To be, or not to be …guided, of course… that is the question.
I have very mixed feelings about using a guide, or not, especially after my first guided experience in Mexico.
Let’s unpack my reasons.
Why Go Guided
Going guided is certainly the easier choice — and a far more convenient one — for one simple reason: everything is taken care of for you. From lodging and transportation to meals and permits, every logistical detail of your adventure is managed on your behalf.
This convenience also extends to decision-making, problem-solving and route-finding on the mountain — all of which are handled by the professional guide service you’ve hired. There’s little room, if any, for conversation or negotiation, which can be an advantage if you’d rather not think about or worry over any of these details. You paid for such leadership and experience, so you simply follow along, without being able to offer much feedback about anything.
For example, our guide on Orizaba insisted we start our climb at 1 a.m. When I asked why we needed to begin that early, I got nothing in response — it was as if I had no business asking. Yet just a day before, my friend and I had done half the route in two hours. We started at 9:20 a.m., enjoyed the warmth of the sun, and had the entire mountain to ourselves. It was awesome! So climbing a bit later for our summit attempt — like closer to 3 a.m, or even 4 a.m. — would’ve been a hundred times more pleasant than starting in the frigid, pre-dawn dark behind everyone else heading for the summit that day.
The same was true for Izta — though in that case, the alpine start made a bit more sense in hindsight. We needed to get back to Mexico City in time to catch our morning flights. That’s when I realized one likely reason guides make you start so early: they have no idea how long it will take each client to finish.
Why Go Without a Guide
Opting to go without a guide offers the complete opposite advantages — you’re now responsible for everything mentioned above. The tasks of managing your own lodging, transportation, meals, permits, problems, weather, missing gear, and every other challenge fall entirely on you. That’s a lot to take on!
However, if you’re a planner who enjoys figuring out all the details, this approach might be more appealing and offer greater flexibility to pivot when needed. I also personally like the route-finding, decision-making, and problem-solving elements that come with being on the mountain. Mind you, none of our adventures have been life-threatening so far, but I find much greater satisfaction in succeeding at something that requires real thought and ownership to accomplish — not to mention providing another opportunity to refine my planning skills.
You also get to form your own team when going without a guide. There’s no luck involved in who you’ll spend your time with or whether everyone will get along. There may be times when you’re fine with gambling on the random mix of climbing partners — and other times when you’re not okay with the group dynamics that come with it (guides included). But the odds of matching personality, skills, and experience are always in your favor when you are the one organizing your own team.
Consider A Mixed Arrangement
Another option to consider is a mixed arrangement. If I were asked for my opinion about going guided on Orizaba or Izta, here’s what I would suggest:
- Hire a local guide service to handle all your lodging, meals, travel and permit processing. We had a good experience with Servimont while others also highly recommend Orizba Mountain Guides.
But climb these two Mexican mountains on your own:
- Both summits are straightforward to navigate, especially if you’re doing the Labyrinth in daylight.
- Crevasse danger is minimal, certainly much less than what you’d encounter on Baker or Rainier.
- Set your own summit-day schedule, choosing a start time that lets your team to move faster if everyone has acclimated well, or slow down if anyone is struggling.
In the end, do whatever feels most comfortable and best supports your success. If you aren’t good at solving problems, don’t want to, or aren’t prepared for such responsibility, then go guided all the way.
