El Salto is without any doubt one of the best crag in the country. It's located in the South of Monterrey, in the National park, "Cumbres de Monterrey",at 1300m.

You can find several sectors among them "Las Animas" and "La Cueva". Placed in a very beautiful canyon, you will enjoy climbing on a very compact and sculpted rock.

El Salto is a perfect place, so please respect it!

Big Grey Tuffa, 5.12d in Las Animas

Access:

-From Mexico, take a night bus to Monterrey, 1000 pesos. There are bus every hour until 11pm. The ride last for 10 hours.

-From Monterrey bus station, take an other on to Santiago in the south (40 pesos, every 15min).

- There you'll have to take a third bus to Cienega de Gonzalez up in the mountain (30 pesos, 1h ride). The bus place departure is near a pharmacy, nearby the central square . In 2013, you have two way up at 8am and 3pm and two way down at 9am and 1.5pm.

- If you couldn't take the bus, a taxi will cost you around 400 pesos from Santiago, 650 from Monterrey.

-Of course you can rent a car, but quite expensive and useless in the village.

Accomodation:

- The local climber Fernanda Rodriguez bought a piece of land in the village and accomodated it for camping. For 50 pesos a day you can find a kitchen, hot water, and a very friendly place with other climbers.

- A second way is to camp on the proprety of Kika Gonzalez in the "center" of Cienega. Ask the bus to stop near "Kika deposito".

It wil cost you around 60 pesos a day, included hot shower, kitchen and utensil. Furthermore, it's very welcoming sharing this place, the kitchen with Kika's family. So do not hesitate to stay with this kind family!

- You can also rent bungalow or houses in the village (1200 pesos a week)

- You can camp in the cave, but including 40min walking...

The open Kitchen

food:

- Kika own a small market ("tienda") with necessary food, like beer, water, pasta, rice, a few vegetable...

- But we recommend you to buy the maximum food in the valley in Santiago, and then see if it's suitable taking a bus. If not, take a cab.

- It is very commun to share food with Kika's family. We made pancakes, they made "frijoles", "tortillas",...

climbing:

- There are 3 main sectors and a smaller one.

- La Boca: we didn't climb there. Grades up to 14a, mainly in 5.12 and 5.13. The walk is very short (8min) and the crag East oriented. (sun in the morning). You can find an other sector, "La Sabrosa" 30min further in the canyon (not tried).

- Las Animas: the big sector. A 25min walk leads you to the sector. More than 50 lines, between 11a and 14a, uniformly distributed. Lines up to 45 meters on vertical to slightly overhanging perfect rock. Tuffa, crimps, pocket... West oriented. Several routes in the middle part are now closed (2016) due to prehistoric paintings. Please respect this restrictions.

Avoid this sector the week end as 4*4, quads and other noisy vehicules use the track as playground...

- La Cueva del Tecolote: overhanging and powerful routes in a very cool cave. Enjoy from 11d to 14a. Nord-West oriented. 45min of walk in a beautiful canyon.

- Las Marranas: it's a small cave at 50m of the main road, 3km from Cienega de Gonzalez. You will find a small amount of route but with all grades (from 5.9 to project).

The cave, with Nosferatus, 12c and Las Animas with Ungabunga 13a.

The cave, with Nosferatus, 12c and Las Animas with Ungabunga 13a.

The cave, with Nosferatus, 12c and Las Animas with Ungabunga 13a.

Chi, 13d in the cave.

season and conditions:

- You can climb in El Salto all over the year. But be careful, it may be very cold in the winter. In summer, it could be very humide and with water in the canyon, the walk could be difficult.

- In Las Animas, you have shadow until 11am and after 4pm thanks to the canyon (march), and until 12am an after 2pm in july.

- In the cave, the sun comes around 1-2pm. But the inside of the cave stay in shadow.

- In La Boca, the sun comes around 9am until 1pm.

- In Las Arramas, the shadows stays all day long.

guide and approach:

- I provide a small piece of guide and the acces.

A part of Kika's family as well as local climbers

A part of Kika's family as well as local climbers

Las Animas

listing (all grades are approximated, especially for new routes all-in right and left):

0: very recent routes (??, 5.8, 5.12b, 5.11+)

1: All Along the watchtower 5.10+

2: Ulrica Martin 5.10a

3: The power of cheese 5.13?

4: Angeles caminan entre nosotros 5.12+

5: Malvavisco 5.12a

6: Bonkatron 5.12c

7: Cara cortada 5.12a then 5.12c

8: Dirt white scorpion 5.12d

9: Alien tufa 5.11c / 5.12d

10: Blood brother 5.11d

11: Muchas Cornhuelas 5.12a

12: Body groovin' 5.12c

13: Culo de negra 5.12a

14: La guitarra de honero 5.13c

15: Hino 5.12b

16: Lazy boy lover 5.12d

17: Tufalina 5.12c / 5.13a

18: Tufaluna 5.13a

19: Panocha poderosa 5.13a

20: Ramones' mushroom 5.11c

21: Big grey tuffa 5.12d

22: Inertia 5.13b

23: Caronte 5.13a

24: La vida de una mariposa 5.13c

25: Todo o nada 5.14? (closed)

26: La maquina en el jardin 5.13a (closed)

27: El primer paso del ultimo dia 5.13a (closed)

28: Tufalero: 5.12c (closed)

29: Ungabunga 5.12d, Ungabunga X-mas 5.13c (closed)

30: La guitarra de Lolo 5.13d (closed)

31: proj (closed)

32: Touched by god 5.14?(closed)

33: Assasino en silencio 5.14? (closed)

34: Purigatorio 5.13b, Murder weapon 5.13b/14a

35: Bizzare contact 5.12a/b

36: ?? 5.13b then 5.13c

37; Life after you 5.14?

38: Tufa king short 5.13b

39: Dante's inferno 5.13d then 5.13d/14a

40: Camino de Chino 5.13b then 5.13c

41: Strict Machine 5.13d

41: Dirty grey tufa 5.12d

42: Quesadilla 5.12c, Quesadilla de Or 5.12d

43: Midnight City 5.12d?

44: I vision 5.11

45: Ez street 5.11c/d

46: Corazon de Güera 5.10c

Guide of La Cueva (The Cave)

Listing:

1: Amor 5.11c

2: Felicidad 5.11d/12a

3: Desconsido 5.12a

4: Missing Hanger 5.12a

5: ?? Dangerous

6: Limestoner 5.12b

7: Culo de Fuego 5.13a

8. La violencia 5.13a

9: Golden man 5.12b

10: Tecalote 5.13a (roof gym)

11: Huiratica 5.13b

12 Nosferatus 5.12c

13: H-bomb 5.14a

14: Kika Shredder 5.13a/b

15: Soul Power 5.12c, extension ??

16: Chi 5.13d (bouldery)

17: Merlin's culo 5.10b

18: Andrada 5.13d

19: Dial M for Monkey 5.13c

20: Super Chongo 5.11b - Super super chongo 5.13a

Las Arramas (Cumbia Cave)

Listing:

1: 5.9

2: 5.9

3: 5.9 then 5.11d or 5.12a

4: 5.12

5: 5.12b then 5.12d

6: 5.13a? then project

7: unfinished

8: 5.13b?

9: 5.11d