A Little bit of context
El Salto is a world-class climbing destination with over 500 climbing routes, renowned for its tufa climbing, caves, overhangs, and unique walls.This guide offers valuable insights, assisting both domestic and international climbers in planning their visit. It covers essential details for sport climbing, multi-pitches, hikes, highline, and more.
Erick Rundolph on Sound of the Second Season 5.13b (La Boca)
435
Sport Routes
32
Crags
+25
Multipitches
Best Community
Climbing at El Salto
El Salto is the term used to refer to the climbing areas located around Ciénega de González in Nuevo León. Although in reality, “El Salto” is the name of a waterfall found beyond the San Cristobal Canyon, if you ask any climber from Mexico what “El Salto” is, they will most likely think of the hundreds of routes with overhangs, tufas, crimps, and holds that are found on multicolored walls, in caves, or along rivers, before thinking of the waterfall itself.
Currently, El Salto is one of the areas with the highest quality sport climbing routes in Mexico, and it is definitely an iconic area due to its diverse climbing routes. These range from balance and precision routes to explosive ones, with overhangs or even climbing on roofs. Additionally, while El Salto is primarily known for sport climbing, in recent years, the number of multi-pitch routes and bouldering problems has been increasing, as well as Highline spots.
Getting There
Cienega de González, Nuevo León
If you’re visiting El Salto, flying to Monterrey’s International Airport is the best option, or you can take a bus to the city’s Bus Terminal to save money. Taxis at the airport charge high rates but can take you directly to El Salto. Once in the city, ask for La Ciénega de González in Santiago, Nuevo León, as non-climbers may not know El Salto. To reach El Salto from the city, you can:
- Take a Bus from "El Cercado"
- Drive (90 minutes from Monterrey City Center)
- Get a lift from a climber going on the weekend from a climbing gym.
Where to stay?
If you find yourself in El Salto, ready to climb, but without a place to stay, don’t worry, you have plenty of choices.
La Comarca Camping
This is the perfect place to camp if you want to meet local people. The campsite is managed by a couple of climbers who can provide you with beta to explore the various crags. You’ll camp in a comfortable space.The campsite has bathrooms, showers, and a communal kitchen. It is located in the center of La Cienega, just a few minutes walk from La Boca Main Wall.
Rent a Cabin
There are plenty of cabin options on Airbnb, just make sure it’s truly within Ciénega de González. The safest bet would be Rock Camp Cabins (Climber Owned).
El Salto Climbers Campground
This camping spot is right next to La Palma, one of El Salto’s more overhanging crags, offering great routes. Joel’s camping spot is more affordable than Rock Camp, and it also has restrooms, showers, a communal kitchen, and a lounge with firepits. This camping site is on the outskirts of Cienega de González, but if you have a vehicle, you won’t have any issue getting to the town, because it is just 2 kilometers (5 minutes) from the town center. Also, there are climbers there all year long, so you can easily get a ride to the town or to another crag if you don’t have a car.
Food & Restaurants
CDG is a small town with limited options for grocery. It is recommended to do your major shopping in Monterrey if you plan to stay for an extended period., there are local corner stores in El Salto where you can buy essential items, but they only accept cash payments. Additionally, there are great places to eat, grab a coffee, or a drink if you're in the mood for cooking.
Hanuman Café
This café was created by Mango Ordoñez, a climber from Chihuahua who provides climbers with a place to gather, chat, socialize, find climbing partners, and enjoy quality coffee, paninis, kombuchas, protein bars and more. It's one of the few places in El Salto with internet access and that accepts credit card payments.
Opens daily, from 8:30 - 20:30
La Choza Pizzas
This climber-owned pizzeria offers affordable gourmet pizzas with fast service and outdoor seating. Located on the main street right across from Hanuman Café.
Open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 13:00 to 22:00.
Best Time to Visit
Due to its location at almost 2000 meters above sea level, El Salto has a moderate climate compared to the hot weather of Monterrey. In winter, temperatures can drop to 3 degrees Celsius. Spring and fall present pleasant temperatures with an average of 15-20 degrees Celsius. In summer, it can get hot and rainy. The ideal season to visit El Salto is from September to March, although climbing is possible all year round.
Where to climb
El Salto has over 500 routes, distributed across 32 sectors. We have created this map to help you easily find the climbing spot you want. For more information on how to get to the and sun schedules, please refer to the El Salto Climbing Guide.
LOS DELIRIOS
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Nebulosidad
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Luminosidad
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Pasillo de la Dualidad
CAÑÓN DE LA BOCA
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Boquita / Escuelita
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La Boca
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Inicios
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Santo Bohorquez
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Las Maquinitas
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Jardín Secreto
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La Sabrosa
CAÑÓN DE SÁN CRISTOBAL
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Pico Norte
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Doña Kika
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Los Arcos
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Gratitud Güey
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Tonazai
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Quintessence
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Cascada del Salto
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Los Mortales
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Las Ánimas
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Explanada del Salto
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Shaman Wall
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Cueva del Tecolote
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El Bloque
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La Psicodelia
LABORCITAS
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La Palma
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La Pared de los Borrachos
CAÑÓN DE SAN ISIDRO
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Chileros
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Los Gatos
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Dedo de Diós
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Pared Promesa
EL VALLE
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La Gloria
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Suizalto
GET IN TOUCH
Have questions or need more information? Feel free to reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you.
elsaltoclimbing@gmail.com