GUNUNG · Meksiko

Nevado de Toluca

Nevado de Toluca (Xinantécatl)

Information

Elevation: 4.680 m
Country: Meksiko (MX)
Location / Range: Eje Volcánico Transversal (Cinturón Volcánico Trans-Meksiko), Estado de México — dalam Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Nevado de Toluca, ~80 km barat Kota Meksiko
Mountain type: Stratovolcano (tidak aktif secara historis), puncak tertinggi keempat Meksiko
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 19.1088, -99.7556
Difficulty: Sedang (jalur non-teknis di puncak kawah bila bebas salju; scrambling Kelas 3 di tepian menuju Pico del Fraile; ketinggian di atas 4.000 m menuntut aklimatisasi)
Best Season: November–Maret untuk salju & langit cerah (dingin, bisa bersalju); musim kemarau umumnya lebih stabil. CATATAN: taman ditutup tanpa batas waktu sejak Agustus 2025
Permits & Rules: Kawasan dikelola sebagai Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna oleh CONANP. PENTING: akses ditutup untuk umum tanpa batas waktu sejak insiden fatal Agustus 2025 — verifikasi status pembukaan terkini dari CONANP sebelum merencanakan pendakian
Hazards: Ketinggian >4.000 m (risiko soroche/altitude sickness); suhu beku dan badai salju musim dingin; scrambling batuan lepas di tepi kawah; kabut cepat; jalan akses bisa ditutup karena angin & cuaca. Akses resmi saat ini ditangguhkan pasca insiden 2025

Description

Nevado de Toluca, also known by its Nahuatl name Xinantécatl, is a 4,680 m stratovolcano in central Mexico, roughly 80 km west of Mexico City near the city of Toluca. It is Mexico's fourth-highest peak, after Pico de Orizaba, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. Its signature feature is a broad summit crater holding two high-altitude lakes, the Laguna del Sol and Laguna de la Luna — one of Mexico's most iconic alpine landscapes and a pre-Hispanic ritual site. The usual ascent starts from an upper parking area and drops into the crater, then follows the rocky rim to the two main high points, Pico del Fraile (the summit, ~4,680 m) and Pico del Águila. Because of the altitude, acclimatisation matters even though the route is short. The area is managed as a flora-and-fauna protected area by CONANP; however, following a fatal accident in August 2025 the park was closed to the public indefinitely, so the current status must be checked before planning any climb.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Pico del Fraile via kawah (dari parkir atas, lewat Laguna de la Luna)

Sedang (non-teknis bila bebas salju; bagian akhir scramble Kelas 3)

+680 m ±5–6 jam

From the upper parking area the route drops into the crater to the Laguna de la Luna, then climbs the ridge to Pico del Fraile (4,680 m), the mountain's high point, with about 680 m of gain over 9+ km. NOTE: the park has been closed indefinitely since the fatal 10 Aug 2025 accident, so this route is not currently accessible.

Traverse tepi kawah lengkap (Pico del Águila + Pico del Fraile)

Sedang–Berat (punggungan ketinggian panjang dengan scrambling)

+690 m ±5 jam

A roughly 10 km circular traverse that stays high on the crater rim for hours, passing Pico del Águila and Pico del Fraile while circling above the Lagunas del Sol y de la Luna, with about 690 m of ascent. NOTE: closed indefinitely since the August 2025 accident.

Climbing Experiences

Nevado de Toluca / Xinantécatl (4,680 m), a Mexican stratovolcano whose crater holds the Laguna del Sol and Laguna de la Luna. Climbers highlight dropping to the crater lakes and scrambling up to Pico del Fraile, with reminders about altitude and the park's closure since 2025.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.