known for Citlaltépetl's glaciers. Although the Gran Glaciar Norte ice cap is covered with snow, it is possible to see the seven outlet glaciers on the irregular west margin of the ice cap, especially Glaciar de Jamapa and Glaciar Occidental.<ref name="orizaba_glaciers" />

==Climate==
{{unreferenced section|date=November 2017}}
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=verical |width=
 |image1=Citlaltepetll.jpg |caption1=Southeast of Citlaltépetl
 |image2=Citlalepetl2.JPG |caption2=Northwest of Citlaltépetl
}}
The climate of Pico de Orizaba, like the [[Sierra Madre Oriental]], varies greatly due to the change of elevation and [[prevailing winds]]. Due to the latitude and the extreme rugged terrain the volcano experiences many [[microclimate]]s. Vegetation varies from tropical at the lower elevations on the eastern face to alpine forests in the higher elevations.

Large amounts of precipitation fall on the eastern face of the volcano due to [[adiabatic cooling]] and condensation from the [[trade winds]] that bring moisture off the Gulf of Mexico. The eastern face is frequently covered by fog and low cloud cover. The climate of the eastern face varies from tropical [[Tropical rainforest climate|(Af)]] at the lower elevations to subtropical highland [[Oceanic climate#Subtropical highland variety (Cfb, Cwb)|(Cfb)]] at the higher elevations, with mild variation in temperatures and an average annual rainfall of {{convert|1,600|mm|in|abbr=on}}.

Subtropical climates are found between {{convert|2,200|and|3,200|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level with a regular rainfall all year long. Autumn and winter come with frequent freezes and light snow, but the snow on the south and southeast sides melt quickly due to solar radiation. The northern face is dominated by subtropical highland [[Oceanic climate#Subtropical highland variety (Cfb, Cwb)|(Cwb)]]. The southern face mostly experiences a humid subtropical climate, [[Humid subtropical climate|(Cwa)]] with the highest annual temperatures in the month of April.

Due to [[katabatic wind]]s the western side is dominated by steppe [[Semi-arid climate|(BSk)]] creating a rain shadow below {{convert|2600|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. Although there are some areas on the western side that experience [[Humid subtropical climate|(Cfa)]] most of the area is semi-dry with temperate to warm temperatures and an annual precipitation average of {{convert|550|mm|in|abbr=on}}. Vegetation here is grass and shrubs with few alpine species.

Between {{convert|3,200|and|4,300|m|ft|abbr=on}}, where temperatures usually are between {{convert|2|and|5|C|F}}, a cold-summer version of the subtropical highland climate [[Oceanic climate#Subpolar oceanic and cold subtropical highland varieties (Cfc, Cwc)|(Cfc)]] predominates. Over {{convert|4,300|m|ft|abbr=on}} with an annual average low of {{convert|-2|C|F}}, [[alpine tundra]] [[Polar climate|(ET)]] prevails to the summit; heavy snowfalls and blizzards are common throughout the year. Snow on the south and southeast melts due to solar radiation, but continually remains on the north and northwestern faces. Extreme cold dominates a surface area of approximately {{convert|31|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.

==Geology==
[[File:Pico de Orizaba caldera.jpg|thumb|[[Caldera]]]]

Pico de Orizaba evolved in three stages, the most recent initiated about 16,000 years ago during the late [[Pleistocene]] and [[Holocene]]. Citlaltépetl consists of three superimposed stratovolcanoes and dome intrusions: Torrecillas (650–250 [[Year#Symbol|ka]]), Espolón de Oro (210– 16 ka), and Citlaltépetl (16 ka to present). The volcano was formed by thick [[Andesite|andesitic]] and [[Dacite|dacitic]] lavas that followed repetitive explosive eruptions and [[Effusive eruption|lava effusions]] that created the iconic cone structure. The volcano is currently [[dormant volcano|dormant]] but not [[extinct volcano|extinct]]. The latest eruption of the volcano occurred in 1846 with a magnitude of [[VEI]] 2. Previous eruptions occurred in: 1687, 1613, 1589–1569, 1566, 1555–1545,1539–1533, 1351, 1260, 1187, 1175, 1157, 220 AD, 140 AD, 90 AD, 40 AD, ~780 BC, ~1500 BC, ~2110 BC, ~2300 BC, ~2500 BC, ~2780 BC, ~4690 BC, ~6220 BC, ~6710 BC, ~7030 BC, and ~7530 BC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1401-10=&volpage=erupt |last1=Simkin |first1=T. |last2=Siebert |first2=L. |title=Pico de Orizaba |work=[[Global Volcanism Program]] |publisher=The [[Smithsonian Institution]] |year=2002}}</ref> The most violent eruption in the volcano's history is thought to have occurred around 6710 BC, reaching a magnitude of [[VEI]] 5, characterized by [[lava dome]] extrusion and [[pyroclastic flow]].

The volcano's crater is elliptical with a [[ellipse|transverse diameter]] measuring {{convert|478|m|ft|abbr=on}} and a [[ellipse|conjugate diameter]] measuring {{convert|410|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The crater has an estimated {{convert|154,830|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} with a maximum depth of {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Pico de Orizaba is constantly covered by an [[Glacier#Types|ice cap]] consisting of several glaciers. An outlet glacier, known as Jamapa Glacier, is located on the north-eastern side of the peak; it has been a powerful force in shaping the volcano. The Jamapa Glacier is responsible for a significant portion of the [[Geomorphology|geomorphologic]] evolution of the region surrounding the volcano.<ref name="orizaba_stats">{{cite news |last1=Palacios |first1=D. |last2=Vázquez-Selem |first2=L. |title=The Geomorphic Effects of the Retreat of Jamapa Glacier, Pico de Orizaba Volcano |publisher=[[Scandinavian University Press]] |year=1996 |jstor=521132 |volume=78 |pages=19–34}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2025}}{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical |width=
 |image1=15-07-14-Landschaft-zwischen-Mexico-und-Golfküste-RalfR-WMA 0456.jpg |caption1=Aerial view
 |image2=Pico de Orizaba, Mexico.JPG |caption2=Shadows accentuate several features of Pico de Orizaba in this astronaut's photograph
}}
Pico de Orizaba is located at 19°1′48″N 97°16′12″W, about {{convert|110|km|mi}} west of the Gulf of Mexico and {{convert|200|km|mi}} east of [[Mexico City]], on the border between the states of Veracruz and Puebla. The volcano is approximately {{convert|480|km|mi}} south of the [[Tropic of Cancer]]. Orizaba anchors the south-eastern end of the [[Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt]], a volcanic chain that runs from west to east across Central Mexico. A companion peak lying about six km to the southwest of Pico de Orizaba is the [[Sierra Negra]], at {{convert|4640|m|ft|0}}. This subsidiary peak is significantly lower than its massive neighbour, but the road to the observatory on its summit is the highest road in North America.

Pico de Orizaba, as part of the [[Sierra Madre Oriental]], forms a barrier between the coastal plains of the Gulf of Mexico and the [[Mexican Plateau]]. The volcano blocks the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico from saturating central Mexico and influences the climates of both areas. Both the state of Veracruz and Puebla depend on Pico de Orizaba for supplying fresh water. The largest river originating on the volcano is the [[Jamapa River]].

==History==
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical |width=
 |image1=Church and volcano by mexikids.jpg |caption1=Hacienda de las Flores near Citlaltépetl
 |image2=Pico de Orizaba glacier ascent.jpg |caption2=Climber ascending the Jamapa Glacier
}}
Pico de Orizaba was important in pre-Hispanic cultures, such as those of the Nahuatl-speaking [[Aztec|Mexica]] and the [[Totonac]]s. The volcano is part of many native mythologies, defining Nahua folklore, [[cosmology]], and [[eschatology]].<ref>Hlúšek, Radoslav. “Mountains in the Worldview of the Nahuas of Central Mexico.” ''Český Lid'', vol. 110, no. 4, 2023, pp. 451–77. ''JSTOR'', https://www.jstor.org/stable/27278373. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.</ref>

During the [[Spanish Conquest]] of Mexico, [[Hernán Cortés]] passed through the foothills of Pico de Orizaba; the volcano and the surrounding mountains made his journey to [[Tenochtitlan]] more difficult and delayed him for many days. During the 1600s, the Spanish Crown financed several roads to be built that would circumvent Citlaltépetl. One of the roads was routed south of the volcano through the cities of Orizaba and Fortín de las Flores, which became the main trade route between Mexico City and Veracruz on the Gulf Coast. A short road was later built by [[Jesuits]] to establish settlements at the base of Pico de Orizaba. The Spanish used the volcano as a landmark to guide themselves to the port of Veracruz. Many battles were fought near this volcano throughout Mexico's struggle for independence.

In 1839, [[Henri Guillaume Galeotti|Henri Galeotti]] was the first European to explore the volcano, but did not hike to the summit. During the American occupation of Mexico in 1848, two American soldiers, F. Maynard and [[William F. Raynolds]], were the first known hikers to reach the summit of Pico de Orizaba.<ref name=ortenburger>{{Cite book |last1=Ortenburger |first1=Leigh N. |last2=Jackson |first2=Reynold G. |title=A climber's guide to the Teton Range |publisher=[[Mountaineers Books]] |date=November 1996 |page=374 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-Y1tLw_YWgC&q=Reynolds+peak+in+the+teton+range+named+for&pg=PA374 |isbn=0-89886-480-1}}</ref> In 1851, the French explorer Alejandro Doignon also reached the summit and found the flagpole left behind by the Americans in 1848. During the mid-19th century Citlaltépetl was explored by many scientists, including the [[Germany|German]] botanist Hugo Fink, who was the first to record the numerous species of flora found on the volcano. In 1873, [[Martin Tritschler]] raised the Mexican flag at the summit.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

==Pico de Orizaba National Park==
On December 16, 1936, President [[Lázaro Cárdenas]], in an effort to protect the natural beauty of Pico de Orizaba, created a national park with an area of {{convert|19750|ha|acre}} that included the volcano with the surrounding area and the settlements of Tlachichuca, Ciudad Serdán, La Perla, Mariano Escobedo, and Calcahualco. The federal decree became federal law on January 4, 1937.

== Climbing and recreation ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2025}}[[File:Orizaba 18,500 feet.JPG|thumb|left|View of the standard route from the Stone Hut (Piedra Grande), shown in the bottom left of this photo - November 2007]]
[[File:Pico de Orizaba traverse of crater rim.jpg|thumb|Traverse of steep slope above Glacier Este during circumnavigation of crater rim. November 2008]]

Pico de Orizaba attracts a large number of international climbers every year. There are multiple routes for approaching and climbing the volcano, and many people attempt it. Most people climb the mountain during the period from October to March when the weather is favorable;{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} temperatures do not vary much month to month due to being in the tropics and April through September are rainy months in the region. The most frequented route begins from the base camp Piedra Grande Hut ("refugio") via the Jamapa Glacier, located at an elevation of {{convert|4,270|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

Another option as a starting point is high camp located at the base of the glacier about {{convert|4,900|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. For a more technical challenge for the experienced climber, there is a technical ice climb called the Serpents Head, which involves 10 pitches of grade 3 ice. Additionally, the southern side offers another challenging option; although the trail is shorter, it is also steeper and more difficult. No glaciers are found on the southern side. The final ascent to the summit is via a normally straightforward and crevasse-free glacier route. The caldera can be circumnavigated with relative ease, although at one point this requires a short, exposed traverse of steep rock and ice above the Glacier Este.

==See also==
*[[List of mountain peaks of North America]]
**[[List of mountain peaks of Mexico]]
***[[List of volcanoes in Mexico]]
***[[List of Ultras of Mexico]]
*[[List of elevation extremes by country]]
*[[Orizaba]]
*[[Volcanic Seven Summits]]
{{clear}}

== Notes ==
<references group="note" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite gvp| 1=341100 | 2=Pico de Orizaba}}
* {{cite book | last = Yarza de la Torre | first = Esperanza | title = Volcanes de México | publisher = Aguilar | year = 1971 | pages= 237 pp |ref=none}} <small>(in Spanish)</small>
* {{cite book | last = Secor | first = R. J. | title = Mexico's Volcanoes: A Climbing Guide | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XEqrPcMJ8vYC&q=secor%20mexico's%20volcanoes&pg=PA4 | edition = 3rd | publisher = [[Mountaineers Books]] | year = 2001 | pages= 160 pp | isbn = 0-89886-798-3 |ref=none}}

==External links==
{{commons and category}}
* [http://www.summitorizaba.com/equipment Equipment List to climb Pico de Orizaba]
* [http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150192/pico-de-orizaba.html Pico de Orizaba on Summitpost.com]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140110163421/http://horalka.org/volcanes-de-mexico/climb/?pico-de-orizaba-citlaltepetl Pico de Orizaba - ascent route description]}}

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[[Category:Mountains of Mexico|Pico de Orizaba]]
[[Category:Landforms of Puebla|Pico de Orizaba]]
[[Category:Volcanoes of Veracruz|Pico de Orizaba]]
[[Category:Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt|Pico de Orizaba]]
[[Category:Stratovolcanoes of Mexico]]
[[Category:Seven Third Summits]]
[[Category:Volcanic Seven Summits]]
[[Category:Five-thousanders of North America|Pico de Orizaba]]
[[Category:Highest points of countries|Pico de Orizaba]]
[[Category:Religious places of the Indigenous peoples of North America]]
[[Category:Sacred mountains of Mexico]]
[[Category:VEI-5 volcanoes]]
[[Category:National parks of Mexico]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Veracruz]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Puebla]]
[[Category:Pleistocene stratovolcanoes]]
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