Orizaba is situated close to the foot of the loftiest peak in Mexico, the Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltépetl), a perfectly formed, snow-capped volcano. There is a fair amount of disagreement over its exact height 5636m seems the most widely accepted, it’s a beautiful sight and a seriously challenging climb, for experienced mountaineers only. Numerous local companies offer guides and facilities, mostly based in the village of Tlachichuca, which at 2600m is where the main trails begin. To get there take a second-class bus to the small town of Serdán (2hr), where you change for Tlachichuca itself (1hr); there are also occasional buses direct from Puebla. Details of the climb (Oct–May only).

Pico De Orizaba Mexico's tallest mountain (5611m), called Citlaltépetl (Star Motuitain) in the Nahuatl language, is 25km northwest of Orizaba. From the summit of this dormant volcano, one can see the mountains Popocateped, Iztaccihuatl and La Mal ache to the west and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. The only higher peaks in North America are Mt McKinley in Alaska and Mt Logan in Canada.A climber-owned outfit passed down through the Reyes family. As the longest-running operation in the area, it also acts as a Red Cross rescue facility. It's based in the small town of Tlachichuca (2600m), which is a common starting point for expeditions. Unless you're an experienced climber with mountaineering equipment, you'll need a guide and a good level of fitness. Book your expedition with two to four months in advance and allow four to seven days to acclimatize, summit and return. Staff will tell you all you need to know about acclimatization, gear, etc.

If you're going to climb unguided, talk about the routes; some spots are becoming dangerous due to global warming. Topographical maps can be mail-ordered way ahead of time or bought in person from Inegi offices in Veracruz or Xalapa. Also, Mexico's Volcanoes, by RJ Secor, offers some good info. The best climbing period is October to March, with the most popular time being December and January. Stunting Veracruz' iconic will prove to be an exhilarating, challenging endeavor as well as a fantastic way to experience the region's spectacular mountainscape. Initially, you hike to a base camp (4200m) where you sleep a touch and begin the final ascent around 2am, reaching the summit around sunrise. The climb is moderately steep and not technically difficult, but you'll still use crampons, ropes and ice axes.

The volcano is part of two orographic systems: the Cordillera Neovolcánica, home to another of the highest elevations in Mexico, as Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, and the Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico from north to south from the Rio Grande to the center of Veracruz, generally following a parallel direction to the Gulf of Mexico. Its top is covered with snow throughout the year due to its high altitude. It is known that the first name that had the volcano in ancient times was Poyautécatl, which means that is where slimming haze, but was better known by the name Citlaltépetl, Nahuatl citlalli ('star') and tepetl ('mountain or mountain ') which together means hill or mountain of the star. It was so named probably because his extensive snow cap shines all year, being visible to several hundred kilometers around, even being able to see from the port of Veracruz, on clear days. A reference from nearby residents of the area Coscomatepec, is that the name of Cerro de la Estrella was given by a curiosity in heaven, because from the city of Coscomatepec (face East) in the autumn and winter, It can be seen in the sky the planet Venus as the biggest star, which is placed on the crater as the night progresses, hence also in the region there is the ancient legend of Quetzalcoatl. In colonial times it was also known as Cerro de San Andres, in the nearby town of San Andres Chalchicomula (today Serdán City), Puebla city that is even closer than Orizaba in Veracruz.

Besides its 5610 meters the highest elevation in Mexico, the Citlaltépetl is third among the highest mountains in North America, only surpassed by the Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) in Alaska, with 6145 meters, and Mount Logan in the Yukon Territory (Canada), with 5958 meters. Its crater is elliptical: its major axis is about 478 m, while the lowest is about 410 m. The surface of the crater is 154 830 m2 (15.5 ha), and its depth is 300 m. Citlaltépetl climatic characteristics and the Sierra Madre Oriental are quite varied, mainly due to the altitude and slope. The predominant climate types are: mild and humid, the humid temperate and cold. The humid temperate dominates the eastern slope, between 2200 and 3200 meters. He is a regular temperate climate with rainfall throughout the year. In autumn and winter frosts are recorded with some frequency and snowfall. There are also frequent fog or low clouds. The driest season is spring, where the highest temperatures are recorded every year, usually in April. The warm humid dominates the western slope, above the 2600 meters. It is much like the previous one, but differ in the rainfall pattern: the summer is rainy, while winter is dry. Cold weather prevails between 3200 and 4300 m altitude. The average annual temperature ranges between 2 and 5 ° C (35.6 ° F). Much of the rainfall as snow. In the above 4300 meters it predominates areas colder than the previous climate with an average temperature less than 2 ° C (28.4 ° F). Rainfall is almost exclusively in the form of snow. In addition, there is common blow-called "white wind" or blizzard, which sometimes lasts for several days. The area occupied by the cold weather in the peak is about 31 square kilometers, an area that encompasses the volcanic cone and a small belt around it.

In 1985, the Citlaltépetl still had 14 glaciers. Twenty years later there were only five remaining glaciers. Climate change has accelerated the melting of these ice formations and currently the volcano retains only the following: Glacier Jamapa, Chichimeco Glacier, West Glacier, East Glacier. The glaciers Citlaltépetl system is vital to the communities surrounding the volcano because the moderate and natural melting of the volcanoes allows replenishment of springs and wells in the area. In 2014 was noted that there are only two glaciers in the mountains due to the effects of pollution, deforestation and land use. The Pico de Orizaba originated by violent strombolian eruption. There is no exact data on when the Citlaltépetl born. Most approximate geological estimates indicate that its first eruption occurred several million years ago. Since the eruption took place in a large fold of the Sierra Madre Oriental, about 3000 meters above sea level, the volcano reached a great altitude.

Although it is certain that had eruptions before the Spanish conquest in 1521, and that such eruptions were recorded in pre-Hispanic codices, the same documents are lost. After the Spanish conquest, the Citlaltépetl has had volcanic eruptions in 1537, 1545, 1559, 1566, 1569, 1613, 1630 and 1687. Since then has been inactive, the rash get very far, the cities where there are rocks and remnants City of destruction have been Serdan, Atzitzintla (old town of Atzitzintla destroyed in 1687 by the major eruption of the volcano Pico de Orizaba), Loma Grande, Paso Carretas and Orizaba (possibly between these La Piedra del Gigante). Even at the time of independent Mexico, Pico was explored, but not scaled, by Enrique Galeotti in 1839. And in 1848 he was first climbed by the French mountaineer Alexander Doignon. Moreover, in the second half of the nineteenth century was explored by many scientists and scholars, most notably the German botanist Hugo Fink, who provided extensive data on the flora of the volcano. In 1873, Martin Tritschler, father of Mexican bishops Martin and William Tritschler and Cordova, reached the summit and raised the flag of Mexico on the peak. To protect the natural beauty of the region, President Lazaro Cardenas del Rio ordered the December 16, 1936 the creation of the National Park Pico de Orizaba of 197.5 square kilometers (19,750 ha) that encompasses the volcanic cone and its surrounding area, including the municipalities of Tlachichuca, Ciudad Serdan, La Perla, Mariano Escobedo and Calcahualco, among others. The decree took effect on January 4, 1937. In the city of Orizaba is said that long ago, at the time of the Olmecs (first Mesoamerican civilization), was a warrior named Nahuani, who was carrying her friend and counselor Ahuilizapan (Orizaba), a beautiful osprey. In one of many battles, Nahuani was defeated, so Orizaba rose to the top of the sky and dropped to the ground. In the place where it fell gradually it was formed a mountain into a volcano. After a while Orizaba remembered what happened to Nahuani so blew his anger erupting repeatedly. To control this anger, the villagers of those peoples should climb to the top of the volcano to worship Nahuani, eternal friend of Orizaba.