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Espolon Central.
On Monday morning, we drove around the formation to the Chichidho Compound (very nice if a bit removed from the conveniences of town) and hiked up to the “backside” of the Pena. We climbed the Espolon Central route (6 pitch, 5.9) to its top out point on a buttress below the summit. Although the online beta mentions rapping down a difficult (but straight) route, we opted to rap our climbing line instead. Smooth with just a bit of care. Nice route, a bit off the beaten path, even if the first two pitches are uninspiring. Soon enough we were back in Bernal eating more gorditas.
Photos
Pena as seen from the drive to Chichidho Compound (Feb. 2023).
Approach from Chichidho to the start of Espolon Central route (Feb. 2023).
Some flora (Feb. 2023).
Starting up Espolon Central route (6 pitch 5.9). Don’t let the first pitch (or two) turn you off; climbing is pretty decent and most of the hardware is modern (Feb. 2023).
Espolon Central (Feb. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 1 (Feb. 2023).
Views from low on the route (Feb. 2023).
Arriving at the first belay (Feb. 2023).
Starting up pitch 2 (Feb. 2023).
Chichidho (Feb. 2023).
Higher on pitch 2 (Feb. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 3 of Espolon Central (Feb. 2023).
Views from low on the route (Feb. 2023).
Nearing the third belay (Feb. 2023).
Pitch 4 (Feb. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 4 (Feb. 2023).
More of the slabby pitch 4 (Feb. 2023).
Looking back from the lead of pitch 5. Climbing is (a little) better than it looks (Feb. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 5 (Feb. 2023).
Shirley arriving at the fifth belay (Feb. 2023).
Starting up the sixth and final pitch of Espolon Central (Feb. 2023).
Antiques Road Show – Queretaro (Feb. 2023).
Pitch 6 (Feb. 2023).
Shirley topping out on the route (Feb. 2023).
Unknown climber on the next door Filo Noroccidental (Feb. 2023).
A closer look (Feb. 2023).
Views from the top of the route (Feb. 2023).
Shirley rapping down pitch 2 (Feb. 2023).
Hiking down (Feb. 2023).
Shirley and some cacti (Feb. 2023).
A look back at the nice looking line of Espolon Central (Feb. 2023).
Shirley and the Pena (Feb. 2023).
Back in Chichidho (Feb. 2023).
Pena de Bernal from the east (Feb. 2023).
Rehydrating at a liquor shop in the non-tourist part of Bernal (Feb. 2023).
The functional part of Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Magico part of Bernal (Feb. 2023).
On a hunt for some dinner (Feb. 2023).
This is the place we ate at during our first Bernal visit a decade earlier (Feb. 2023).
Cool place inside (Feb. 2023).
Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Sharp looking ride, dawg (Feb. 2023).
Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Pena from Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Bernal (Feb. 2023).
Go to Pueblos Mágicos Of Queretaro.
Go back to Queretaro Finale.