Paso de Cortés

Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors crossed this pass on November 3rd 1519 on their march from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico to Tenochtitlán.

The mountain hut (Albergue; 3998 m (13,121 ft)), the last departure point for an ascent of Popocatépetl (Náhuatl: "Smoking Mountain"), which can be reached by vehicle, is on the right. From here the summit of the mountain can be reached via two routes. If climbers set off very early (about 3 a.m.) they can complete an ascent and descent all in one long day. As the little bivouac shelter Las Cruces burnt down in 1985 and is not yet back in use, it is not at present possible to undertake an ascent over two days. The massive crater at the snow-covered summit measures 826 m (2711 ft) 3 400 m (1313 ft), its rocky walls are almost vertical.

The last great eruption occurred in 1802, since when there have been only minor eruptions; however, a cloud of smoke frequently hovers above the summit. Since the time of the conqueror Cortés great amounts of sulphur, originally used for the manufacture of gunpowder, have been extracted from the crater.