Gran Glaciar Norte, Ice cap on Pico de Orizaba mountain, Mexico.

Gran Glaciar Norte covers the highest reaches of Pico de Orizaba with an area of around 9 square kilometers, consisting of multiple separate ice formations. The glaciers span between 4,700 and 5,610 meters (15,400 and 18,400 feet) in elevation and feed various mountain streams.

The glacier has shrunk continuously since the early 1900s, documented through scientific measurements and historic photographs. This change reflects a long-term pattern of ice retreat in Mexico's highest mountains.

The name Gran Glaciar Norte is Spanish for "Great North Glacier", referring to its position on the northern side of Pico de Orizaba's summit cone. The ice cap sits above 4,700 m (15,400 ft), where the nine named glaciers, seven of them outlet glaciers, descend from the firn field. Climbers heading for the 5,636 m summit cross this ice.

The site sits at high altitude and requires good physical fitness and gear adapted for cold and thin air. Access is typically arranged through guided expeditions that match the technical demands of mountain climbing.

The ice cap comprises nine named glaciers: seven outlet glaciers, one mountain niche glacier, and one more, all lying between roughly 4,700 and 5,610 m on Pico de Orizaba. The peak itself, Volcán Citlaltépetl, reaches 5,636 m, Mexico's highest point.