Episode 2 of the Story Behind the Story
My second ascent of Izta volcano would be different – this time, my son and I were hiking companions. At 13,000 feet basecamp, every breath reminded us we were in the mountain’s domain. We spent the afternoon acclimatizing, exploring rugged terrain and climbing foothills.
Into the Darkness
After a shivering-cold night, we began our 3:00 AM ascent in pitch blackness. Our headlamps carved narrow tunnels through the void as we climbed to the first pass. By the second pass, Mexico City’s lights sprawled endlessly below us – a reminder of the world we’d left behind.
We pressed on to the “Eye of God ” and scrambled to the Refuge as fog and snow rolled in. The brutal 1000-foot slope that rose to 15,000 feet lay before us, and I realized I was now in uncharted territory.
Salvation and Summit
At our moment of greatest uncertainty, experienced climbers invited us to join with them. Our new team scrambled over knife-edge rocks to 16,000 feet, then crossed the infamous snowy “dragon’s spine” – a razor-thin ridge that fell off on both sides.
At 17,000 feet, we hit a false summit. We now stood at a glacier – the “stomach” of the giant sleeping lady. Through swirling clouds, we followed our guides across treacherous ice.
One final, oxygen-starved push, and we summited! Our depleted minds barely remembered to snap a photo.
Eight Hours of Hell
Victory turned to a nightmare. While our guides continued, John and I had to descend through fog and sleet that rolled over the dragon’s spine. They mentioned a “shortcut” down the other side.
That shortcut almost became our death trap. Lost for eight grueling hours, we ran out of water as hypothermia and exhaustion stalked us. Only the terrifying thought of freezing to death kept us moving.
In what felt like one last desperate push over a ridge in darkness, we found the trail out. We walked out the same way we’d started – in total blackness, but as survivors.
Exhausted beyond words, I swore I’d never set foot on Izta again.
It was a vow that wouldn’t last long…But that’s a story for another day…
Get your copy of The Summit Within: Embracing the Beauty of Imperfection on Amazon and begin your own summit journey!
Other posts you may like:
- The Summit Within – Story Behind the Story, E.1
- 9 “Nails” that Deplete the Heart
- The 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective People
Steve Morgan
stevermorgan.com 
You are one brave man! I can’t even imagine what you must have experienced, being lost for eight hours, in the dark and cold. You made it, though, and it seems that your faith and faithfulness were enriched by it all.
Well, I don’t know how brave I was. I just did not to freeze to death. It was definitely memory-maker experience with my son. But it still haunts me that I almost got both of us killed up there. You get desperate and your mind is oxygen-deprived. That combined with exhaustion is not a great combination for making wise decisions. But, yes, thankful to still be around and have taken many other trips up there after that.