Cerro Quemado Rock Climbing

Cerro Quemado has the best developed climbing in Guatemala. This is also some of the coolest climbing in the country as the crag is located above 9000 ft. The routes start at 5.8 and go to 5.12, though the locals probably inflate some of these ratings. Most of the routes are bolted but there are lots of opportunities to use your gear.

One very interesting thing about this area is that the Maya and evangelicals consider the area sacred and use it as a place for worship, so you'll hear gospel singing, chanting, and preaching echo off the walls as you climb. This is not a problem for climbers or worshipers so long as you respect presence.

*****Very important information******
As of 2020 there has been increasing disagreement in the local climbing community here about foreigners having free access to the crag. In 2020 there are 57 routes established here, 50 of which have been developed and installed more or less by the effort and funds of one local legend Miguel Arango. 40 years ago Miguel began developing this area and has recently become disenfranchised by foreign travelers coming to climb (with or without locals, or the guide service Quetzaltrekkers) and there not being an avenue for the local effort to be assisted financially. The local climbing scene here is small. Locals say there are less than ten outdoor climbers local to Xela (Quetzaltenango) which means Miguel is bearing the financial brunt of all this awesome sport climbing. It's complicated, there's personal dynamics at play, sport hangers cost 4 times as much here.

So, if you want to have access to this sweet spot while you are here in Xela, you can support the community in a couple of ways. If you are in the area for a short time and just want to see the spot once or twice or whatever you can hire Miguel as a guide for a flat fee about $40 USD for a day including all the gear and access to the trad only routes. It's awesome and a bargain to say the least. Or regardless of how you feel about it, you can make a donation of $40 per person as a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Without support, it's quite possible that the climbing scene here will get shut down.

How you can get in contact with Miguel and support the local effort?

Download WhatsApp, which you'll need some sort of phone number to use. Add his number (add a plus sign in front if the phone number associated with your account is not a Guatemalan number) then his number 502-5860-4996. Or if you have problems making that work you can google the coffee shop "Cafe Museo La luna", or the pub in it's basement "Bajo La Luna". He lives literally beside (to the left) of "Bajo La Luna" and you can knock on the metal gate/door. His address is 4 calle D3-67 zona 1. His  parents live with him and they nor he speak english so you could leave a note for him or something. You may also be interested in the indoor wall at Complejo Desportivo which is open from 5 to 8pm at 4 calle entre 25 y 27 avenida de la zona 3. He also resoles shoes for less $15 a pair including the toe! Another bargain!

For real, if you are going to climb here with or without locals (other than Miguel) support the crag. And if you wanna be a real sweetie, bring him some "Fixe" sport hangers. That might save you some or all of the fee. They're near impossible to get here and he wants to maintain the crag and add new routes.

Geological Information

Cerro Quemado (whose name means Burned Peak), is an active volcano that in all likelihood will erupt again. It located immediately south of Guatemala's second largest city, Quezaltenango (Xela). About 1200 years ago, part of Cerro Quemado's dome collapsed, producing a debris avalanche and an associated lateral explosion that swept across the valley to the west as far as the flanks of Siete Orejas volcano. The latest eruption in 1818 produced a blocky 2.5-km-long lava flow. Hot springs are located on the northern and eastern flanks of Cerro Quemado, and the Zuníl geothermal field, the site of a geothermal exploration project, lies on the SE flank of Cerro Quemado.

Mountain Climbing

In addition to having some of the best rock climbing in the country, Cerro Quemado also offers an opportunity to do some alpine climbing. At 3197m, the peak has a little altitude as well as some serious attitude. It is not at all uncommon to find the entire area wrapped in a blanket of fog. Because this area is the product of a massive volcanic explosion, the climb to the "peak" is over very rugged terrain. In fact, hiking over this area feels like a trip across Mordor. You should seriously consider taking a knowledgeable guide with you as it is very easy to get lost climbing this peak.