Sierra Negra


Sierra Negra is an extinct volcano located in the Mexican state of Puebla, close to the border with Veracruz. At officially above sea level, it is the fifth-highest peak in Mexico. However, because it is overshadowed by nearby Pico de Orizaba, it is not too well known and often left out of lists of Mexico's mountains.

Overview

Sierra Negra is located within the Pico de Orizaba National Park. The mountain is the site for two of the world's premier astronomical instruments, the Large Millimeter Telescope and the High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory. Therefore, the access to the mountain is restricted and has to be applied for at least a week in advance. The service road for this facility is claimed to be the highest road in North America. A part of the telescope facility is visible as a white dot in the first picture below and more clearly in the second picture.
The Spanish word sierra is usually applied to mountain ranges or ridges. However, a few mountains were given the name sierra after the Conquest, like Sierra de Tlaxcala or Sierra de Tolocan. As listed by the Mexican geographical institute INEGI, the official name for the Sierra Negra is Cerro La Negra, although the latter is largely unused in common speech. The Nahuatl names Tliltépetl or Atlitzin are sometimes attached. Speakers of Orizaba Nahuatl called the mountain Iztactepetl Icni.
The mountain range to the east of the city of Tehuacán, with such principal towns as Zoquitlán and Coyomeapan, is also known as the "Sierra Negra", which can cause confusion.