The Iztaccihuatl, Mexico
by Hajor and used under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 1.0
The Iztaccihuatl, also spelled Ixtaccíhuatl, is the third highest mountain in Mexico, after Pico de Orizaba (5,636m) and Popocatépetl. The name comes from the Nahuatl words meaning "white woman".
Iztaccihuatl actually consists of four peaks, the highest being 5,230 m above sea level. These peaks are taken to resemble the head, chest, knees and feet of a sleeping female figure.
Diagram showing how Iztaccihuatl resembles a sleeping woman
by Hajor and used under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 1.0
Iztaccíhuatl is located to the north of Popocatépetl, and is connected to it by the high pass called the Paso de Cortés. It was first climbed only in 1889, and like Popocatepetl, can be seen from Mexico City 70km away, on a clear day. Iztaccihuatl is the lowest peak in Mexico to be permanently clad in snow and has glaciers to it.
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