Pico de Orizaba: Rebuilding from rock bottom
When I got home from Peru, my confidence was utterly shot. It wasn't just that I missed the summit—it was the deep, unsettling realization of how quickly a toxic environment and high altitude could completely break my headspace.
Desperate for an outlet and some perspective, I posted in a "Women in Mountaineering" Facebook group. It wasn't a polished post or an inspirational quote. It was a raw, vulnerable surrender: Where do I go from here with absolutely broken confidence?
That’s when Shea from AWExpeditions reached out.
Instead of dropping a generic sales pitch, she listened. She built me up, validated my experience, and introduced me to a completely different approach—one built on intentional community. She told me she had confidence in me to do any mountain I had my heart set on, but strongly suggested going back to Peru with AWExpeditions and rewrite the story.
My immediate reaction was a hard, visceral no. I told her straight up: If I go back to Peru right now and fail again, I won't be able to emotionally recover.
I wasn't ready to throw myself back into the exact arena that broke me. I needed a stepping stone—a high-altitude objective that wasn't a walk in the park, but didn't carry the heavy, lingering ghosts of my last expedition.
Enter Pico de Orizaba.
At 18,491 feet, Mexico’s highest peak sits right in the sweet spot. It’s the perfect physical and mental "in-between" connecting the high-altitude success of Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft) with the steeper, technical demands of the Andes. It gives me real glacier work, serious elevation, and a chance to put my new operational systems to the test without the overwhelming pressure of a direct re-match with Peru.
About Orizaba
Looking at my progression, I’ve realized volcanoes are becoming an accidental, underlying theme in my life. One of my first National Parks (if not THE first) was Haleakala in Hawaii. My very first "summit" was Mount Batur in Bali. My first "long" hike was the volcanic, otherworldly terrain of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand. My first real mountain was Kilimanjaro—the tallest free-standing mountain and single highest free-standing volcano in the world.
Now, as I look to rebuild my confidence, I’m drawn right back to living, breathing rock. Pico de Orizaba happens to be the highest volcano in North America (third-highest peak overall) and the second-most prominent volcanic peak in the world, sitting right behind… Kilimanjaro of course! There is something deeply fitting about that.
Attempting Orizaba feels like a natural evolution of a story that started on ash and crater rims years ago. Maybe the universe is dropping hints—maybe the traditional Seven Summits were never really my path, and the Volcanic Seven Summits are what I was meant to chase all along!
Vetting the Culture: Why AWExpeditions Matters
In my last post, I wrote down a non-negotiable rule for myself: Vet the team and outfitter like my life depends on it. Shea’s outreach and our discussions that followed—both with AWE and with climbers who have been on their trips—started to give me hope again for my future in climbing. I heard so many positive things from “They made it really fun to learn how to pee on a rope team! A lesson men don’t have to think so much about!” to “They talked so much about team dynamics and how to reinvest extra energy back into the team.” It became hard to say no, and now I can say I’m officially booked.
Reclaiming the Momentum
Pico de Orizaba will be less about erasing Peru, but more building a bridge over it. It’s a chance to prove to myself that one bad experience or one failed objective doesn’t define how I show up at high altitude. Time to go get that confidence back. Wish me luck!