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Hike the Nevado de Toluca Cirque

Toluca, Mexico

4.3/5
based on 4 reviews

Details

Distance

6 miles

Elevation Gain

1900 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Stephen Underhay

At 15,390ft, Nevada is Mexico's 5th highest mountain. It offers a spectacular alpine-style Cirque route with amazing crater-rim views of Laguna de la Luna and Laguna del Sol. This scrambling route will offer a new challenge to climbers!

Entering the Nevada de Toluca National Park, follow the windy road toward the crater rim. There will be a small parking lot on your left which offers a state-run hut for acclimating, although if you've spent time in Mexico City you should have no problem completing this hike in 1 day.

The hike begins by following the well worn path down to Laguna de la Luna. From here enjoy the sights and make your way up toward the rim of the crater. The route is obvious as you follow the rim all the way around to the starting point.

The summit lies close to the starting point, approximately 1.5hrs into the climb and lying about 1,600ft above the crater floor. After this you will climb up-and-down across the rim until reaching the parking lot again. There is moderate class 3 scrambling through much of the rim traverse.

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Hike the Nevado de Toluca Cirque Reviews

This was such a great weekend trip from the city. This loop is challenging, but like mentioned, very doable if you've been acclimated at altitude. I didn't have any trouble following the trail, and the scrambling through the rim section was challenging but I was able to complete it in a couple of hours round trip.

This volcano is super popular for local families and will be very crowded on the weekends. The author notes that the summit lies 1.5 hours from the park entrance - that's FAST! We had a few Everest climbers on our team booking it and made it to the top in around 2 hours. This route describes ascending towards the left side of the peak up a scrambling section (past Laguna de la Luna), and descending on the right down a steep scree field (past Laguna de la Sol).

Thanks Javier, just updated that and thanks for all the great info!!!

In fact the Nevado de Toluca (14,974 ft.) is not the 4th highest mountain in México, It's the 5th. Teyotl peak (15,288 ft.) is the 4th highest mountain in the country. It is very easy to climb and it has a great view. The Nevado de Toluca volcano is a unique mountain because it has two lakes in the crater.

Leave No Trace

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