Hector Ponce de Leon is probably the best local guide you'll find for Orizaba. His email address is listed at the top of this page or click here to visit his website.

Here's a list of some of his mountaineering accomplishments:

Himalayan and Karakoram highlights

• Everest (3 summits)
• Shisha Pangma
• Cho Oyu
• Gii (2 summits)
• Broad Peak
• K2
• Shsha Pangma
• Ama Dablam

Alpine Faces

• Huayna Potosi West Face - Climbed this steep icy 3,000-ft face in roughly 7 hrs.
• Athabasca North Face - Climbed the north face in just 3 hrs.
• Alpamayo He has climbed this impressive mountain three times, two of them as a guide.
• Illampú (6,400 meters) - Guided the north face in 1993.
• Condoriri- Reached the summit via the north ridge from base camp in a day.
• Aiguilles de Midi- One-day ascent of the Frendo Spur (5.8 WI 4, 1200meters)
• Mont blanc du Tacul- 24 hr ascent of the Gervasutti Pillar (5.10, Mixed IV, 1400 meters)
• Mont Blanc du Tacul - Climbed the north face by the supergoulotte (600m WI 6) in the winter of 1998
• Eiger North Face - Attempted the 1938 route (5.9, WI 4, Mixed 4, 1600m) in the winter of 1998.
• Tour Ronde Massif du Mont Blanc- Winter climb of the north face, Perroux route (1000m, Mixed 3, 80º) in 4hrs.

Other mountain ascents

Argentina

• Aconcagua: 18 ascents to the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, nine of them as a guide with a total of 45 clients to the top. He performed a 6 hour and 30 minutes ascent from base camp to summit.

Cordillera Real, Bolivia

• Huayna Potosi (6080m)- 6 times to the summit. 3 of them as a guide
• Illimani (6370m)- 4 ascents, all of them as a guide
• Pequeño Alpamayo (5400 meters) 7 ascents
• Sajama (6580 meters)
• Illampú (6432 meters)
• Condoriri (5,800 meters) 3 summits

Cordillera Blanca, Peru

• Huascaran South (6800 meters)
• Huascaran North (6700meters)- solo ascent
• Tocllaraju (6100m)
• Artesonraju (6000 meters)
• Chopikalki (6,200 meters)
• Copa (6030 meters) solo ascent
• Ishinca (5,700 meters)
• Ranrapalca (6,280 meters)

Ecuador:

• Chimborazo (6300m)- Solo ascent in 4 hours.
• Cotopaxi (5980m)- Solo ascent in 3hrs and 30min.
• Tungurahua (5200m)

Mexico:

• Popocatepetl (5400m)- First climbed at age 11. He has summitted a total of 130 times At least 50 ascents as a guide
• Iztaccihuatl (5200m)- Climbed 70 times. 35 as a guide
• Pico de Orizaba (5700m)- An estimated 80 ascents. 30 as a guide.

In 1992 he climbed Popo, Izta, and Pico de Orizaba in a record 17hrs and 30min.

Rock Climbs and Faces

Yosemite, United States:

• Half Dome: regular route (5.10c A2) 24 pitches
• Washington Column: south face, 5.9 A2 15 pitches
• El Capitan: east buttress, 5.10b 17 pitches
• Sentinel Rock: Steck-Salathé 5.9, 17 pitches
• Middle Cathedral: east buttress, 12 pitches, 5.10c
• Higher Cathedral: northeast buttress, 14 pitches, 5.10b
• Other rock climbs of difficulty up to 5.11a in Joshua Tree, Tahquitz, and the Needles.

Todra Gorge and Taghia, Morocco

• Wadi Rum, Jordan
• Saint Catherine, Sinaí
• Potrero Chico, Mexico

Spain

• El Naranjo de Bulnes
• Boí, Pedraforca
• Galayos

Ice Climbs

• Canadian Rockies, Canada
• Polar Circus (700m, V, WI 5+)
• Borgeau Left (150 m., WI 5+)
• Weeping Wall (200 meters WI 4+)
• Other climbs of several ice falls up to WI V+: Guinness Gully (400m) WI 4, Lake Louis WI 5, Professor Falls (250m) WI 5, solo, Malignant Mushroom (70 meters) WI 5+.

Quebec, Canada

• La Pomme de Or (300 meters, WI 5+)
• Several climbs of ice falls up to WI 6 in Montmorency, La Mer de Glace, and Quebec River Canyon.

Provenze Alps, France

• Moby Dick, 400 meters, WI 4+
• Different ice climbs of difficulty up to 5+ in Argentiere and La Tete de Gramussant.

Sottaguda ,Dolomites, Italy

• Terminator, 160 meters, WI 5+
• Other climbs of ice falls up to WI 5+

There are no fees and no requirements for hiring a guide if you decide to climb Orizaba. However, in the interest of safety, it is always recommended that you hire an experienced guide whenever climbing a dangerous mountain peak. Every climbing season at Orizaba claims at least a few lives - don't become one of them! Hire a guide for your climb.

Most of the available guides for Orizaba have climbed the mountain dozens of times at least. Their knowledge of the mountain may very well save your life should an unforeseen event occur. Professional guides are worth their weight in gold! Even if you're an expert climber, it is highly recommended that you hire a professional guide for your journey.

Pico De Orizaba is located on the eastern edge of the Eje Volanico Transveral Mountain range. It sits inbetween the states of Puebal and Veracruz, overlooking the city of Orizaba (where it gets its name), and is about 75 miles inland from the port of Veracruz.

At the mountain's doorstep is the small village of Tlachachuca. The locals derive their income from the climbers and tourists who come to visit the mountain. You'll also find plenty of lodging, 4x4 taxis, and restaurants nearby. Everything you need to climb the mountain is within a mile or two.

There is a strip of jagged rocks that start just beyond a long expanse of ice. They are nicknamed the bloody rocks for one reason: if you slip while climbing Orizaba and fail to self arrest, your long slide down the ice will reach an abrupt, brutal end at the jagged rocks. Many people have died on the bloody rocks, and its usually climbers who refuse to hire an experienced Orizaba guide. Always hire a guide!