Izta and Orizaba

Mountains are living things they breathe, think, listen and react some are male and some are female on my last set of climbs I was able to visit each gender.

If I am to tell you about Izta I believe you need to know her legend first. The Legend of Popocatepetl and Iztacchuatl In Aztec mythology, the volcanoes were once humans who were deeply in love. This legend features two star-crossed lovers, the young brave warrior Popocatpetl and the beautiful princess Iztacchuatl. The father of Iztacchuatl, a mighty ruler, placed a demanding condition upon Popocatpetl before he could take Iztacchuatl as his bride. His mandate required that Popocatpetl first engage in battle against the tribe’s enemy and return victorious. Variations of the legend include the added stipulation that Popocatpetl needed to return with the vanquished enemies head as proof of his success.

The story continues with Popocatpetl setting off for battle with Iztacchuatl waiting for her beloveds return. Treacherously, a rival of Popocatpetl sends a false message back to the ruler that the warrior has been slain when in fact; Popocatpetl has won the battle and is ready to return to his Iztacchuatl. However, the princess upon hearing the false news falls ill and succumbs to her deep sorrow, dying of a broken heart. When Popocatpetl returns triumphant to his people only to encounter his beloved’s death, his heartbreak is inconsolable.

He carries Iztacchuatl body to the mountains whereupon he has a funeral pyre built for both himself and his princess. Grief-stricken beyond measure, Popocatpetl dies next to his beloved. The Gods, touched by the lover’s plight, turn the humans into mountains, so that they may finally be together. They remain so to this day with Popocatpetl residing over his princess Iztacchuatl, while she lay asleep. On occasion, Popo will spew ash, reminding those watching that he is always in attendance, that he will never leave the side of his beloved Izta. < I was fortunate enough to see Popo erupt from the top of Izta to see a volcano erupt from above its crater is incredible not to mention a site I am sure only a few have witnessed.

Mountains can turn back the best climbers in many ways usually in the form of altitude sickness which on this trip happened to my guide and friend Eric at 12500 feet he was done due to illness. A mountain can deny you access however they wish and I believe you only make it to their summit with their blessing in your path can be illness, winds, storms, rock slides, mud slides avalanches or just plain old lack of courage and confidence. Izta allowed me to summit but only after two days of her telling me I was not strong enough a common game that all mountains play. At her top she is absolutely beautiful and from the bottom she can be seen from two hours away by car just resting next to Popo who is always vigilant and watching her.

Pico De Orizaba or just plain Orizaba is all male and a total ass kicker he came at us with all the above mentioned tricks and more. From the start lack of sleep due to mouse infestation at base camp, snow, a frozen creek that broke loose revealing rock so you can then pick your poison no crampons on the ice or trying to walk on blades on the rock, snow, a rock the size of a VW bug falling at us from above or climbing a 2400 foot ice glacier in 40 mph winds at a 35% angle, my friend Mark going down due to altitude sickness at the top and throwing up for the next 6 hours, a mud slide and a mind game that started the night before summit attempt and is still rattling through my head. Orizaba at 18490 is not the tallest but I own 60lbs of gear and he took 54lbs of it to climb. Eric has been climbing for ever is a professional and summated over 50 times including twice on Everest and from his mouth to my ear "that was the most technical climb I have ever made."

I believe I left a little of my soul on Orizaba not to mention a pound of flesh to mention this climb to most people they have no idea what you are speaking of as they only know the big names in mountains well I tell you after my fourth summit Orizaba is as tough as they come. 

 Just the start of Izta

 I will never see enough sunrises from a mountain top it is truly staring at the face of God

 Orizaba not happy 19 came only 7 made it 4 were professional climbers 2 was me and my new friend Mark

 Tied down and just breathe

 A lonely summit

 Mark Z went down and I prayed

 Majestic

 As always I carve into the top of all my summits Mark Loves Nancy I think Izta liked this Orizaba however did not like much of anything

 All alone at the top of the world

 What goes up must go down