Pico de Orizaba - the highest peak of Mexico.Mountain belongs to the Mexican plateau of the Cordillera.Its height is 5675 meters above sea level.This makes it the third largest vertex in North America.Just ahead of Orizaba McKinley in Alaska (6145 m) and Logan in Canada (5958 m).Mexican vertex is also interesting in that it rises above the absolute plain.Thus, from the base, the base of the mountain, to the top of her head - as much as 4922 meters.This makes Orizaba seventh in the list of the world tops the relative height.Next to it are such impressive peaks of Mexico, as the Sierra Madre and Popocatepetl.Due to their high altitude peaks shine eternal snows.They rush crowd climbers and climbers, but few of them know that Orizaba - Volcano.However, it has long since fallen asleep at the end of the XVII century.But geology three and a half centuries?An extinct volcano can not be considered.And because of it, you can expect anything.
geographical coordinates of the volcano Orizaba
Mountain is located in Mexico, on the border of the states of Puebla and Veracruz.If we speak the language of geology, it is possible to assert with confidence that the vertex belongs to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.It covers a narrow strip almost all the Pacific coast of North America.In this form of education - stratovolcano.It was formed millions of years ago in the Middle Pleistocene, due to strong strombolian eruption.As a result, the plain appeared the highest peak with a crater at the top.The funnel has an elliptical shape with a diameter of 480 m in major axis.The area of the crater is about 155 thousand square meters, and the depth - 300 meters.The main species occurring in the bowels of the mountain, are andesite and basalt.Orizaba volcano coordinates are: 19 ° 01'48 '' north latitude and 97 ° 16'05 '' west longitude.
eruptions
According to myths, which composed of local hill tribes, the volcano occasionally showed his temper.But not very often.And legends use the word "sometimes".But before the arrival of Europeans frequent eruption as if heralding the death of the Aztec civilization.Spanish chronicles allow us to judge whether they have occurred with surprising regularity.Judge for yourself: in 1537, 1545, 1559, 1566, 1569, 1613, 1630.Then the eruption happened at intervals of fifty-seven years - in 1687.Then Orizaba volcano suddenly turned into a mountain.Not a cloud of steam, no sparks did not appear more of its crater.An icy shell bound peak and its radiance attracts lovers of conquering peaks.
local names and legends
known that before the volcano called Poyautécatl, which means "misty mountain".This saw the top of the residents, is home to about the eastern and northern slopes.A Nahuatl volcano has another name: Sitlaltepetl - Mountain Star.Shining the top on a clear day you can see even from the city of Veracruz, although it is located a few hundred kilometers from the place where the volcano Orizaba.The modern name came up the mountain came to the mainland conquistadores, distorting beyond recognition the name of the nearest village Indians.The indigenous population has come up with the legend, which explains why the volcano sometimes went wild.Blooded Nahuani each leader was so grieved the death of his comrade in the battle that took to the skies, and will cast to the ground.In its place rose the highest mountain falling.But the hero did not die, but remained in the bowels of the earth.There he mourns leader Nahuani, occasionally showing indignation and wrath in the form of eruptions.
Climbing
first conquered the summit of Orizaba (Volcano) by the ancient Olmecs, who annually went up to her to make sacrifices to prevent the eruption.Among the Europeans championship conquest of the peak belongs to F. Maynard and B. Reynolds (1848).These scientists described the fauna and flora of the mountains, explored its climatic characteristics.In fact, the rise of the volcano is not particularly difficult and is classified on the international scale as the 2A and 2B good weather - in a bad.The entire campaign will take a total of about ten hours, if out of the mountain shelter Piedra Grande, which is located at an altitude of 4200 meters.Orizaba - Volcano, numbering several climatic zones of altitudinal zones - from tropical to arctic.
