Je vous entends d'ici vous dire: "Ça y est, rien ne va plus, il fait une fixation, après le coup des "chicas buenas" il nous remet ça ! Commence à y avoir quelque chose qui ne tourne pas rond dans sa tête !"
Détrompez-vous, ça n'est pas du tout ce que vous imaginez !
Les "pechos" sont en fait le point culminant de l'Iztaccihuatl ("la femme blanche") ou Izta, troisième plus haut sommet du Mexique avec 5230 mètres. Pourquoi ce nom alors ? Tout simplement parce que vue de loin, cette magnifique montagne ressemble, avec un peu d'imagination, à une femme allongée.
En effet, de gauche à droite, on peut reconnaitre:
- la cabeza (la tête),
- les pechos (la poitrine),
- la panza (l'estomac, le ventre),
- las rodillas (les genoux),
- los pies (les pieds).
L'Izta a pour voisin le Popocatepetl ("la montagne fumante") ou plus simplement Popo, qui est avec 5452m le deuxième plus haut sommet du pays. Ce volcan est actif, et l'ascension en est malheureusement interdite depuis 1994.
Dans la mythologie aztèque, Iztaccíhuatl était une princesse qui tomba amoureuse d'un soldat de son père. Son père envoya son amant guerroyer dans l'État d'Oaxaca, lui promettant sa fille comme femme s'il revenait vivant (ce que le roi ne désirait pas). On dit à la princesse Iztaccíhuatl que son amant était mort, et elle décéda elle-même de chagrin. Quand il revint, il mourut à son tour de l'avoir perdue. Les dieux les recouvrirent de neige et les changèrent en montagnes. Celle d'Iztaccíhuatl fut nommée "femme blanche" parce qu'elle ressemblait à une femme allongée sur le dos. Quant à lui, il devint le volcan Popocatepetl, faisant pleuvoir du feu sur la terre en signe de rage, après la perte de sa bien-aimée.
Bon, maintenant que j'ai bien recopié Wikipédia, je vais pouvoir passer aux choses sérieuses !
Depuis quelques années que j'avais envie de venir au Mexique, j'ai régulièrement consulté des guides de voyage et internet, et j'ai découvert qu'il y avait ici de très hautes montagnes, de plus de 4000 voire 5000 mètres. Renseignements pris, il est apparu que ces sommets étaient techniquement très abordables et à la portée de toute personne pratiquant un tant soit peu l'alpinisme et n'ayant pas de problèmes avec la haute altitude. Inutile donc de dire que j'ai eu rapidement très envie de les gravir !
Après deux premiers sommets d'acclimatation (voir article précédent), me voilà donc gonflé à bloc pour aborder l'Izta. Le scénario est désormais classique: un peu de bus depuis Mexico, du taxi là ou il n'y a plus de transport en commun ... et là mauvaise nouvelle: contrairement à ce qu’annonçaient les prévisions météo mexicaines, il ne fait pas beau du tout, le ciel est très nuageux et il pleut par intermittences. C'est le but (ou l'échec pour les non montagnards), mais peu importe, je reviendrai plutôt que de risquer de ne rien voir et de ne pas profiter des paysages.
Deuxième tentative quelques jours plus tard ... yes, c'est tempête de soleil, il fait beau et chaud, et pour la première fois, depuis l'endroit ou me pose le taxi à 4000m, je peux enfin voir l'Izta de près !
Question: à quoi sert la boite jaune ? Une Corona pour la 1ère bonne réponse. |
Direction le refuge, situé environ 800 mètres plus haut, les paysages sont d'une grande beauté.
Je n'ai pas regardé assez attentivement les schémas disponibles sur internet et je galère un peu pour trouver le petit refuge. La nuit va bientôt tomber, la pression monte un peu, mais finalement je retrouve le bon chemin et j'arrive à bon port. Perché à 4780 mètres d'altitude, le refuge domine les plaines mexicaines. La vue est sublime, et la solitude totale, car une fois de plus il n'y a personne d'autre que moi sur la montagne: c'est le luxe !!!
J'ai droit à un coucher de soleil magnifique.
Puis l'obscurité se fait plus présente, et en bas les villes s'illuminent, c'est féérique !
La nuit tombe, et à cette altitude le froid devient vite plus intense: il est temps de rentrer. Le refuge est plutôt bien équipé. Une casserole un peu sale, un vieux sachet de pâtes, de l'alcool à bruler solide en boite: je vais même pouvoir manger chaud, contrairement à ce que j'avais prévu :-) Et pis je découvre que je ne suis finalement pas si seul: une famille de petites souris habite les lieux. Elle feront un sacré bruit pendant tout la nuit.
5h30: le réveil sonne. La nuit a été mauvaise j'ai du dormir deux fois une heure, il a fait vraiment froid. Je déjeune, m’apprête à mettre mes lentilles et c'est la surprise: j'entends quelqu'un appeler dehors.
"Hola ! Ça va ?"
PPPfff, si je m'attendais à ça ! Il y a quelqu'un d'autre sur la montagne ... un espagnol, bien sympa avec lequel je vais passer une bonne partie de la journée. Il a dormi sur le parking, est parti très tôt et compte monter le plus haut possible, mais n'ayant ni crampons, ni piolet, il sait qu'il ne pourra pas rejoindre le sommet. La bonne nouvelle c'est qu'il a bien deux bras (heureusement, car il est moniteur de kayak) et ne devrait donc pas trop avoir besoin d'aide :-)
Nous voilà donc partis pour assister après une demi heure à un très beau lever de soleil.
Au fond la Malinche et le Pico de Orizaba |
Le jour se lève sur le Popo qui fume |
Quelques pas d'escalade facile mais exposés pour franchir une barre rocheuse et nous voici après 1h30 de marche au sommet de la première "rodilla". Nous découvrons la suite: une longue succession de montées et de descentes à plus de 5000m nous attendent.
Nous voilà donc partis, le souffle court, pour remonter le "corps" de l'Izta: la "rodilla" principale, puis la "panza". C'est ici que s’arrête l'amigo bien fatigué. Je continue tout seul, le sommet est encore loin.
Je traverse un glacier, heureusement non crevassé, puis marche sur le fil d'arêtes neigeuses. Le final se profile: l'itinéraire se raidit, plus besoin des crampons, je dois maintenant évoluer sur une sorte de sentier raide, avec plein de petits gravillons qui le rendent glissant, toujours sur le fil d'une arête bien exposée. Là encore pas trop le droit à l'erreur, mais il n'y a pas de difficulté technique, tout juste faut-il de temps en temps s'aider des mains. Obligation d’être super concentré quand même ... jusqu'à arriver au sommet.
J'y suis, c'est magnifique, la vue est sublime, je suis seul au monde.
Vue sur le chemin parcouru |
J'en profite quelques minutes avant de me résoudre à redescendre: le retour s'annonce bien long !
Après quelques heures nous revoici au parking, et surprise: une équipe TV fait un reportage sur le travail des gardes du parc national qui regroupe les deux volcans. Nous sommes filmés ... et devrions passer sur une chaine mexicaine dans quelques semaines. Mais ça on s'en fiche un peu, le plus important c'est que l'équipe de tournage a de la place à l'arrière de son pickup et nous descend jusqu'à la civilisation, nous évitant ainsi une très longue marche sur la route :-)
Pour ceux que les détails techniques et logistiques intéressent, vous pouvez jeter un œil au topo C2C.
Dream #3 : the big "pechos" only for me !
I can hear you saying, "Here it is, nothing works, he is becoming crazy, after the "chicas buenas" he does it again ! There is something going really wrong in his head !"
Don't worry, it is not at all what you think about !
Don't worry, it is not at all what you think about !
The "pechos" are the highest point of the Iztaccihuatl ("the white woman") or Izta, the third highest peak in Mexico with 5230 meters. Why this name then ? Simply because from a distance, this magnificent mountain looks like, with some imagination, a woman laying down.
Indeed, from left to right, we can recognize (see first picture):
- The "cabeza" (head)
- The "pechos" (chest),
- The "panza" (stomach, abdomen),
- The "rodillas" (knees),
- The "pies" (feet).
The Izta's neighbor is Popocatepetl ("the smoking mountain") or simply Popo, that is with 5452m the second highest mountain in the country. This volcano is active, and the ascent is unfortunately banned since 1994.
In Aztec mythology, Iztaccíhuatl was a princess who felt in love with a soldier from his father. Her father sent her lover fighting in Oaxaca, promising him his daughter as a wife if he returned alive (what the king did not want). It has been said to Princess Iztaccíhuatl that her lover was dead and she died of sadness. When he returned, he died in his turn because of loosing her. The gods covered them with snow and turned them into mountains. That of Iztaccíhuatl was called "white woman" because she looked like a woman lying on her back. As for him, he became the Popocatepetl volcano, raining fire on the earth as a sign of rage, after the loss of his beloved.
Okay, now that I have copied Wikipedia, I can get down to business !
For several years that I wanted to come to Mexico, I regularly consulted guidebooks and internet, and found that there were here very high mountains over 4000 or even 5000 meters high. Then it appeared that these peaks were technically very affordable and accessible to any person practising a little bit of mountaineering and having no problems with the high altitude. No need to say that very quickly I had really wanted to climb them !
After the first two peaks of acclimatization (see previous article), I am really motivated to go to the Izta. The scenario is classic: some bus from Mexico City, the taxi where there is no public transportation ... And the bad news: contrary to the mexican weather forecasts, it's not sunny at all, the sky is cloudy and it's raining intermittently. I won't go, but no matter, I will come back rather than risk not to see and not to enjoy the scenery.
Second attempt a few days later ... yes, it's sun storm, it's nice and warm, and for the first time, from the place where the taxi drops me down, at 4000 meters high, I can finally see the Izta closely !
On the way to the hut, located approximately 800 meters higher, the landscapes are very beautiful.
I have not looked carefully enough at the pictures available on the internet and I cannot really find the small hut. The night will soon fall, the pressure rises a little bit, but I finally find the right trail and arrive safely. Perched at 4780 meters above sea level, the shelter overlooks the plains of Mexico. The views are amazing, in a total solitude, because once again there is no one but me on the mountain: a luxury !
I am entitled to a beautiful sunset.
Then the darkness is coming, and below I can see the lights of the cities, it is magical !
Night falls and the cold at this altitude quickly becomes more intense: it's time to get in. The hut is fairly well equipped. A pot a bit dirty, old bag of pasta, solid alcohol in can, I'll even be able to eat hot, contrary to what I expected :-) And then I discover that I am finally not alone: a family of little mice lives there. It will be a hell of noise throughout the night.
5:30am: The alarm rings. The night was bad, I have slept twice an hour, it was really cold. Breakfast, getting ready to put my contact lenses and it's the surprise: I hear someone calling outside.
The Izta's neighbor is Popocatepetl ("the smoking mountain") or simply Popo, that is with 5452m the second highest mountain in the country. This volcano is active, and the ascent is unfortunately banned since 1994.
In Aztec mythology, Iztaccíhuatl was a princess who felt in love with a soldier from his father. Her father sent her lover fighting in Oaxaca, promising him his daughter as a wife if he returned alive (what the king did not want). It has been said to Princess Iztaccíhuatl that her lover was dead and she died of sadness. When he returned, he died in his turn because of loosing her. The gods covered them with snow and turned them into mountains. That of Iztaccíhuatl was called "white woman" because she looked like a woman lying on her back. As for him, he became the Popocatepetl volcano, raining fire on the earth as a sign of rage, after the loss of his beloved.
Okay, now that I have copied Wikipedia, I can get down to business !
For several years that I wanted to come to Mexico, I regularly consulted guidebooks and internet, and found that there were here very high mountains over 4000 or even 5000 meters high. Then it appeared that these peaks were technically very affordable and accessible to any person practising a little bit of mountaineering and having no problems with the high altitude. No need to say that very quickly I had really wanted to climb them !
After the first two peaks of acclimatization (see previous article), I am really motivated to go to the Izta. The scenario is classic: some bus from Mexico City, the taxi where there is no public transportation ... And the bad news: contrary to the mexican weather forecasts, it's not sunny at all, the sky is cloudy and it's raining intermittently. I won't go, but no matter, I will come back rather than risk not to see and not to enjoy the scenery.
Second attempt a few days later ... yes, it's sun storm, it's nice and warm, and for the first time, from the place where the taxi drops me down, at 4000 meters high, I can finally see the Izta closely !
On the way to the hut, located approximately 800 meters higher, the landscapes are very beautiful.
I have not looked carefully enough at the pictures available on the internet and I cannot really find the small hut. The night will soon fall, the pressure rises a little bit, but I finally find the right trail and arrive safely. Perched at 4780 meters above sea level, the shelter overlooks the plains of Mexico. The views are amazing, in a total solitude, because once again there is no one but me on the mountain: a luxury !
I am entitled to a beautiful sunset.
Then the darkness is coming, and below I can see the lights of the cities, it is magical !
Night falls and the cold at this altitude quickly becomes more intense: it's time to get in. The hut is fairly well equipped. A pot a bit dirty, old bag of pasta, solid alcohol in can, I'll even be able to eat hot, contrary to what I expected :-) And then I discover that I am finally not alone: a family of little mice lives there. It will be a hell of noise throughout the night.
5:30am: The alarm rings. The night was bad, I have slept twice an hour, it was really cold. Breakfast, getting ready to put my contact lenses and it's the surprise: I hear someone calling outside.
"Hola! Okay ?"
PPPfff, how could I expect that ! There is someone else on the mountain ... a spanish guy, very friendly, with who I will spend much of the day. He has been sleping at the parking, left early and will climb as high as possible, but having no crampons or ice axe, he knows he can not reach the top. The good news is that he has two arms (luckily, because it is a kayak instructor) and should not need any help :-)
So here we are walking to attend after half an hour to a beautiful sunrise.
After some easy but exposed climbing in order to cross a rocky wall and one hour and a half of hiking, we reach the top of the first "rodilla." We can now see what follows: a long succession of ups and downs ahead, over 5000m.
So here we are gone, shortness of breath, on the "body" of the Izta: the "rodilla" principal, then the "Panza". Here stops the tired "amigo". I continue, the summit is still far away.
I cross a glacier, fortunately, without crevasses, then walk on over snowy ridges. The final is approaching: I do not need crampons anymore, I must now move on a sort of steep trail, with lots of little pebbles that make it slippery, always on the edge of an exposed ridge. There is no place for error, but there is no technical difficulty, just need to use hands from time to time to help. Obligation to be super concentrated anyway ... until reaching the top.
Here I am, it's georgeous, the view is amazing, I am alone in the world.
I take advantage of it a few minutes before going down: the return will be very long !
After a few hours we are back on the car park, and surprise: a TV crew is recording about the work of the guards of this National Park that includes both volcanoes. We are filmed ... and should go on a mexican channel in a few weeks. But we do not care at all about this, the most important is that the crew has seats in the back of its pickup and can take us down to civilization, avoiding us a very long walk on the road :-)
After some easy but exposed climbing in order to cross a rocky wall and one hour and a half of hiking, we reach the top of the first "rodilla." We can now see what follows: a long succession of ups and downs ahead, over 5000m.
So here we are gone, shortness of breath, on the "body" of the Izta: the "rodilla" principal, then the "Panza". Here stops the tired "amigo". I continue, the summit is still far away.
I cross a glacier, fortunately, without crevasses, then walk on over snowy ridges. The final is approaching: I do not need crampons anymore, I must now move on a sort of steep trail, with lots of little pebbles that make it slippery, always on the edge of an exposed ridge. There is no place for error, but there is no technical difficulty, just need to use hands from time to time to help. Obligation to be super concentrated anyway ... until reaching the top.
Here I am, it's georgeous, the view is amazing, I am alone in the world.
I take advantage of it a few minutes before going down: the return will be very long !
After a few hours we are back on the car park, and surprise: a TV crew is recording about the work of the guards of this National Park that includes both volcanoes. We are filmed ... and should go on a mexican channel in a few weeks. But we do not care at all about this, the most important is that the crew has seats in the back of its pickup and can take us down to civilization, avoiding us a very long walk on the road :-)