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Travel Guide

Gumby to Dirtbag – Ultimate Guide to Climbing in Hueco Tanks

Posted on March 18, 2024
Climbing in Hueco Tanks

Climbing in Hueco Tanks State Park

We just spent three weeks at Hueco Tanks, our first time ever. And this guide is everything you need to know for your first time there – or what we learned. You could call this a FAQ, because it answers a lot of questions WE have asked, had answered, and now are giving to you. Without further ado… this is a beginner’s guide to climbing in Hueco Tanks.

The Season:

Pretty much when everywhere else is too cold to climb. The bouldering season goes from beginning of November to end of March; pretty much the whole time the Hueco Rock Ranch is open – although I wish they’d stay open a little longer.

By early March, everyone’s saying its too hot, the Rock Ranch closes, and hot blooded Colombians are just now thawing from winter, ready to boulder in the life-giving sun. It does get WAY too windy in late March, though.

I’m writing this from a library in El Paso, hiding from 40 mph winds in the desert as I write, actually.

The rock:

Is this boring stuff? But this is why Hueco Tanks is said to be the best bouldering in the world.

The rock is a weak granite that feels to me like sandstone… but the way its been shaped by erosion across eons? Oh mama! This rock makes climbing feel like it makes sense!

Where to Stay to Climb in Hueco Tanks:

  • Rock Ranch: We car camped for $10 per person, and it was super worth it. You can a communal area with furniture, a cooking area, a ping pong table and lots of cool people to meet. If you choose the rooms, they cost $25 for the bunks and $45 for a private room, per person per night. They have their own cool, nicer, communal area. The Ranch is open from mid-November to mid-March.
  • Gleatherland: This camping location is known for being quiet and peaceful, and it’s first-come first-serve for camping, at $5 per person per night. If you’re in an RV, it costs $25 per night and you need a reservation. It gets cheaper the longer you stay, and Gleatherland is open from November to April.
  • The Mud Hut: This location is where the party’s at. You’ll be able to meet a lot of climbers, and it’s the closest to the entrance to Hueco Tanks. It costs $5 per night per person.
  • El Paso: This puts you about 20-30 minutes away from Hueco Tanks, but getting an AirBnB or hotel is always an option and may give you the comfort you need for a substantial price increase.
  • In the State Park: They have some campsites with water and others with electricity. Staying here puts you a bit far away from civilization, and you’re trapped in the park from 6pm to 8am every day. If you have the Texas State Park Pass, it can be a good option in terms of price, but it’s a bit limiting.

Should you make reservations?

The short answer is yes.

Only 70 people can visit the park self-guided every day. That’s why there’s are two types of people entering Hueco Tanks each day. The people with reservations, who can enter the park between 8 and 10 am (or call 915-857-1135) to hold their reservation), and those who are waiting in a line of cars on the right side of the road at the Hueco Tanks entrance, if the park’s full.

Right at 8 am every day, the first 10 people waiting in line get to enter the park immediately. From 8-10 am, those in line can get in as and if people call to cancel their reservations. At 10, all unfulfilled reservations are automatically cancelled and that number of people waiting in line get to go in. After that, if you’re in line, you have to wait for people to start exiting the park.

So…

It helps having reservations, and you can make them starting 3 months before your visit by calling (512) 389-8911. Before calling, make sure you’ve made an account for yourself on Reserve America. You can call and make a reservation for multiple people, and they all have to have accounts on Reserve America.

This is especially nice if you’re going to be climbing in Hueco Tanks for a mere week and need to be in the park by 8 am every day you have planned.

We were climbing for 3 weeks, and our plans changed based on how WRECKED our bodies were and due to the weather.

We were able to climb on days we didn’t have reservations, and it was no problem at all, especially during the week. Some days, we were able to arrive at noon and get right in; other days, we waited in line for 2 hours. One day we did NOT get in (it was a Saturday).

It’ll definitely be harder to get in without a reservation during high season and the weekends, but if you get in line SUPER early, you’ll most likely make it in.

That being said, if you have a reservation and choose to forego it, CANCEL IT so that someone in line can get in quick!

Best boulders in Hueco Tanks:

This is very subjective, obviously, but my favorite climbs were: Girls of Juarez, Stegosaur, Denizen, Free Willy, and King Cobra.

Lala’s favorite boulders were: Baby Martini, Lobster Claw, Denizen, and Girls of Juarez.

Should you get the Texas State Park Pass?

Most likely, yes. It costs $70 and whoever is in the car with you will pay $0 to get into the park. All it takes is 10 days of climbing for it to be worth it for one person. With 4 people in a car? 3 days. And it lasts a full year, so you can use it next season too if you time it right!

Tour or self-guided?

Self guided means you’ll be rock climbing on North Mountain, since all others require a guide. There is more than enough climbing on North Mountain for a lifetime, and it has the best boulders. Going on tours every day could get very pricey, but it’s worth getting to know other areas. So go on some tours, but mostly self guided!

Do you need a guidebook?

Yea, it makes it so much easier to find boulders. However, if it’s too pricey, you do get signal pretty much around the entire park or at least a stone’s throw away, so you could rely on Mountain Project or a similar app.

Fun Climbing Challenges

We met some folks at the Hueco Rock Ranch who had been climbing at Hueco Tanks State Park so long, they were making up games… and man, they had the right idea. Here’s two super fun challenges!

  • The Tour d’ Fours: Climb these ten V4’s in a day at Hueco Tanks, in this order (this day was spectacular) – Dab, T-bone Shuffle, Lithologic, Squirm, B-Flat, Denizen, Pudgy Pussack, Double Vision, Girls of Juarez, and Bloody Flapper. The end will haunt you. A classically sand-bagged Hueco Tanks V4. Enjoy!
  • Nobody Runs Out of Here Alive: Start at the pond parking and run up to Nobody Here Gets Out Alive (V2). Climb it and run all the way back down to where you started. Current record (about 6:30) and rules are in a binder in the barn at Hueco Rock Ranch.

Check out our favorite crags close to Nashville!

Travel Guide

Where to Climb in Colombia

Posted on January 25, 2019
where to climb in Colombia, la mojarra, rock climbing

For us, one of the best reasons to travel is to go climb. Getting to know a new place with friends and climbing on new rock is wonderful. Now, if you’re wondering if there’s climbing in Colombia because you’re coming or might come, let me tell you: there sure is! Colombia has some ridiculously amazing climbing, from an enormous cave in the middle of nowhere with a waterfall spraying from its mouth to small and famous crags an hour from the city. This is where to climb in Colombia.

Since I talked about the cave, I guess we’ll start there!

Where to Climb in Colombia

Florian

There are 4 climbing areas at Florian, one of which is this cave. Obviously, it’s the main attraction. As you gain height on the limestone tufas, all you can hear is the raging waterfall below you and your own yells as you crush your project (the waterfall only rushes during the rainy season). The other areas are cool too, though! This climbing area has everything from 5.10 to 5.14. Getting here is quite the journey because, like I said, Florian is in the middle of nowhere. Part of the drive is 48 km (30 miles) of unpaved roads, putting Florian at about 5 hours from Bogota! There is a new guide for Florian. For info on the guide, how to get there and more, read this blog post!

Suesca

If you’ve been researching where to climb in Colombia, I’m sure this place has come up. Suesca is Colombia’s oldest and most well-known climbing area. The rock is sandstonemnand you can find everything from 5.6 to 5.14 sport climbing and trad. Since this place is so popular, the rock is really slick, and almost everything is vertical. You’ll have a hard time finding something really overhung. Guidebooks are available at any Monodedo store in Bogota or in Suesca. This place is also just 1 hour from Bogota, Colombia’s capital city. Click here to read a full guide on Suesca!

Sutatausa

Sutatausa is also known as Sutanblue because of its similarities to the climbing in Fontainebleau, in France (so, sandstone). I’m not so sure about that, but it is Colombia’s best bouldering area. And though it’s known for its boulders, it also has sport climbing on the imposing cliff-line above. I love this place because it’s extremely beautiful… and it’s only about 2 hours north of Bogota! There is no official guidebook, but you can get a “guide drawing” at the nearby hostel. To read about that and other details regarding Sutatausa, click here!

Macheta

Now, if you read “vertical” for Suesca and didn’t like the sound of it, Macheta is the place for you. Everything is overhung and almost everything is above 5.12. But that’s old Macheta. New Macheta is VERY vertical, and has some gorgeous, extremely long routes that follow splitter cracks in the rock. The place is called the Hall of Justice. A 5-star name for a 5-star climbing area. About 2.5 hours north of Bogota, this spot is a must-visit! You can get a guidebook to Old Macheta at any Monodedo store in Bogota or in Suesca, but there is no guide for New Macheta. To read more about both areas of Macheta, click here!

La Mojarra

The Mecca of Colombian sport climbing. Orange, South American sandstone, amazing routes and a mountainous landscape make La Mojarra something out of a dream. When people ask me where to climb in Colombia, I always recommend this place. It has easy climbs and hard climbs, and they’re all beautiful. It’s 8 hours from Bogota and about 2 from the city of Bucaramanga. The weather is warm and the sun hits the cliff-line in the morning, giving climbers the excuse to sleep in to climb in the afternoon’s sweet temps. You can get a guidebook at Refugio la Roca, a hostel right above the cliff, or on their website. Read more about this climbing area in La Mesa de los Santos here!

Puente Reyes

This place, also known as La Peña de las Aguilas (The Eagles’ Crag, with no eagles though) is a beautiful climbing area in Boyacá. It’s right next to a river in an area of the country where the weather is constantly changing. It has over 40 routes, all on sandstone, with way more to be developed. It’s an almost perfect place for some sport climbing. There’s also a lot to do nearby! There’s quaint towns, like Mongui, hikes, and paradisical natural scenes, like the Laguna Negra. Puente Reyes has a guidebook (more like guide-PDF) which you can access here!

El Peñol

If you’re visiting Medellin, Colombia’s 2nd-largest and best city, you’re probably going to want to visit El Peñol. El Peñol is a gigantic granite monolith that rises from the ground beside a beautiful dam. As touristy as this place is, something VERY few people do is rock climb to the top. Just imagine people’s faces (because normal people can climb up an infinite staircase to the top) as you mantle onto the lookout and belay your partner up. El Peñol has sport climbing and trad from 5.8 to 5.12 and is one enourmous slabby slab.

La Peña

This place, close to Medellin, is said to be the climbing area with the most potential in Antioquia. It’s a young area, less developed than others, but already has over 40 routes from 5.8 to 5.13c and a hostal that’s also in its beginning stages, but is beautiful (another lodging option is the crazy “Aero Hostal”). From what I’ve seen in pictures and photos, the place is gorgeous and in the middle of nowhere. The development it has had is high-quality – they even have a guide already! La Peña is about 3 hours from Medellin. Click here for how to get there.

Choachí – Valle Escondido

This cloudy place right behind the mountains of Bogota houses some great climbing and the 6th tallest waterfall in South America. It’s called Valle Escondido, or Hidden Valley. Also, some (I) would say it’s magical. The climbing area is pretty undeveloped, but has the potential to be as amazing as La Mojarra. The rock, (surprise!) is sandstone. This climbing area is only an hour and a half from Bogota going east and definitely worth a visit! Another cool thing about this place is that its 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) above sea level. So you’ll get some high-altitude climbing! There’s a guide for this place, and you can get it there or at Zona de Bloque. Read a full guide on how to get there here!

Tona

Imagine a cliff-side with two levels. Each level has tons of different climbing – from vertical climbing much like La Mojarra’s to overhangs like Macheta’s. The potential is crazy! And I say potential because this place is just now being developed, and getting here is quite a journey. That’s what makes it so worth it. A friend of our bought some land to start a hostel and develop the climbing, and it feels in the middle of nowhere, although it’s 3 hours from Bucaramanga. Click here to read all about this place’s awesome story!

Well, I hope knowing where to climb in Colombia has motivated you to come visit this country, meet new people, and climb on new rock. If you are, maybe send us a message and we’ll see if we can go climb with you!

Finally, if you like hiking at high altitudes, you might also enjoy reading about Colombia’s paramos!

Travel Guide

How to get to the Sutatausa Bluffs

Posted on October 3, 2018
how to get to the sutatausa bluffs, farallones de sutatausa, where to climb in colombia, climbing, green, andes, outdoor adventures close to bogota

The Farallones de Sutatausa, or the Sutatausa Bluffs or Cliffs (I’ll call them Bluffs from here on out), are an amazing place for a little bit of adventure. It’s a place you can come and go easily in a day and also a place that makes you want to stay a few days. You can rock climb, hike, camp and relax in beautiful hostels. This is how to get to the Sutatausa Bluffs!

You might also be interested in reading “how to get to the Neusa Dam,” for an awesome camping spot nearby Sutatausa.

How to get to the Sutatausa Bluffs

*The map to get to the Sutatausa Bluffs from Bogota is at the end of this post!

In Public Transportation:

  1. In Bogotá, go to the Portal del Norte, which is Bogota’s North Bus Terminal.
  2. Take a bus to Ubaté, which costs about $10,000 pesos or about US $3.50.
  3. Tell the bus driver you’re going to the entrace to the Farallones de Sutatausa. I recommend you look at the map below in Street View to get an idea of where you need to get off. The road to the bluffs is about 5 minutes from the town of Sutatausa, has a sign that points you towards the bluffs, and has a store right next to it called “Parador las Brisas.” Be watching!
  4. Walk along this unpaved road and you’ll get to a fork in the road. Go right until you get to la tienda de Don Antonio (tienda is a small store in Spanish).
  5. From there, you have three options: (1) go up the mountain to climb or to hike to the top of the bluffs on a trail that starts right in front of the store, (2) hike to the right of the store on a stone trail to climb or to hike to the top of the bluff, or (3) hike to the left towards a hostel, Kamp Nattivo, and to other trails that make it to the top.
  6. For more information on these options, read the “what to do at the Sutatausa Bluffs” section below.

In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Tienda DON Antonio, Sutatausa, Cundinamarca” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. From Bogota, exit the city going north.
  2. Stay on the highway until you get to a bridge after you pass a toll. Don’t go over the bridge. Instead, take the road that goes right, which then curves left and goes under that same bridge.
  3. Stay on this road until the net bridge. Go over it, staying right where it splits in two. Follow this road until you get to a Homecenter on the right. A little later, go right where there’s a sign towards Zipaquirá and Ubaté.
  4. Stay on your left to go over the next bridge, which curves right, following the signs to Ubaté.
  5. Not long afterwards, you’ll get to a round-about. Take the second exit.
  6. Stay on this road all the way to the entrance to the bluffs, which will be on the right. I recommend you look at the map below in Street View to get an idea of where you need to turn right. The road to the bluffs is about 5 minutes from the town of Sutatausa, has a sign that points you towards the bluffs, and has a store right next to it called “Parador las Brisas.”
  7. Get on the unpaved road towards the bluffs and stay right where the road splits in two to get to la tienda de Don Antonio (tienda is a small store in Spanish). You can park there and the cost of parking is to buy something in the store.
  8. From there, you have three options: (1) go up the mountain to climb or to hike to the top of the bluffs on a trail that starts right in front of the store, (2) hike to the right of the store on a stone trail to climb or to hike to the top of the bluff, or (3) drive to the left of the store to a hostel, Kamp Nattivo, and to other trails that make it to the top.
  9. For more information on these options, read the “what to do at the Sutatausa Bluffs” section below.

What to do at the Sutatausa Bluffs:

Climb

One of the best spots to go bouldering in all of Colombia is right underneath the Sutatausa Bluffs. You can find boulders from V0 to V12 and the rock is bomber. You can simply take your crash pad and start climbing (or rent it from Kamp Nattivo), but if you want a guide, you can stop by Kamp Nattivo , which is to the left from Don Antonio’s store, and get one – its not much of a guidebook, more like pieces of paper, but it works. There are boulders right in front of Don Antonio’s store and upwards and to the right of the store in the pine forest you can see from there.

There is also some great sport climbing on the bluffs themselves, up to 5.14a. You can find the routes going right from the store on the stone trail. If you need a guide, you can go to Kamp Nattivo and they’ll get you good to go. If you’re wondering where to climb in Colombia or close to Bogota, this is one of the best options!

Go Hiking

The Sutatausa Bluffs have a lot of trails to get to the top. There are two most well-known hikes. The first one is directly in front of Don Antonio’s Store. The trail is very well developed and is pretty steep. The second one is to the right of the store and starts on an unpaved road that becomes a stone trail that makes it to the top.

You have to hike up to the top! The landscape around the place is incredible, with really uniquely shaped mountains. So make sure you turn around when you rest during the hikes to admire the landscape. Also, take some food to have a picnic, rest and enjoy the view from the top. And don’t forget to hike along the top, since there are some amazing formations there.

Go Camping

You can camp under the stars and surrounded by mountains in lots of places: Quinta de Fragua, which is right to the right of Don Antonio’s store, Kamp Nattivo, which is a few minutes to the left, or up on the mountain with Don Antonio’s permission and only on his property.

Kamp Nattivo is a hostel created by a climber, one of the climbers who most developed this area, and is an incredibly comfortable and beautiful place. It has unique structures in the woods, they have a stellar customer service and if you see photos of the place, you’ll want to go stay there. So go Google Kamp Nattivo and go get to know it!

Take Photos

As always, you have to take photos. This place has a unique, gorgeous landscape. And everyone knows photos are best with action, and what better action than people enjoying, hiking and climbing with an amazing background?

Some things to know:

–          You can rent crash pads to go bouldering at the hostel, Kamp Nattivo.

–          This is a stellar place to go bouldering and sport climbing.

–          To pay for parking at Don Antonio’s store, just buy something in the store.

–          Take cash to pay for the bus, something at the store and for places that won’t accept your card, which is most places.

–          In 1541, the area’s natives collectively committed suicide, preferring it to falling in the hands of Spaniard missionaries.

–          There’s 1 toll on the way to the bluffs and 0 on the way back.

 

I hope this blog post helped you learn how to get to the Sutatausa Bluffs (or Farallones de Sutatausa) and a little more. But mostly, I hope you go climb in this wonderful area.

If you’re looking for another place to climb, check out this blog post about Suesca, the most popular climbing spot close to Bogota!

Travel Guide

Indoor Climbing Gyms in Bogota

Posted on January 17, 2018
indoor climbing gyms in bogota, laladventures

Colombia has a ton to offer when it comes to climbing, indoors and outdoors. You could consider Lala and I weekend warriors, climbing indoors during the week, and making it outdoors on the weekends. This is a list of indoor climbing gyms in Bogota.

If you’d like to read our local tips for touring Bogota, click on the link!

Where to Climb Indoors in Bogota

Before we start, for non-climbers, I’d like to point out that there are two kinds of climbing you can practice at climbing gyms in Bogota. First is bouldering, which is without a rope because it’s not very high (you do have pads beneath you, though). Second is sport climbing, which is with a rope and harness because you climb high.

Roca Solida

Roca Solida is our home gym. Lala and I have come to this gym for the most part of our climbing lives, which makes it about 10 years. I’ve worked here as a coach and also set for them (if you go, look for routes with the name “Eric” on them and let me know how you liked them!). This indoor climbing gym, like most in Bogota, only has bouldering. Its walls are filled with holds and are very featured: slabs, overhangs, crazy overhangs, and roofs.

Address: Av 19 #125 – 26

Phone Number: (57-1) 812-1208

Hours: 10am-10pm Monday to Friday, 10am-8pm Saturday, 9am-3pm Sundays and holidays.

WEYA

WEYA is through and through a bouldering gym for boulderers. Come here to boulder your socks off, because everything here is overhung except for maybe a 1 meter by 50 cm section at the end of the wall. Really nice people work and climb here, I must say, and the sports therapist who works on the second floor of the gym, Liliana Roa, is a magician (she’s healed me twice).

Address: Carrera 20b No. 73-17

Phone Number: (57-1) 732-2314

Hours: 1pm-9:45pm Monday to Friday, 9am-6:45pm Saturday, not open Sunday and holidays.

Zona de Bloque

Zona de Bloque is probably Bogota’s most complete bouldering gym. But, again, you can only boulder here. It is a big gym, with a lot of holds and a lot of features. I’d say Zona has the best setting too, so expect to do some fun climbing.

Address: Carrera 21 No. 50-34

Phone Number: (57-1) 255-4305

Hours: 10am-9:45pm Monday to Friday, 9am-9pm Saturday, 11am-5pm Sunday and holidays.

Gran Pared

Gran Pared used to be undoubtedly Colombia’s best climbing gym. It was huge and the sport climbing amazing – world class, even. They closed down for years, but are now up and running again. The gym is smaller now, but still has amazing sport climbing. So if you’ve gotten tired of all those bouldering gyms in Bogota, this place will be a good rest.

Address: Calle 52 # 15 – 27

Phone Number: (57-1) 288-4061

Hours: 2pm-9:45pm Monday to Friday, 10am-6:45pm Saturday, 10am-5:45pm Sunday and holidays.

Cumbre Andina

I honestly don’t know much about Cumbre Andina, except that it is another only-bouldering gym and looks really cool in pictures! It has lot of cool features and holds. So go get to known this gem of a gym.

Address: Calle 78 # 24 – 45

Phone Number: (57-1)  388 27 84

Hours: 8am-10pm Monday to Friday, 8am-7pm Saturday, 9am-5pm Sunday and holidays.

Rocópolis

Rocópolis, for a long time while Gran Pared was closed, was Bogota’s only gym where you could sport climb, so a lot of people came to love it. It’s also really close to my house, so I was able to enjoy it a good bit. This gym is smaller, but it has fun routes and great people work and climb there.

Address: Carrera 49 #128c-17

Phone Number: (57-1) 322 306-1737

Hours: 2pm-10pm Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm Saturday, 12pm-6pm Sunday and holidays.

 

Interested in getting outdoors close to Bogota? Check out this link with our recommendations!

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