HISTORY
In 1998, climbers Paco Medina, Arturo Martínez, Ramón Huergo, Ricardo Vara, and Alejandro Patiño discovered the San Cristóbal Canyon (also known as Canyon of the Spirits) in La Ciénega de González. They were amazed by the unique rock formations and began to equip routes using the equipment and knowledge they had previously acquired in La Huasteca.
Starting to bolt
1998 - 2008
Las Ánimas is where it all began, or at least that's what we believe. The area was covered in fog at ground level, giving the appearance of ghosts, hence the name "Las Ánimas." That's why many routes have names like Fantasmagoria or Dante's Inferno. Here, the first route they equipped was La Quesadilla Nocturna 5.12c, marking the first modern route equipped in El Salto. However, later they found a route in front of El Salto waterfall (Old Hangers 5.9), and due to the old equipment, it is presumed to be much older than modern climbing in Mexico.
To develop these sectors, they had to use improvised techniques that required a steely mentality, such as tying a cam to a pole to secure it in a crack and climb up (Ricardo Ramos setting up part of Unga Bunga) or making several-meter traverses with a drill and no protection, as Ricardo Vara did to set up the anchor for Dante's Inferno.
One day, a group of 16-year-old climbers from Mexico City (including Pablo Fortes) arrived at the canyon. They were looking for El Potrero Chico but got confused on the map and headed to Potrero Redondo (50 km away). On the way, determined to find Potrero Chico, they asked a local if he had seen any climbers, and he told them there were people climbing with ropes sleeping in San Cristobal Canyon. So they headed there, and when they arrived, they found the developers of the sector sleeping. Seeing how lost they were, they decided to stay, and 20 years later, they are still here.
These pioneers were welcomed by local families like Doña Erlinda's, who opened her doors to the climbing community in El Salto. Recognizing the climbing potential of El Salto, they invited climbers from Austin, Texas, such as Ralph Vega and John Garcia, to equip numerous routes in the two main sectors of the time: Las Ánimas and La Cueva del Tecolote. It is worth mentioning that La Boca had only five routes for years.
Corral de Chivas
The year after discovering El Salto, Juan Antonio González took his son Canek González and Herazmo Guzmán to a cave beside the road that the peasants used as a natural corral. But upon seeing the overhanging cave, they knew they had to set up routes. So Canek González climbed up the right side of the cave and rappelled from a tree to set up the first anchor of the sector "Viruela de Gallina." This anchor allowed the sector, which was named El Corral de Chivas, to begin development. Later, with the passage of a flood, the corral disappeared, and over time the name changed to La Palma.
More Routes!
Over the years, more climbers arrived at El Salto and discovered new sectors. Some climbers found climbing the unique spirals and features of La Cueva del Tecolote more attractive, so they equipped those sectors before La Boca, which remained with only five routes until 2012.
It helped that more local families, such as Doña Kika's, contributed to the development of El Salto by offering a campsite that lasted for years as the only one in El Salto. El Salto began as a climbing spot that very few people knew about, but little by little, it gained attention, attracting Mexican and foreign climbers. El Salto began to gain fame on its own, attracting international climbers such as Alex Honnold, Dani Andrada, and Sasha DiGiulian, which increased its popularity.
During this time, Fery Rodríguez became the first Mexican woman to climb a 5.14a, further advancing the sport in Mexico and bringing more recognition to this sector.
From 2012 to 2015, Ulric Rousseau dedicated himself to equipping almost all of La Boca and adding all the extensions, further expanding climbing in the region. In 2016, Fery Rodríguez, Alex Catlin, Connie Rochelle, and other climbers equipped La Boquita, offering new climbers a space to learn the basics of climbing, with the aim of teaching local children to climb.
In 2016, Carlos Ramos opened Rock Camp, which was the first climbing campground for climbers, providing essential services and fostering a community of mountain lovers. Since then, the climbing scene in El Salto has flourished, attracting more enthusiasts and seeing the development of new routes by local climbers such as Alex Labanda, Joel Guadarrama, Carlos Ramos, David Ramiro (who climbed the first 5.14c in El Salto), Luis MAC García, and Pablo Fortes.
Second Generation
The Covid-19 pandemic further increased interest in climbing, with many opting to live in El Salto full-time. Additionally, the growing popularity of rock climbing in Mexico, driven by new climbing gyms and social media, has increased the demand for new sectors. Seeing this, Rock Camp, together with Pico Norte, raised funds from several climbers to offer more beginner sectors, such as Pico Norte (Sector).
At the same time, local climbers continued to discover new sectors deep in the canyons. In 2019, a climber discovered Psicodelia and, surprised by its giant tufas, decided to develop the sector with experienced route developers like Zach Clanton, Joe Bert, Pablo Fortes, and Luis Carlos (MAC) García. They developed this sector using ice climbing techniques due to the nature of the walls.
WILDFIRES
In the years 2020, 2021, and 2024, the sierra suffered several wildfires, combined with water shortages, causing massive damage to the forest. These fires threatened La Ciénega and its surroundings, causing significant damage to the landscape and putting lives at risk. However, thanks to a coordinated effort between Civil Protection, local residents, and volunteer climbers, the fires were finally controlled.
THIRD GENERATION
Climbing in Mexico, especially in El Salto, is thriving, attracting climbers from all over the world. With the growing reputation of the area, and climber meeting places like Hanuman Café and La Choza, managed by climbers, the experience is enhanced. As El Salto grows, new sectors emerge, expanding the climbing options and levels in Mexico. The exponential growth of El Salto has led to the need for new sectors.
Fortunately, as the climbing community continues to expand, more people are willing to open new sectors on the countless walls that El Salto has to offer. This means we can expect to find hundreds of new routes in the coming years!
Just as I was about to finish this guide, Álvaro Basich and Arturo Zabek discovered Los Delirios, an area with several unique sectors and unparalleled views while running through the canyon. And for the first time, weekend climbers with fixed jobs in Monterrey, like Luis Esquer, coordinated to raise and donate funds so that the community living full-time in El Salto could have enough bolts to develop these sectors.
TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO
On june 2024, a storm hit La Ciénega de González, bringing water back to the canyon and flooding the rivers. This drastically changed the landscape, disappearing paths and modifying some routes, such as the archaeological extensions of Las Ánimas. Therefore, some photos in this guide may not match what is currently seen.
