Pico De Orizaba Mountaineering

No experience needed, we’ll teach you how to use mountaineering gear and pack for high-altitude summit attempts. See the detailed daily schedule for more information.

This adventure is run in partnership with our local guides who know a lot more than is needed to organize successful expeditions to the great Mexican volcanoes: snow conditions, weather tendencies, crevasses state, road jams, local issues that may affect the logistics, etc. and of course

Our climb will be based out of the city of Puebla, 2 hours south-east of Mexico City, and right in the middle of three of the highest mountains in Mexico: Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltepetl), Iztaccihuatl ( Izta o Mujer dormida) and La Malinche (Malintzin). 

The city portions of this adventure will be thrilling in less physically strenuous ways. We’ll take a ballon ride, explore ancient ruins, and enjoy the wild night live Mexico City is known for, including a little treat at a local Lucha Libre exposition! 

In January, climbing Pico de Orizaba presents a harsh alpine environment featuring freezing summit temperatures, often below 5°F (-15°C) and biting wind chills. While January is within the dry season offering brilliant, sunny days and clearer visibility, climbers must contend with unpredictable, gale-force storms and highly icy conditions on the upper glacier.

January in Mexico City is characterized by cool, crisp mornings and bright, warm afternoons. It is one of the driest and clearest times of the year. You can expect daytime highs around 71°F (22°C), dropping into the mid-40s°F (7°C) at night. Rain is incredibly rare.

In our package we include all technical gear for the climb including everything other than your personal clothing, footwear, and a personal sleeping bag.

If you don’t want to travel with your own heavy mountain boots, sleeping bags, etc. don’t worry, you can rent all you need for the climb directly with us once we get down to the mountain lodge. 

A detailed gear list will be provided well before the trip departs, so all bases will be covered. 

A detailed packing list will be provided with ample planning time before the trips departure date. 

The main things all participants will need is their personal clothing and toiletries, including items like multiple base layers and outer layers, sunglasses, sunscreen, water bottles or bladders, socks, boots, gloves, etc. 

Don’t worry, we will provide all the details so there’s no need to stress about any of this. And most of these items and accessories can be rented down in Mexico with our local outfitters.  

You will be responsible for getting yourself to and from Mexico City airport where Type3Life guides will meet you. Once with the group all costs for the trip including food, lodging, included gear, transportation, and local guide gratuities are included.

Our staff and local outfitters are certified in wilderness medicine and are trained to T3L’s high standards in risk management and group facilitation. Additionally, we will recruit local guides to bring their local knowledge, gear, and expertise for more intensive trip activities.

We believe that being outdoors is a great way to manage your own mental well-being. As with everything we do, risk management is also a cornerstone at Type3Life. While we know everyone is tired of dealing with this, we do expect everyone to follow our COVID-19 guidelines while on our trips to help manage the safety of the group.

Local areas, guides, and activities may require different considerations for minimizing our risk for COVID-19 exposure and we appreciate you working with us during your trip to help keep everyone involved safe. At the very least hand washing and good hygiene is necessary in any backcountry trip. We will communicate specifics with you upon signing up, but if you have any questions, please reach out to us.

We recommend all of our participants look into purchasing their own personal travel insurance prior to the trip to cover them in case of unforeseen travel or medical issues that may arise.

During the primary backcountry portion, T3L will have a satellite device for emergency situations. In the unlikely event of an emergency, T3L will contact your emergency contacts.

Our trips are all about getting out into the most incredible places on earth with a group of guys looking to push themselves outside of their normal comfort zone. What separates a T3L trip is our emphasis on individual personal growth balanced with our dedication to building a community of guys who have your back. We do have intentional moments of reflection built into each trip, but we focus on letting the people and the place come together organically for a unique experience each day.

All of our trips are designed to push participants physically and mentally. That being said, every man can benefit from our trips, not just the super fit. If this experience sounds cool, but you’re not sure if you’ll be able to do it, we recommend reaching out to us and we can talk about it. If we don’t think you can safely participate, we’ll find the right trip for you.

Each T3L trip is unique, but the commonality between each group is the community of guys that you leave with. With that, we just ask that you come ready to be a part of the group and treat your fellow members with respect.

From a physical standpoint, be sure to review the itinerary and make sure you are physically and mentally up for it. We have trips of varying difficulty levels and can work with you to find you the best option. Again, if you have any questions about your ability to participate in a specific trip, we recommend chatting with the T3L team.

Finally, we all love beer. In fact, the idea for this company may have come after one too many beers on a river trip. That being said, we believe that the experience we’re putting on is incredible enough that we do not need drugs or alcohol to dilute them. It’s about being the real you out in the real world. We do require you to leave any non-prescription drugs and alcohol at home, any drinks at dinners to celebrate the day’s achievements will be welcomed. 

Type3Life trips are not intended to be wilderness therapy. Our intention is to build community and create bonds that help men connect with one another. 

If you need therapeutic resources please reach out and we will do our best to point you in the right direction.