Rock Climbing in Oaxaca
September 14th, 2021
Oaxaca, renowned for its cultural richness, also boasts incredible rock climbing opportunities! With picturesque crags, big walls, outdoor bouldering, and a thriving gym scene, Oaxaca caters to all climber levels. This global trend of climbing adventures perfectly aligns with Oaxaca’s potential.
Coyote Aventuras stands ready to be your guide! Nestled in a beautiful high-altitude valley, Oaxaca City is surrounded by crags offering climbs for beginners and veterans alike. Let’s ditch the digital world and explore Oaxaca’s wild beauty with Coyote Aventuras!
Rock Climbing with Coyote Aventuras
Even if scaling Oaxaca’s volcanic rock faces sounds daunting, fret not! Our expert guides, intimate with the crags, will set up top rope anchors for a safe and thrilling climb. To top it off, we’ll fuel your adventure with a delicious, locally sourced organic meal. At Coyote Aventuras, we’re all about helping you reconnect with nature and experience the wild beauty of Oaxaca.
Recently, athletes of all disciplines have discovered and developed new areas where we can take refuge and practice our respective sports. Climbing areas, mountain biking routes, and hiking trails have been popping up all over the state of Oaxaca. These trails take us off the beaten path, venturing into the many unique microclimates to appreciate the state’s incredible biodiversity.
Oaxaca has quickly developed into a climber’s paradise. Here in the valley, there are four sport climbing areas all within a 30-minute drive from the Centro. These crags feature a wide variety of different climbing styles from pumpy overhanging rhyolite volcanic rock, to slabby limestone demanding technical footwork.
Rock Climbing Development
Upon the arrival of local rock climbing legend Juan Carlos Monteverde, locally known as “Livingston”, in 1999, the sport began to grow within a sector of young people who rebelled against the imposed traditions of the past for a life on the rocks.
Livingston was a visionary within the Oaxacan climbing community and began to establish new routes in areas such as San Sebastián Tutla and Yagul with help from his young protegés, Erick López and Carlos Mondragon.
La Gran Montaña, a local outdoor sporting goods store, played a principal role in the development of the sport by organizing a Petzl route setting workshop, which instructed people in the climbing community on how to safely bolt climbing routes.
The fruits of this extraordinary labor are on display at crags like La Meca, Apoala, Tlacochahuaya, Yagul, and San Sebastián Tutla, where these armadores have exhibited their artisanry and incredible skill. Climbing Tlacochahuaya is now a popular activity among locals and tourists alike.
Various Rock Climbing Gyms
We currently have four climbing gyms in Oaxaca, Erikuas, Sala de Escalada Yah-gul, Ascender, and Muro Mondragon, where people can climb indoors!
These climbing walls continue to strengthen our community and foster the next generation of climbers in Oaxaca. Today, we cherish the hard work of these founding fathers of Oaxacan climbing, whose efforts have paved the way for athletes everywhere to experience this unique sport.
Purpose of Coyote Aventuras Opens Rock Climbing
Ecotourism is growing exponentially in Oaxaca, and our goal is to continue providing economic stimulus to small communities. During these trying times, people are looking for opportunities to safely explore the outdoors sustainably that positively impact local communities.
Rock climbing is an excellent option for those visitors with a passion for adventure who want to push their limits and experience a different side of Oaxaca.
Rock Climbing in Oaxaca
Oaxacan rock climbing has exploded onto the Mexican climbing scene in the last decade due to our enormous diversity of accessible sport climbs. For those who are looking for an overnight adventure, Santiago Apoala is only a 3-hour drive from the city and offers some breathtaking climbing deep into the canyons of the Mixteca. If you’re looking for a day trip, we have incredible crags such as La Meca and San Sebastián Tutla that are only 20 minutes outside of the city center. These hidden spots will give you the full spectrum of climbing in Oaxaca. We have technical vertical climbing that puts your finger strength to the test, as well as an overhung volcanic rock that humbles even the most expert climbers!
Oaxaca is not only a multicultural city center that exhibits indigenous cultural diversity, complex artisanry, and delicious food. It is also a perfect place for any outdoor enthusiast. If you’re thinking of heading out to Oaxaca, make it a priority to get out with us into the mountains and try out some of Oaxaca’s classic five-star rock climbs! Coyote Aventuras offers a variety of trips helping you to discover these amazing natural destinations with certified guides and all of the necessary safety equipment. Come be a part of our community and challenge yourself to reach new heights!
