Orizaba Expedition 2000
 The Campsite at La Malinche
11/19/2000 … La Malinche
A little before 6 a.m. I was up firing up the stove to brew up some hot water for coco and oatmeal. The rest the guys were up shortly and we were all ready to start at 7:30 a.m., much later than our planed daybreak departure. Michael took off like a bat out of hell; Wayne and Steve were a little behind. Michael stopped and I passed by and turned up the next trail. Coming upon a large felled tree stopped to eat, drink and rearrange some gear. When Wayne and Steve came up I inquired where Michael was. Think that he had bypassed me on another route I took off to catch him.
The trail rose at times at a 45 deg. angle, pretty steep for still being in the tree line. The most surprising thing was all the trash that lined the trail. Forget the Everest Environmental Expedition, what we need is a La Malinche Environmental Expedition.
At the tree line I stripped off a layer of clothes as the sun was starting to warm things up and got some more drink and snacks. From here I could see the summit and most of the normal route*. The route goes up a steep scree* field. Each step up the field yielded a puff of ash and a compression of 2 to 4 inches.
 Looking up the normal route toward the summit of La Malinche
* normal route - most frequent route taken to the summit of a mountain.
* scree - a mix of small rocks and dirt - in this case volcanic ash.
I looked up trying to ascertain which one of the climbers was Michael. I kept on pressing upward till I reached the ridge. On reaching I realized that the climber I'd been tracking was not Michael. I said hello to the people I'd been following a couple named Julies and Daniella who were taking a break at the ridge line. What I did not know that out paths would cross again. I decided to press on. The trail was like a Superhighway, kids, old men with walking sticks and groups of teenagers. If the weather had turned bad there would have been mass casualties. These people were totally unprepared for any change in conditions. (Having been slammed by 50 mph winds and gale force winds at 14,000 ft. before leaves one healthy respect for the mountains) Oh, well the mountain god's were gracious today.
 In the clouds on the summit of La Malinche
At 14,640 ft. this mountain is higher than anything in the Continental United States and thus the highest point to vertical altitude I had ever reached. I joined in the conversation with a dozen or so climbers at the summit. When I broke out my thermos of hot cider, commented to on of the climbers who had his out that I had caught some extra weight; he conceded that it was well worth it. He introduced himself as Amos. As it turns out he is a professional guide for Southwest Adventures doing a pre-climb before guiding some clients.
Best guess there were about 20 Americans on La Malinche that morning; all heading for El Pico De Orizaba.
Descending, I met up with Michael and Steve. Wayne was a short distance behind, suffering but moving steadily to the summit. On the decent I chatted with Julies and Daniella most of the way down. They were heading directly to Tlachichuca that day and on to Piedra Grande the next. Daniella asked me if I had ever been told I looked like Tom Selick. I said yes and thanked her. I don't see it, it must be the mustache. We overnighted at the IMSS. It wasn't much quieter than the previous night but we were 'sleeping' at 10,000 ft.
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