List compiled by Andy Martin, 2004 with input from Jonathan de Ferranti, Aaron Maizlish, David Metzler and David Olson.

See also map of the 26 ultras prepared by Aaron Maizlish

See also the lists of Baja California P2000s and the PDF list of Sonora P2000s prepared by Andy Martin

Prominence guru Andy Martin put together this fine list of the Top 50 summits in Mexico.  Prominence is calculated using the "clean method," i.e. values given reflect the minimum possible prominence within the contour intervals of saddle and summit.  This is the method consistently employed in the US and Mexico, but not in the rest of the world.  The initial list has been prepared from a variety of sources, principally the 1:50,000 topographic mapping published by INEGI, and from Jonathan de Ferranti's computer analysis of the 3" SRTM data.  Unfortunately, topographic maps of Mexico do not provide spot elevations for summits.  Therefore the majority of these summits demonstrate a natural interval of 20m (66') for the summit and 20m for the saddle for a total of 40m (131') in uncertainty.  More precise elevations are given where values from other sources are deemed more reliable.  See also footnotes at bottom of page.

Andy's report on the preparation of the Mexico list can be found here.

March 2011: Numerous updates have been made below, based on the results of GPS readings taken at summits by prominence-baggers Adam Helman, Bob Packard and Andy Martin.

version 3/26/2011

FOOTNOTES

[1]  Orizaba:  Commonly cited elevations for Orizaba vary by as much as 500 feet.  Obviously, most are wrong.  There is a decent degree of concurrence between the Mexican topographic survey, SRTM data and recent GPS surveys.  We have elected to provisionally go with a 2003 handheld GPS survey by Stephen Brown that provided a value of 5636m/18491'.  INEGI topographic maps suggest 5611m/18409'.  3" SRTM data is slightly lower still, although the area of the summit crater is data void.  Compare this to the oft cited, but almost certainly wrong elevation of 5700m/18701'.  The key saddle, in Canada, was researched by bivouac.com.

[6]  Nube Flan:  Topographic maps show multiple possible high points in the area.  SRTM analysis suggests that Cerro Nube Flan is probably the highest.

[9]  Malinche:  The Malinche 1:50K map is not in the library. A xerox shows at least 4420+ (20) meters elevation.

[12]   A GPS reading taken from the summit of Cerro Tia Chena by prominence climber Adam Helman measured 8,679 ft (2,645 m), slightly above the topographic map's upper bound. As with Picachos el Fraile (#22), this may be due to a systematic geoid correction for the region. Therefore the topographic map elevations are unchanged. See also trip report.

[14]   Prominence climbers Adam Helman and Bob Packard report a GPS summit reading of 3,721m (± 7m) for Cerro el Potosi, the highpoint of Nuevo Leon. This strongly indicates that Cerro el Potosi is higher than either Cerron San Rafael or HP Sierra la Martha (#35); and therefore their prominence values have been reversed, promoting Potosi to ultra status, with a prominence of 1,876 ± 12 meters. See also trip report.

[17]   Cerro el Centinela:   Prominence climbers Adam Helman and Andy Martin report a GPS summit reading of 3,122 ± 5 m, yielding a 1,637 meter clean prominence (1,647 ± 10 m). See also trip report.

[20]   We assume that Santa Martha is higher than nearby Volcan San Martin (E1680+20m, P1280).   If San Martin is higher then their prominence values would be reversed.

[22]   GPS readings taken from the summit of Picachos el Fraile by Bob Packard and Adam Helman measured 7881 ft (2402 m), slightly above the topographic map's upper bound. See also trip report.

[35]   San Rafael or Sierra la Martha: Prominence climbers Adam Helman and Bob Packard report both peaks have tolerably the same elevation with GPS readings of 3,715m ± 3m, indicating that they are slightly lower than Cerro el Potosi (#14). The higher of the two therefore has a clean prominence of 1,392 m (1,405 ± 13m). The unnamed Sierra la Martha HP is higher than nearby El Morro, which appeared on an earlier version of this list as the possible contender. See also trip report.

[38]   HP Sierra la Giganta:   Prominence climber Adam Helman reports a GPS summit reading of 1,693 ± 7 m, yielding a 1,386 meter clean prominence. See also trip report.