GUNUNG · Mexico

Popocatépetl

Don Goyo

Information

Elevation: 5.452 m
Country: Mexico (MX)
Location / Range: Sierra Nevada / Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
Mountain type: Volcano
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 19.0234, -98.6234
Difficulty: N/A — official climbing has been CLOSED since December 1994
Best Season: Not applicable (active exclusion zone)
Hazards: The most active and dangerous volcano in Mexico: toxic gas emissions (SO₂, CO₂), volcanic ash, lahars, and unpredictable explosive eruptions. A 12 km exclusion zone around the crater is enforced by Mexican authorities.

Description

Popocatépetl (5,452 m)—known as 'El Popo' or 'Don Goyo'—is Mexico's most active stratovolcano and one of the world's most dangerous. Its Nahuatl name means 'Smoking Mountain', a name it earns every day. Situated just 70 km southeast of Mexico City, it straddles the Puebla–México–Morelos state borders and, alongside twin peak Iztaccíhuatl, forms the UNESCO World Heritage Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park. Since December 1994—when a major eruption broke 70 years of dormancy—all climbing to the summit has been officially prohibited. The volcano constantly emits smoke, ash, and sulphurous gas; periodic moderate eruptions have repeatedly closed Puebla airport and affected millions of residents.

Gallery

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

Routes

Las Cruces (Jalur Normal) — via Tlamacas / Paso de Cortés

Sedang–Berat (medan vulkanik + salju)

+1450 m 1 hari panjang (pra-penutupan)

Historic normal route: from Paso de Cortés (~3,400 m) to the Tlamacas huts (~3,950 m), traversing the north side up to Las Cruces (~4,900 m), then scree and snow to the crater rim. NOTE: climbing has been officially CLOSED since December 1994 due to the 12 km exclusion zone—this route is historical reference only.

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Safety Statistics

Aggregated for prevention and awareness — not a casualty list. Read alongside the safety tips below.

Causes of death

Severe weather

💡 Popocatépetl's summit sits at ~5,400 m with glaciers and fast-moving snowstorms; in 1950 more than 5,000 pilgrims were caught in a blizzard, leaving 3 dead and hundreds injured. Check the forecast, carry adequate warm and windproof gear, avoid unprepared mass ascents, and descend if the weather deteriorates.
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Other

💡 The main lethal hazard on Popocatépetl is not avalanche or altitude but sudden eruption: the volcano has been continuously active since 1994 and CENAPRED enforces a permanent 12 km exclusion zone around the summit. Both the 1996 (5 dead) and 2022 (1 dead) victims had climbed past the official ban. Never circumvent the closure of an active volcano — phreatic blasts and showers of hot rock give too little warning to escape.
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Notable incidents

1950 October 1950 pilgrimage blizzard — 3 killed, ~400 injured

In the week of 15 October 1950, more than 5,000 people climbed Popocatépetl for a religious ceremony and were caught in a severe snowstorm at extreme altitude. Three people died and about 400 were reportedly injured due to the weather. The event underlines how risky an unprepared mass ascent above 5,000 m is in bad weather — long before the volcano's modern eruptive phase began.
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1996 30 April 1996 eruption — 5 climbers killed despite the ban

In the early morning of 30 April 1996, five climbers ascended toward Popocatépetl's crater when the volcano — closed since eruptive activity resumed in December 1994 — erupted. All five bodies were found a few hundred metres below the north-east crater rim with severe third-degree burns and contusion injuries, consistent with being struck by erupted material. Authorities stressed that the warning signs at Paso de Cortés must be respected and the climbing prohibition not circumvented. The lesson: once an active volcano is closed, there is no 'safe window' to slip to the summit.
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2022 22 June 2022 incident — 1 killed by ejected volcanic rock

On 22 June 2022, four climbers and a guide ascended Popocatépetl despite the climbing ban. One woman died and another was seriously injured when they were showered with volcanic rock and debris and fell into a gully about 300 m (1,000 ft) from the crater. The incident shows the 12 km exclusion zone is not a formality: erupted material can reach ground that looks 'far enough' from the crater.
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Climbing Experiences

Popocatépetl (~5,393 m), an active volcano in Mexico beside Iztaccíhuatl. The historic normal route runs via Las Cruces from Tlamacas/Paso de Cortés, but climbing has been officially CLOSED since December 1994 due to eruptions and a 12 km exclusion zone. Available footage is pre-closure ascents, scientific expeditions, and climbers reaching the crater—highlighting gas, ash and volcanic-terrain hazards.

References

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