La Huasteca (climbing area) facts for kids
Parque La Huasteca is a huge park in Monterrey, Mexico. It's a very popular place for rock climbing, located only about 20 minutes from the city. The park has almost 400 climbing routes that are already set up with safety bolts. These routes range from easy to very difficult, making it a favorite spot for climbers on weekends. Good news: you don't usually need to pay to enter most of the climbing areas!
Climbing Spots
La Huasteca has many different areas for climbing, each with its own unique challenges.
Cazuelas
This area is close to the park entrance, on the left side near an iron door. It has climbs that are a bit harder than beginner level.
Pico Lico
Just past Cazuelas, you'll see a triangular rock formation. This spot is known for its easier climbs, perfect for beginners.
Los Perros
On the right side, right after you enter the park, you'll find Los Perros. The climbs here are very easy, great for first-timers.
Lulu
This area is past Los Perros, down and to the left. It also offers easy climbs.
Pico Independencia
This is a very noticeable mountain on the right side of the road. It has a special climbing path called a Via Ferrata that helps you get to the top. This peak offers both medium and hard climbs.
Las Hienas
Located to the right of Pico Independencia, this area is for experienced climbers as it has difficult routes.
Zona Extrema
About a mile into the canyon, on the left, you'll find Zona Extrema. It has climbs ranging from easy to moderately challenging.
Los Médicos
If you go past the small village of Nogales, you'll reach Los Médicos. This is one of the most popular spots for sport climbing and multi-pitch climbs (where you climb long routes in sections).
Casa del Doctor
This area is below and to the right of a house that's built right into the stone.
La Marta
You can find La Marta by following the same rock wall to the right of the climbs near Casa del Doctor.
La Bestia Cueva
This is a truly enormous cave located on the hillside at the very back of the canyon.
Virgincita
This is a smaller cave found to the right of the Cueva de Virgin on Independencia.
History of Climbing
Climbing in La Huasteca has a long and exciting history.
Early Climbs
In 1954, a climber named Federico Ramírez García, also known as "Lico," was the first to reach the top of a peak in La Huasteca. Today, that peak is called "Pico Lico" in his honor. Pico Lico is almost 70 meters tall!
A few years later, in 1957, a climbing club called Pirineos conquered the most famous peak in La Huasteca. Because of them, some peaks are now called "Los Pirineos."
In 1960, the West Face of a mountain was climbed for the first time. Alberto Perez from the Pirineos club climbed most of it. Later, Juan de Dios De Leon Camero became the first person to climb the West Face without any help. Many other climbers followed, exploring new peaks and setting up more routes.
Sport Climbing Era
In the late 1980s and 1990s, a new style of climbing called sport climbing became popular. Brothers Francisco Medina and Andres Medina, who learned from Juan de Dios, were key figures. They set up and climbed some of the hardest routes in La Huasteca, like Veneno and El Sueño que de Niño.
In the 2000s, climbing became even more popular. Two well-known universities, the Universidad de Monterrey and the ITESM, started offering climbing classes right there in La Huasteca.
Guidebooks and Development
In 2005, a local climber named Ramón Narváez wrote the first guidebook for the area. Later, in 2016, British climber Gareth "Gaz" Leah released a new digital guidebook for Parque La Huasteca.
In 2014, a program for young people called Escalando Fronteras worked with volunteers to make the park even better for visitors and eco-tourism. That same year, Gareth "Gaz" Leah also completed a challenging new route on Pico Independencia.
Hurricane Alex Impact
In 2010, Hurricane Alex caused a lot of damage to La Huasteca. Some climbing routes were harmed, and the ground level even dropped by about a meter, making the start of some routes impossible to climb.
Climate
La Huasteca is a desert area. This means it has a very dry climate, similar to another famous climbing spot called Potrero Chico.
Environmental Care
Since the 1990s, La Huasteca has become a very popular place for families to visit on weekends. Hundreds of people come every day, and even more when the river is full after heavy rains. Because so many people visit, La Huasteca has faced a problem with litter.
The government tried to help in 2004 by charging a small fee to enter some parts of the park. However, this didn't work well because families just went to the free climbing areas instead.
From late 2004 to late 2005, a new effort called "Limpiemos la Huasteca" (Let's Clean La Huasteca) was started. Schools, climbers, cyclists, and other volunteers all helped to clean up the park. The government even provided trucks to take away the trash.
Even though La Huasteca improved, there was still a lot of work to do. Trash was being created faster than it could be removed. To help keep the park clean, all visitors are encouraged to bring a bag and take some trash with them when they leave.
Safety in the Park
In recent years, there have been more accidents involving climbers and campers in La Huasteca. Some people think this is partly because a new Via Ferrata route was built. This route replaced an older, classic climbing path. Many new people using the Via Ferrata might not have enough climbing experience.
There have been concerns about safety on this route, including an incident where a guide without proper training was involved in an accident. Also, a person got stuck in the middle of a long rope crossing called a Tyrolean traverse.
Sadly, there have also been accidents where climbers fell while using ropes to come down from multi-pitch routes. The climbing community is working to make things safer. They plan to check the qualifications of people who act as climbing guides and teachers to ensure everyone is safe.
See also
- Potrero Chico
- El Salto
In Spanish: Parque ecológico La Huasteca para niños
