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MEXICO ULTRAS

26 Summits with Prominence of 1,500 meters or greater
List includes all of Mexico Top 50 (to P1300 meters)

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

Contact author for comments and corrections at oldadit [at] iname.com

See also map of the 26 ultras prepared by Aaron Maizlish

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.

We would sincerely appreciate any assistance in finding newer survey data and corrections to place names on this list.

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

version 2/2005
Rank
 Summit Name
(as found on topographic map)
 Alternate Place Name
 Map Sheet
 Latitude
 Longitude
 Elevation
(m.)
 E(e)
 Prominence
CLEAN
(m.)
 Saddle
 S(e)
 Elev
(ft.)
 Prom
(ft.)
 Notes

1 Volcan Pico de Orizaba
 Citlaltepetl E14B46 19º01'48" 097º16'15" 5636  
 4922 714   18491 16148 [1]
2 Volcan Popocatepetl
E14B42 19º01'24" 098º37'36" 5400 20 3020 2380 20 17716 9908
3 Nevado de Colima
 Zapotepetl E13B25 19º33'48" 103º36'30" 4260 20 2700 1560 20 13976 8858
4
 Volcan Nevado de Toluca
E14A47 19º06'06" 099º46'03" 4680 20 2210 2470 10 15354 7251
5
 Cerro Tiotepec, 2 areas
E14C36 17º28'06" 100º08'15" 3540 20 2160 1380 20 11614 7086
6
 C. Nube Flan, 2 areas or  C. el Nacimiento, 2 ar
E14D89 16º12'42" 096º11'45" 3700 20 2120 1580 20 12139 6955 [6]
7
 Cerro Picacho del Diablo
H11B55 30º59'27" 115º22'30" 3100 20 2120 980 20 10170 6955
8
 Cerro las Conchas Sierra de Coalcoman E13B67 18º43'12" 102º58'24" 2880 20 1940 940 20 9449 6365
9
 Malinche
E14B43 19º13'54" 098º01'57" 4420 20 1920 2500 20 14501 6299 [9]
10 HP Sierra la Laguna
F12B24 23º32'21" 109º57'15" 2080 20 1900 180 20 6824 6234
11 HP Sierra la Madera
G13B48 27º02'03" 102º23'30" 3020 20 1890 1130 10 9908 6201
12 Cerro Tia Chena Sierra de Minas Viejas G14A85 26º07'12" 100º33'24" 2620 20 1870 750 10 8596 6135
13 Cerro la Joya
F14C39 21º25'51" 099º07'57" 2920 20 1860 1060 20 9580 6102
14 Cerro San Rafael or Cerro el Morro [Cerro de la Viga] G14C35 25º21'51" 100º33'27" 3700 20 1850 1850 10 12139 6069 [14]
15 Cerro Tancitaro
E13B39 19º25'00" 102º19'09" 3840 20 1660 2180 10 12598 5446
16 Picacho San Onofre Sierra Peña Nevada F14A17 23º48'03" 099º50'48" 3540 20 1640 1900 20 11614 5381
17 Cerro el Centinela Sierra de Jimulco G13D46 25º08'12" 103º13'48" 3120 20 1640 1480 10 10236 5381
18 2 km. W of el Aguacate Cerro Sacamecate E15C61 16º34'54" 095º48'12" 2820 20 1640 1180 20 9252 5381
19 Volcan las Tres Virgenes, 2 areas
G12A35 27º28'12" 112º35'30" 1940 20 1610 330 20 6365 5282
20 Sierra de Santa Martha
 Cerro Campanario E15A74 18º20'57" 094º51'27" 1680 20 1610 70 10 5512 5282 [20]
21 Cerro las Capillas Sierra Manantlan E13B23 19º33'18" 104º08'51" 2880 20 1580 1300 20 9449 5184
22 Picachos el Fraile Mesa de Piños G14C15 25º51'45" 100º36'42" 2380 20 1580 800 20 7808 5184
23 1 km. S of Cerro Zempoaltepetl
E14D49 17º07'57" 096º00'45" 3400 40 1560 1840 20 11155 5118
24 Volcan Iztaccihuatl
E14B42 19º10'51" 098º38'36" 5220 20 1520 3700 20 17126 4987
25 Volcan de Tequila, 3 areas
F13D54 20º47'15" 103º50'48" 2920 20 1520 1400 10 9580 4987
26 Sierra el Cerro Azul 
Cerro Atravesado E15C55 16º45'48" 094º27'06" 2300 20 1500 800 20 7546 4921

END ULTRAS, BALANCE OF TOP 50 FOLLOWS
27 Sierra Gomas, 2 areas
G14A75 26º18'27" 100º27'57" 2200 20 1480 720 20 7218 4856
28 Cerros Santa Elena
E13B68 18º40'24" 102º30'12" 2380 20 1480 900 20 7808 4856
29 Cerro el Hongo, 6 areas Cerro Piedras Blancas G14C69 24º34'24" 099º04'27" 1800 20 1480 320 10 5905 4856
30 HP Sierra San Marcos, 3 areas
G14A71 26º25'00" 101º42'30" 2620 20 1450 1170 10 8596 4757
31 Cerro el Zamorano
F14C56 20º56'00" 100º11'00" 3360 20 1440 1920 10 11023 4724
32 Cerro del Aguila
 Cerro Yucuyacua E14D45 17º08'09" 097º39'48" 3360 20 1420 1940 20 11023 4659
33 1 km. NE of Cerro Yatin
E14D48 17º09'33" 096º25'03" 3360 20 1420 1940 20 11023 4659
34 BM San Andreas
 Cerro San Andres E14A15 19º48'21" 100º35'48" 3600 0 1400 2200 20 11811 4593
35 Cerro el Potosi
G14C57 24º52'18" 100º13'57" 3700 20 1380 2320 20 12139 4528 [35]
36 HP Sierra el Carmen
H13D48 28º58'03" 102º36'33" 2720 20 1380 1340 20 8924 4528
37 Cerro la Sandia
H12C7 28º24'24" 113º26'18" 1800 20 1380 420 20 5905 4528
38 HP Sierra la Giganta
G12A88 26º06'15" 111º34'57" 1680 20 1380 300 20 5512 4528
39 Cerro Gordo
F13B41 23º12' 104º57' 3340 20 1360 1980 20 10958 4462
40 Cerro Tzontehuitz
E15D52 16º49' 092º35' 2900 20 1360 1540 20 9514 4462
41 Cerro el Carrizal
G14A55 26º46' 100º35' 1920 20 1360 560 10 6299 4462
42 Cerro Viejo
F13D75 20º22' 103º26' 2960 10 1350 1610 10 9711 4429
43 Cerro Los Algodones
G13C12 25º48' 107º39' 2300 20 1340 960 20 7546 4396
44 HP Sierra la Concordia
G14C42 25º11' 101º23' 3440 10 1340 2100 20 11286 4396
45 Cerro Cofre de Perote, 2 areas
E14B36 19º30' 097º09' 4200 20 1320 2880 20 13779 4331
46 Cerro Cavahlna
E15D42 17º10' 092º25' 2480 20 1300 1180 20 8136 4265
47 Cerro Alto
F13D31 21º27' 104º58' 2240 20 1300 940 20 7349 4265
48 HP Sierra las Mitras
G14C25 25º43' 100º26' 2060 20 1300 760 20 6758 4265
49 HP Sierra Alamos
G12B57 26º58' 108º59' 1760 20 1300 460 20 5774 4265
50 Cerro el Espolon (tiny area)
F14C58 20º47' 099º34' 3260 20 1300 1960 10 10695 4265
51 HP Isla Guadalupe
H11C46 29º06' 118º19' 1300 20 1300 0
4265 4265

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.

[14]  SRTM indicates that San Rafael is higher than Morro.

[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.

[35]  We assume that Cerro el Potosi is lower than either Cerro San Rafael or Cerro el Morro to the north.

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