Buy rock climbing guidebooks from our shop.
Rock climbing in South Western Mexico
The rock climbing and sport climbing found in south western Mexico is found around the large cities of Mexico City, Guadalajara and Guanajuato. Here there is a high concentration of sport crags, plus a number of trad climbing and bouldering areas.
Main rock climbing areas in South Western Mexico | |||||
No | Crag | No. of routes | Typical Grade Range | Rock Type | Style of Climbing |
1 | Tapias Viejas | 100+ | 5.9 to 5.14 | Sandstone | Sport and Trad |
2 | Ixcatan | 100+ | 5.9 to 5.14 | Basalt and Rhyolite | Sport and bouldering |
3 | El Cuajo | 60+ | 5.10 to 5.13 | Basalt and Rhyolite | Sport, Trad, and bouldering |
4 | El Diente | 150+ | 5.13d to 5.13d | Granite | Sport, Trad, and bouldering |
5 | La Bufa and Calderones | 70 | 5.8 to 5.13b | Rhyolite | Sport |
6 | Pena De Bernal | 60 | 5.7 to 5.12+ | Granite | Sport and bouldering |
7 | Aculco | 140 | 5.8 to 5.13 | Basalt | Trad and bouldering |
8 | Jilotepec | 120 | 5.8 to 5.14c | Volcanic tuff | Sport |
9 | Copilco | 64 | 5.8 to 5.13a | Volcanic | Sport, Trad, and bouldering |
10 | Las Manzanas | 100+ | 5.7 to 5.13d | Basalt | Sport, Trad, and bouldering |
11 | Calixtlahuaca | 114 | 5.8 to 5.12c | Andesite | Sport and Trad |
12 | El Oasis | 50 | 5.9 to 5.14a | Volcanic | Sport, Trad, and bouldering |
13 | Chontacoatlan and Dos Bocas | 100 | 5.10 to 5.14 | Limestone | Sport |
Rock climbing around Mexico City
Amazingly it is possible to rock climb just outside the heart of Mexico City at Los Dinamos. This fascinating climbing area is in such a fabulous, wild and beautiful natural setting on good quality volcanic rock. The climbing area is divided into several sectors combining excellent trad climbing (La Coconetla) to excellent bolted sport routes, with routes up to three pitches long.
Within an hour’s drive of Mexico City are the excellent crags of Jilotepec, Aculco and Las Manzanas. Jilotepec is a large sport climbing crag and was a location for 2010 Petzl Rocktrip. It has a large number of sectors on good conglomerate and has many fabulous routes. Aculco is one of best trad climbing areas in southern Mexico. It is a canyon with walls filled with cracked basalt prisms of all sizes. It has been described as a mini "Mexican Indian Creek", and is a great place to visit for jamming lovers. It also has some excellent bouldering. Las Manzanas is an excellent sport crag with high quality rhyolite, featuring many pockets, crimps and outstanding friction.
Further south of Mexico City in the state of Guerrero is one of Mexico’s top sport climbing destinations, called Chontacoatlan. Here there is stunning large cave full of giant and spectacular stalactites and tufas. The vast majority of the routes are of high quality, long and demand lots of endurance.
Rock climbing around Guadalajara
In the state of Jalisco is the city of Guadalajara, which has some excellent rock climbing areas. Ixcatan provides the best sport climbing in this area, with its solid reddish sandstone rock, providing many technical face routes. There are several highly developed sectors with enough climbing for many days. El Cuajo is a beautiful canyon with sport routes up to three pitches long. Access to these routes is via abseil (rappelling), which adds to the adventure. El Diente is a beautiful area with a huge concentration of granite boulders of all sizes. It has plenty of small sectors with mostly sport climbing routes, a few trad routes and excellent boulder problems all around. In fact it is one of the best bouldering areas in Mexico.
Rock climbing around Guanajuato
La Bufa and Calderones is an interesting sport climbing area attached to the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato. The rock is a reddish/grey rhyolite and has numerous sectors on the rock band above the city.
Logistics for climbing in south western Mexico
Generally the best time to climb in south eastern Mexico is from November through to April. During this time there are very low levels of rain and the coolest temperatures.
Buy rock climbing guidebooks from our shop.