Aculco The Crag

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Aculco

At the top of the climbs.

Crack of dawn, 10am start the following day and we were in Aculco (the climbing area) 20 minutes later.  A 10 minute hike takes you to the bottom of the gorge where a high density of quality crack climbs await.  Though it’s not basalt it very much looks like a basalt crack climbing area (eg. Smith’s Lower Gorge).  Carlos would suggest a route and we’d climb it.  The grades were pretty stiff (think Tieton vs. Vantage) and we did a handful of 9s and 10-s.  One of our chosen routes involved a 10 foot section of unprotected, mossy and shitty rock in order to access the quality splitter above.  After palming my way up a couple moves, I finally reached a positive pocket and pulled.  To my surprise the pocket, along with about 10lbs of shitty rock, came out and I went down.  My only cam blew out the rock and I tumbled down onto a ledge and then the momentum carried me off the ledge and to the ground.  Sounds dramatic but I was really no more than a handful of feet up and so was unhurt.  One more route and we were tossing down some cold beers in a mini super right at the edge of the gorge.  Afterwards, we followed Carlos to Bernal (he had a guiding gig there the following day) where we had dinner together and consumed many margaritas.  Climbing talk is always funnest with a few drinks.

Photos

Aculco

Though we initially agreed to meet at 9am, no breakfast place opened till 9 or 9:30 (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Heading down into the Aculco Canyon for a day of cragging with Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Punos del 11

Starting up Punos del 11 route (5.7) in Aculco (Dec. 2018).

Punos del 11

Higher on Punos del 11 (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Views from the edge of the rim at Aculco (Dec. 2018).

Punos del 11

Shirley on Punos del 11 (Dec. 2018).

Punos del 11

Punos del 11 (Dec. 2018).

Punos del 11

Punos del 11 (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

At the top of the climbs. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Racking up for Psicosis. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Starting up Psicosis (5.10a; Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Psicosis. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Psicosis. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Psicosis below the crux (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Making progress on Psicosis (5.10a; Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Making progress on Psicosis (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

At the crux of Psicosis. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

…and past the crux (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Pretty splitter on the upper half of Psicosis (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Psicosis.  Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Shirley starting up Psicosis (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Views from the rim (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

More Shirley in action on Psicosis (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Shirley topping out on Psicosis (Dec. 2018).

Psicosis

Arriving on the rim (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Shirley heading back down into the canyon for more climbing (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

Starting up El Libro de la Solemnidad (5.10a; Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

El Libro de la Solemnidad. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

Topping out on El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

In the beautiful splitter section of El Libro de la Solemnidad (5.10a; Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Aculco (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

The pretty waterfall in Aculco (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

Shirley enjoying the thin hands splitter on El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

El Libro de la Solemnidad. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

El Libro de la Solemnidad

Belaying Shirley atop El Libro de la Solemnidad (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Back down into the canyon (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Aculco gorge (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

The little oasis that is the bottom of the gorge in Aculco (Dec. 2018).

Marionetas Nocturnas

Starting up Marionetas Nocturnas (5.8). Just as I got my left hand to the start of good rock and a nice pocket, the whole thing pulled out and I went down ripping out my one 0.75 from some shitty rock. Here Shirley is standing on a ledge about 1 meter above the bottom. I hit the ledge and kept rolling down. No damage though (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Starting the lead of Cascarita de Limon (5.9). Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Low on Cascarita de Limon (Dec. 2015).

Cascarita de Limon

Higher on Cascarita de Limon (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Fun cracks on Cascarita de Limon. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Above the first roof. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

A sloping ledge on Cascarita de Limon (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Finishing double cracks on Cascarita de Limon. Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Shirley Cascarita de Limon belayed by yours truly and photographed by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Shirley at the crux of Cascarita de Limon (5.9). Photo by Carlos (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Shirley on the upper half of the very nice Cascarita de Limon (5.9; Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Cascarita de Limon (Dec. 2018).

Cascarita de Limon

Shirley topping out on Cascarita de Limon (5.9; Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Shirley and I on the rim. Photo by Carlos taken from canyon bottom (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Aculco (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Back down for more fun (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Views of the waterfall in Aculco (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Done with climbing and heading over to the beer (Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Celebrator beers with Carlos (right at the rim of the canyon in Aculco; Dec. 2018).

Aculco

Starting out our drive from Aculco to Bernal (Dec. 2018).

Pena de Bernal

Relocating from Aculco to Bernal (Dec. 2018).

Pena de Bernal

Grabbing our dinner with Carlos in Bernal (Dec. 2018).

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