CRACKUPS VS M&M'S

Sadly for some (climbers at least), the rainy season finally arrived: The plans for Jilotepec changed sharply and  turned into something steeper!!... The cave of "El Penitente" in Hidalgo it's an excellent choice if you are looking for a nice physical -and dry- climbing during the moisturized noons of summer.

After the two and a half hours way driving from Mexico City and some nasty ruses by the weather we arrived into the town of "El Arenal" -few minutes before Actopan-, a quiet humble town with Otomi origins founded around the earlies 1700's (actually the Otomi word for this settlement were "Mohmu" which means bunch of sand).

The guardian of the Church in El Arenal. Photo by Marco Helu

 At first we gave a few burns in "La Colmena" sector which is depicted by the short and slopery routes and the close aproach from the parking (so yes, it was pure lazyness of the uphill aproaching); There we tried a couple of 12a/7a+ and a 11?/6? After, during the afternoon when the weather becames cooler (and started to drizzle) we decided to go to the main crag, Penitente's Cave.

The Colmena sector, at the distance and from a few meters from the parking.

That was a hard aproaching! We were carrying with plenty of stuff! That day we arrived very late and I only had a chance for two tries (already with headtorch), so I decided to give a burn to the first anchor of "Rarotonga 13a/7c+" and after another one on "Trauma 13a/7c+".

Jaimie testing himself on "Rarotonga 13c/8a+"

David Blanco Focused on the steepness of "Trauma 13a/7c+"

All night long was hazy and humid so the holds became very greasy at the next morning. That doesn't stop us and tried "Kraken 12a/7a+", "Matanga 13b/8a" and the king of the party (for me): "Crackups vs M&M's 13d/8b" I could say that the description of this route it must be LONG... the line it's the linking of the linking of the linking of the routes of the back side of the cave. Starts with "Kraken", a short roof with powerful long moves on skin-biting rock and hard clips to continue with the 4 linking bolts of a traverse of killer slopery crimps (the second crux) heading to the route called "Fatum 13b/8a": writhed tricky moves route with a boulder from a hard pinch on the roof to a handjam (third crux) and finishing with the "gran final" of "En el pecado está la penitencia 13c/8a+" (wich usually is a traverse from left to right but now its from right to left -and in my opinion becomes easier-) a very  powerful boulder on the last meters (when trying it by the normal way).

Fer fighting a muerte on the "Kraken 12a/7a+"!! Photo by Daniel Tapia

Sofía Heinze struggling on the crux of "Penitente 12c/7b+" and me on the rest of Crakups vs M&M's. Photo by Daniel Tapia

Daniel Tapia passing the crux of "Matanga 13b/8a". Photo by Daniel tapia

 Now that I get a project I'm starting to get psyked! I sent  before (2008) the Crackups extension so I remembered vaguely the movements and did almost to the top. This route is perfect to get some motivation and launch myself into harder projects! So let's see what happens now into this pump fest!

Wwhooaaaa!! What a rest!! "Matanga 13b/8a". Photo by David Blanco

Till next time! Take it easy!!