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Orizaba Trip


Juan

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Looking for a few free-spirited souls to accompany me and a guide to slog up Orizaba from Jan. 25-Jan. 31, then hang at Veracruz and drink for two days, then come home Feb. 3. Guide service is Camp5 out of Salt Lake. Al Burgess is part owner. They have a web site. www.camp5.com. Land costs are $1,700. Airfare is around $650-700 I'm told. I have Delta mileage to use, and got seats.

 

The idea here is to get high, and hopefully get high, and have fun in the sun in Mexico.

 

Any takers?

 

John Sharp

Bellevue, WA

e-mail at jsharp@windermere.com

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quote:

Originally posted by Juan:

...Guide service is Camp5 out of Salt Lake. Al Burgess is part owner...The idea here is to get high, and hopefully get high, and have fun in the sun in Mexico...

If you're with either of the Burgesses, you sure will. Excellent climbers, even better story tellers, fun to be with. I don't know many in this world who can keep up with their stories--they each have several lifetimes' worth--and their elbow-raises in and outside the bar. If you're being guided by them, sure hope you're doing more than a standard route!

 

As far as guiding goes, at least it's by them. Not to diss any amigos, but a buddy in the 80s was fairly new to climbing, went down there solo, and was guided by locals to the top of Orizaba. They made him wear a harness the whole way up the standard route, and he kept wondering when they were gonna rope up. They never did. Finally, nearing the top, he asks why they made him wear his harness and bring other climbing gear including his rope. They said, "To bring your body down if you die, gringo!"

 

[big Drink]

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I climbed Orizaba last winter with cc.com regular Ryland Moore and another buddy of ours. We didn't use a guide service and did the whole trip on our own, the scariest part of the trip was navigating the rental car out of Mexico City.

Anyways, if you've got any questions, just let me know, I'd be happy to help out any way I can. I also have a scanned copy of the Orizaba topo map, which can be hard to come by, and I'll email it to ya if you want it.

Definitely hit Veracruz afterwards, going from 18,000ft to sea level within 24 hours and ending the climb by drinking maragaritas on the beach was a kick!

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I've climbed with Al and Ad. Al is the businessman and guide, Ad is a playboy living the life of Reilly. If Al is gonna be your guide, the fee is worth it. Otherwise, if you know a little Spanish and plan to climb the Jamapa route, you can easily do it on your own.

Personally, I'd like to walk up the Ruta Sur, or Face of Death, routes someday. They're early season adventures.

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Hey everyone:

 

Thanks so much for the feedback. This is great.

 

To answer a couple of questions, I have hired a guide purely to get to the mountain and back to the airport in one piece. I sent them my "resume" and they realize I probably can put one foot in front of the other on the mountain. It's the language barrier, the cluelessness about traveling in Mexico, etc. that have caused me to hire a guide. I took spanish in 1981 and 1982 in college, but have forgotten all the verbs.

 

Of course, I could still bail on the guide service now and lose only $150 at the most. Maybe we should put together a trip without a guide. I had one kind offer last night in this regard, and need to respond to that.

 

Is anyone interested in this idea? Dates are 1/25-2/3. Plenty of time for fun.

 

Also, as for Camp 5, I don't think Al himself will make the trip. But I did talk to him at length the other day. Very humorous guy. We laughed about the Bus Stop titty bar in Boulder, CO, a must visit establishment.

 

Let me know if you want to go as a group.

 

Juan Sharp

aka El Rojo

 

[ 11-08-2002, 09:35 AM: Message edited by: Juan ]

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There is no need for a guide if doing the Jamapa route, and bussing it may even be easier than renting a car. You can climb more peaks as well. I have limited Spanish and we were able to get around with no problems at all. The route is a walk-up except for the altitude which slowed me down, but no more technical than the South Side of Adams. Not steep- avg. around 35-40 at most. And very straightforward route. I didn't see a single crevasse on the entire Jamapa side! Plus you have the luxery of staying in a hut. Pretty posh climbing. Reminds me of Ecuador but less technical. Enjoy! The ladies around Vereacruz are great eye candy!

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Juan,

 

Bail on the guide. I have climbed Orizaba 3 times, 2 while guiding it and half of the fun is getting to and from the mountain. Are you flying into Veracruz or just going there to party? If are flying into Mexico City you will have more fun going to the west coast as Veracruz is a fishing town with no real night life or beach scenes. Make sure to go to the pyramids and the museum of anthropololy in Mexico city. The local resturant in tlachichuca will make you fresh pies to be ready when you get off the mountain, ask around as I can't remember the name of it.

Don't stay in the huts(bring cheap tents)they are loud and full of mice and rats. If you need more beta let me know.

 

dale

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