Two hours away from Mexico City lies a mountain pass known as Paso de Cortés. Legend has it that this is where conquistador Hernán Cortés first beheld the magnificence of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the Aztec Empire’s capital, rising so majestically upon the surface of Lake Texcoco.
Paso de Cortés sits directly between two volcanoes, whose names come from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Iztaccihuatl (the ‘Sleeping Lady’) and Popocatepetl (the ‘Smoking Mountain’). At 17,159 ft. and 17,802 ft. respectively, they are Mexico’s 3rd and 2nd highest peaks—both towering significantly higher than Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji.
Legend also has it that these two volcanoes were once star-crossed lovers whose devotion was eternalized by the gods. She was a princess and he was a fearless warrior. Today she lies in and eternal slumber, while he stands guard over of her, smoke rising as he remains ready to fight anyone who dares disturb her peace. A love so immense that it literally shaped the horizon.
Paso de Cortés is a powerful reminder of Earth’s living forces. You don’t need to reach the summit of Iztaccihuatl—the only one of the two you can still climb—to experience a profound connection with yourself. Standing there, you feel incredibly lucky to be part of the universe, yet so humbled for the same reason.
Have you ever stood before a place that made you feel like that? Tell us where!
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