It's been gorgeous here -- 72 degrees, crisp blue skies, a light breeze. And it's Christmas Day. After we opened our prezzies, we went to find a little more seasonal weather and took a car-ride to Nevado de Toluca -- an extinct volcano about an hour from our house. The night before, we had dinner with our friends at their apartment tower, and from their window could see our volcanic neighbors Itza and Popo whom I rarely get to see from all the haze. And then today, probably my 5th or 6th trip to Toluca, the entire landscape was different. For the first time, as we drove down the highway, this monstrosity loomed up ahead. It was as if it had lumbered in last week from somewhere else, migrated down from the American Rockies to overwinter here in Mexico. I had never seen this mountain before in my life. And we were about to climb into its caldera.
Mexico City is at about 7000 ft up. Our house is about 7500 ft up. Nevado de Toluca is the 4th highest peak in Mexico at 15000+ ft. We drove most of it (as did much of Mexico's populous on this most holy day), and then walked up to the rim of the crater. My lungs started burning not 500 feet from the car. Though the temperature was about 68 here, the wind was terribly fierce and gave us instant earaches and mouths full of dust. No one wanted to hold the dog's leash, we so desperately wanted to keep our hands in our pockets. The wind was blowing into our faces, down the mountain, and Raul urged the girls on with the possibility that we would be protected from the wind once we arrived in the crater. At the crater's edge, the wind was even worse. Instead of dust blown around, it was small rocks and the occasional Mexican child. Rather than hiking into the crater and down to the two lakes that are there, I quickly took my shots and we skiddaddled back down. All in all a jolly good Christmas trip. (Really! I recommend the hike. But dress for the wind -- tie-on headgear/ear protection, scarf to protect your mouth from dust, sunglasses/goggles.)
Mexico City is at about 7000 ft up. Our house is about 7500 ft up. Nevado de Toluca is the 4th highest peak in Mexico at 15000+ ft. We drove most of it (as did much of Mexico's populous on this most holy day), and then walked up to the rim of the crater. My lungs started burning not 500 feet from the car. Though the temperature was about 68 here, the wind was terribly fierce and gave us instant earaches and mouths full of dust. No one wanted to hold the dog's leash, we so desperately wanted to keep our hands in our pockets. The wind was blowing into our faces, down the mountain, and Raul urged the girls on with the possibility that we would be protected from the wind once we arrived in the crater. At the crater's edge, the wind was even worse. Instead of dust blown around, it was small rocks and the occasional Mexican child. Rather than hiking into the crater and down to the two lakes that are there, I quickly took my shots and we skiddaddled back down. All in all a jolly good Christmas trip. (Really! I recommend the hike. But dress for the wind -- tie-on headgear/ear protection, scarf to protect your mouth from dust, sunglasses/goggles.)
wow no snow there was a lot of snow only 6 weeks ago and yes it was windy and very cold the car said it was 2C when we were there
ReplyDeleteWe went for snow, but the weather station there said 68 degrees. We could see something icy at the very crusty top. Heck, even Popo doesn't look very snowy. And he's not been smoking at all.
ReplyDeleteThose are some great panoramic pictures! Maybe a Mexican hiking magazine will publish them.
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