Culo De Gato

Description 

The Culo is a cliff located about a half-hour's drive from Potrero Chico and is home to a sizable cave and routes that are a bit steeper than most of the Potrero fair. Climbs tend toward the more difficult side of the grade spectrum.

There is however a handful of easier routes as well, and supposedly the multipitch "Crescent Moon Buttress" is quite good. There are also some futuristic looking projects that travel up the headwall above the center of the cave. All in all it's worth a trip if you're bored at the Potrero, especially if you need some shade in the winter.

Getting There 

Drive out of Hidalgo and turn north on 53 (away from Monterrey). After about ten minutes on this road, you'll see the town of Mina off to the left, including a sign and a turn for the town. Continue past this turn, and once past the town itself look for an obvious PEMEX station on the left. Take a sharp lefthand turn just before this gas station and follow this road straight west for awhile (the cliffs are obvious off to the NW). This road starts out paved, then turns to a well-graded gravel road. It descends into an arroyo, back out, past a chicken farm on the left and a railroad crossing. Shortly afterwards, turn right (back north) and a mile or so later keep your eyes peeled for a cairn on the left which marks a double-track road that leads up to the base of the Culo. If you park at this turn, the hike is roughly 25 minutes. If you drive all the way in (moderate clearance required), the hike is a steep 15 minutes. The trail deposits you at the righthand edge of the cave and the route "Los Cuervos."

The Classics