Our second objective on the Pena was the relatively new King Kong La Bestia Electromecanica route established by Carlos in 2015 I think. This is an 8 pitch, fully bolted 5.10c route on a pillar that butts up to Pena. The route is nicely sustained but very, very well bolted and the rating felt quite friendly. We had a ton of fun climbing this one and especially the 4th pitch: a vertical water groove with some huge, positive chickenheads. A fantastic pitch! Just as we remembered from five years earlier, the grippy rock of the Pena is pure joy to climb on. In the case of this route you do not top out on Pena’s summit (you rap the route instead) and so we avoided swimming in the tourist traffic. A repeat of the previous day’s afternoon with eating and drinking our way across town.
.
King Kong pitch 4.
A 3:30am start the following morning to catch our 6am flight home. Queretaro airport is ~30minutes from Bernal – very easy. Though we went to sleep early the previous night, the New Year’s party in the hotel ensure that our nap lasted about an hour. A very long layover in Houston forced us to go into the city, have some brunch (pretty good) and kill of the remainder of the time doing tourist shit (Johnson Space Center). There are one or two more appealing looking routes on the Pena (in fact, one popped up on the web right after our trip) but I think we’ll go elsewhere for our next Mexico climbing trip.
Photos
Second morning in Bernal with a couple of vaqueros. Repeating the west side approach, this time bound for King Kong (Dec. 2018).
The toll booth at the entrance to the trail was still unmanned at the alpine start of 9:30 (Dec. 2018).
Cool cactuses on the west side trail (Dec. 2018).
The King Kong Pillar on the north side of Pena de Beral. King Kong route starts up the obvious buttress at center of photo and continues up to the summit of the pillar in 8 fun pitches (Dec. 2018).
Starting up pitch 1 of King Kong. A thinnish start that is not bad at all if you got a little bit of reach (Dec. 2018).
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 1 above the opening crux (Dec. 2018).
Shirley topping out on pitch 1 (Dec. 2018).
Leading the very fun pitch 2 of King Kong (Dec. 2018).
Views from low on the route (Dec. 2018).
Crimping fun on pitch 2 (Dec. 2018).
Shirley topping out on pitch 2 (Dec. 2018).
Views from King Kong (Dec. 2018).
Starting up pitch 3 of King Kong (Dec. 2018).
Higher on pitch 3 (Dec. 2018).
Looking down from partway up pitch 3 (Dec. 2018).
Shirley following pitch 3 (Dec. 2018).
And topping out (Dec. 2018).
Starting up the fantastic pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
View down from the lead (Dec. 2018).
View up from the lead: the last 20 feet of pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
More of pitch 4: a vertical water groove with some wildly sculpted holds (Dec. 2018).
Shirley starting pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
Climbing so fun that I think she was singing all the way (Dec. 2018).
Unknown party (actually 2 parties) on Filo Noroccidental as seen from King Kong. Think they’re on the 5th pitch (Dec. 2018).
A close-up of the leader from the lower of two parties on Filo Noroccidental. 5th pitch I think (Dec. 2018).
King Kong pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
Nearing the top of pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
Views from King Kong (Dec. 2018).
A cool water groove (Dec. 2018).
Arriving at the 4th belay (Dec. 2018).
Looking back at happy Shirley from the start of the 5th pitch (Dec. 2018).
Shirley on the 5th pitch (Dec. 2018).
Leading pitch 6 (Dec. 2018).
Looking back at Shirley on a spacious ledge from the lead of the 6th pitch (Dec. 2018).
Leading pitch 7 which we linked with 8…or perhaps we linked 6 with 7? Not sure (Dec. 2018).
Shirley belaying me on the last pitch just below the summit of the pinnacle (Dec. 2018).
Views from the summit (Dec. 2018).
Shirley arriving on the summit (Dec. 2018).
Shirley on the summit of King Kong Pillar with Bernal below (Dec. 2018).
Summit of King Kong Pillar with the summit of The Pena in the background (Dec. 2018).
Shirley on the descent. This is the awesome water groove of pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
The King Kong Pillar in all of its glory (Dec. 2018).
Hiking back to beer (Dec. 2018).
West face of Pena de Bernal (Dec. 2018).
West face of Pena de Bernal (Dec. 2018).
Post climb celebration (Dec. 2018).
Hiking back to town (Dec. 2018).
Shirley and the Pena (Dec. 2018).
Strolling through the town again (Dec. 2018).
Bernal (Dec. 2018).
The charming little streets of Bernal (Dec. 2018).
Shirley being serenaded over dinner. Clearly impressed (Dec. 2018).
Town center with its fountain (Dec. 2018).
A bit less crowded on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 2018).
Last evening in Bernal. We’ll be back (Dec. 2018).
