Filo Noroccidental

Mexico

Go back to Central Mexico Quickie.
Go back to Aculco The Crag.

Pena de Bernal
The famous shot from Bernal.

The following day we climbed the highly recommended Filo Noroccidental route which follows the northwest ridge of Pena de Bernal.  It is indeed a super fun route:  about 7 pitches and 10a, though it’s mostly easy climbing and fully bolted.  It traverses some knife edge ridges and offers a spectacular setting.  We had tried to find this one five years earlier but were unsuccessful with the limited beta we had back then.  After tagging the summit for the third time, we fought human traffic jams on the hike down.  Though we were back in our hotel before 2pm, we decided not to drive anywhere as the streets of Bernal were absolutely clogged with tourists.  Instead, we walked into town and ate and drank the afternoon away.

Photos

Pena de Bernal
Our strategically located hotel – right next to the Pena and compared to some shithole in Vegas, quite cheap (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Hiking to the Pena on our first day in Bernal (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
West face of Pena de Bernal. Filo Noroccidental follows the left skyline from just above the low point saddle (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Cacti on approach to Filo Noroccidental (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Along the pretty hike (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
With the shadow of the Pena (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Almost there (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Starting up Filo Noroccidental (Northwest Ridge) on Pena de Bernal (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Higher on pitch one (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley arriving at the first belay (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
A nip of mescal (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
And off she goes on pitch 2 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Looking SW from the route (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley higher on pitch 2 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Almost there (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Starting up pitch 3 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 3 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Leading pitch 3 – easy but fun (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley starting up pitch 3 of Filo Noroccidental (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Views to the NW. Chichidho Ecopark is at the center I think (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
A bit higher on pitch 3 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Arriving at the third belay (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley starting up pitch 4. I think the climbers who re-bolted the route ran out glue-ins at this point as the only pro was an ancient 3/8″ bolt early on the pitch (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Looking for the easiest way to top out on the ridge of pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley on the easy but runout ridge of pitch 4 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Following the narrowing ridge on pitch 4 of Filo Noroccidental (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Looking up at Shirley at the 4th belay (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Arriving at the 4th belay (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley belaying me at the start of pitch 5 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley on pitch 5 of Filo Noroccidental (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Views from pitch 5 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley on the 5th pitch (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
And arriving at the airy 5th belay (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley starting the lead of the very cool pitch 6 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
A bit of oxidation on a belay bolt (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley about to gain the easy ridge at the start of pitch 6 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
View of the King Kong summit that we’d climb the next day (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Pitch 6 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley higher on pitch 6 (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Following pitch 6. A very cool, narrow ridge hike for the most part (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Arriving at the 6th belay (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Leading the 7th pitch which we linked with 8th all the way to the summit (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Looking back at Shirley from the lead (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley arriving on the summit (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Shirley on the spacious summit of Pena de Bernal hiking towards the descent route (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
Bernal from the summit (Dec. 2018).
Filo Noroccidental
The summit (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Shirley on one of the two short raps off the summit. Look at those crowds (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Shirley starting the jammed up and sloooow hike down after 2 short rappels (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
On the hike back to the hotel (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Pena de Bernal from the hike down (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Busy streets on the Sunday before New Years Eve (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Hiking into town (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Bernal (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Bernal (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Strolling the streets of Bernal with Pena looking on (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
View of the old church (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Abuelas of Bernal in central square by the church (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Nopal (type of cactus) being grilled (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Nopal being served (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Busy Bernal on the eve of New Years Eve (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Much more crowded than we remember it from 5 years ago (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Street musician (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
The iconic shot of Pena from Bernal (Dec. 2018).
Pena de Bernal
Bernal (Dec. 2018).

Go to King Kong.
Go to Central Mexico Quickie.