Pico Cuauhtémoc

Overview

Cuauhtémoc is the highest peak of Cerro Las Mitras, it is located on the western half of this mountain; it is not the most popular peak of this mountain because it is the farthest from the trailhead, but it is still climbed frecuently by avid climbers that want to avoid the crowds on the other peaks. The only route to it`s summit is rated class 4, because of two very steep walls near the summit.

Getting There

To get to the trailhead from downtown Monterrey, drive north on Gonzalitos avenue then turn left (west) on Avenida Paseo de los Leones and drive all the way to it`s end, turn left and drive a couple of blocks to Avenida Sevilla, turn left (south there and drive all the way uphill, park by the curbside.
The trail head is behind the concrete arch, it is wide and well worn; follow it to the paso de las bicicletas, then through the mine and keep going by several canyons to the end where the trail climbs steeply requiring some scrambling and some easy class 4 moves up to the Puerto (saddle) Piñón-Cuauhtémoc, from there take the path on the right (west) up the sometimes steep trail marked with blue arrows on the southern side of the mountain, wich is continuously flanked by thorny brush, agaves and sotol plants, bypassing the vertical walls leading to the summit ridge wich is reached about twenty minutes later after climbing a 15 ft steep wall (class 4) then continue another ten minutes to the shorter wall (9 ft), after that it is an easy 10 minute ridge hike to the summit. Beware of the 300m abyss off the north side of the narrow ridge, wich is about the total elevation gain from the Puerto.

Red Tape

No permits or fees are required to climb this mountain. Just use some common sense to protect the forest and the wildlife, and plese pack out your trash.

When To Climb

It can be climbed year round in dry conditions, but the best monts are October trough April.
It becomes too slippery when the ground is wet, specially the steep bare rock sections and the narrow trail before and after the mine.

Camping

You can only setup camp in or around the mines area, the rest of the mountain is too steep.
No fees or permits are needed.
There are no huts on the mountain.

Mountain Conditions

The weather is usually the same as in the city of Monterrey, only a bit cooler.

Images

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