Hiking Volcán del Estribo Grande (the Stirrup Volcano) was one of the first things to go onto our Patzcuaro Bucket List when we arrived here. Given that there’s no shortage of things to see and do in the area, it took us a whopping 10 days before we finally tackled Patzcuaro’s storied hike.
We don’t really plan it this way, but no matter where we are, somehow, some way, the boys always end up dragging us on a long[ish] hike on Mother’s and Father’s days. Or it’s the other way around…I can never keep these things straight.
This year on Mother’s Day, we accompanied Lori on a five-mile hike to the mirador in Lo de Marcos on a particularly steamy day. Great fun was had by all.
Naturally, on Father’s Day, I thought I’d up the ante and propose a hike to the top of an 8,000-foot volcano. Actually, Lori proposed it (I think she’s slowly trying to kill me).
Fortunately, we’re already starting at 7,100 feet above sea level here in Patzcuaro, and we’re talking around a six-mile hike roundtrip. But it’s still nothing to sneeze at (particularly the 400 steep steps we’ll have to climb to reach the summit).
I’m looking forward to it. Strangely, I think the boys are too.
But first, some of the highlights from our weekend thus far.
Another Saturday [Night]
The boys got to see their first movie in a while at the historic cinema in town. One of the great things about having bilingual kids is we don’t have to wait around for an English-language movie to come to town (or wait around until they’re old enough to be able to read fast-moving subtitles). “Garfield Fuera a Casa? Count us in!”
Deep down, I think Riley just goes for the popcorn.
The Golden Hour around here has been awesome lately. We’ll see if we even get a Golden Hour (or a sunset) in a week or so when the weather takes a turn.
Another Saturday night, another visit to our favorite Cerveceria Artesanal, Maestra.
Lori and I usually share a flight at these places, but rarely do we visit TWO Saturdays in a row. No new beers on tap this time around, so we opted for a pint of our favorites from last weekend.
They run a pretty cool little operation here, and do impressive things with not a whole lot.
A rare, non-silly photo of Riley (his request)…
Father’s Day in Patzcuaro
We didn’t have a whole lot planned for today (I like to keep it that way on Father’s Day), except for, you know, climbing a volcano and stuff.
And what a perfect morning for that! The best visibility we’ve had since arriving here.
The boys were kind enough to busy themselves with Pokemon cards while Lori and I had a nice leisurely hour or so sipping coffee and taking in the view outside.
Alright, already. It’s time to climb a volcano!
We were lucky enough to catch a Combi into town right off the bat.
This morning we thought we’d branch out and try something besides our beloved Loretta Cafe. Lilian’s Cafe on the other side of the plaza is a similar concept, but with crepes on the menu and no cold brew.
With happy bellies, we hit the road running. Or walking at a somewhat steady pace, at least.
Hiking Patzcuaro’s Estribo Grande Volcano
You can actually see Volcán del Estribo Grande from various points in town, such as walking along the length of Calle Ibarra (above), one of the main roads used to get to the volcano from the main plaza.
Yep, looks far away. In reality, the summit is only about two miles from where we stand right now.
It bears mentioning here that the overwhelming majority of those who scale Volcán del Estribo Grande cover this distance by car (there’s a parking lot at the base of the stairs to the summit).
Could we take a taxi there? Sure. But what would be the fun in that?
Calle Ibarra is fairly busy, but nearly every side street we pass is deserted on this Sunday.
A weird little factoid about Mexico. Father’s Day in Mexico is celebrated on the same Sunday as it is in the States. Mother’s Day in Mexico, however, is always celebrated on May 10th, regardless of the day of the week. Don’t ask me why.
Getting back to the hike, we follow Calle Ibarra to the end where it meets up with Camino Real al Estribo, the main road up to Volcán del Estribo Grande. It’s paved with cobblestones and surprisingly tree-lined all the way to the parking lot.
On the map, I had seen a place marked “Net Positive Village” along our route. With a name like that, I was intrigued.
After a bit of research, I still wasn’t convinced it was a real place. I found some flashy mockups and purpose statements online, but couldn’t find any real pictures or videos of the actual village. This only made me more curious as to what we might find.
We arrived at the point marked on the map only to find one ramshackle outbuilding surrounded by endless grassy fields. Guess that answers that.
A bit farther up the road, we got our first real view of the day looking north towards Lake Patzcuaro.
Ten minutes later, we arrived at the parking lot, which was an absolute madhouse crammed with cars and people.
Not sure if this was on account of Father’s Day or simply Sunday, but it’s apparent that Volcán del Estribo Grande is one heck of a popular place to park yourself—along with ten of your closest friends and family, pump up the Reggaeton, and let the high-carb snack foods flow.
Unless, that is, you actually want to summit the volcano. In comparison, there was hardly anyone doing that.
What do you say, Riley? Ready to climb a few stairs?
Again, the boys are troopers (and Lori, of course—remember, it was all their idea…). No complaints, no whining, just one step in front of the other, until…
…we reached the summit.
That’s the historic center of Patzcuaro, as viewed from the summit of Estribo Grande. We actually caught sight of the RV up at Rancho La Mesa, but I’m not going to even begin to try to describe where it is. You’ll just have to take my word for it.
In case you’re wondering, the elevation up here is EXACTLY 8,000 feet (according to my phone, at least).
After twenty minutes or so of admiring the view, it’s time to head down. The boys would like to have lingered longer, but changed their mind after I reminded them that when you summit a mountain, you’re only have way through!
At the bottom of the stairs, there’s a nice view of Lake Patzcuaro and Janitzio Island, just beyond the parking lot.
Our attempt at a Father’s Day family selfie from a volcano.
Selfie’s are fine and all, but it’s really amazing what you can get into a shot when one’s not limited by the length of one’s own arm…
Back in town, all’s quiet.
Lori had an idea for a place to grab an after-hike cold brew, but like everything else, the place was closed. We found the one place in town that happened to be open, Axilotl, and sat a spell.
After coffee, I managed to catch a Combi at least part of the way up the hill, which is better than nothing after a six mile hike. What’s another mile?
We kicked back for the rest of the day enjoying an afternoon with nothing on the agenda. All of us, except for Noe. He had a bit of gardening to take care of before nightfall.
All in all, a fun and memorable Father’s Day with my three favorite hiking buddies in the world. Can’t ask for much more than that on a day like this.
