BajaNomad

Climbing "El Pilon" Info.

Cielomar - 1-3-2011 at 05:13 PM

Does anyone have information about climbing El Pilon in Purisima? Thanks...

David K - 1-3-2011 at 05:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cielomar
Does anyone have information about climbing El Pilon in Purisima? Thanks...


I think you will be the first! Please take plenty of photos to show us the 360º view from the top!

Here is El Pilon from the ruins of the La Purisima mission (Jack Swords Photo):


BornFisher - 1-3-2011 at 05:34 PM

Someone told me there`s a trail to the top. Don`t know if it`s true, but he claimed to have done it and it does look like the perfect place for a cross, or shrine.

David K - 1-3-2011 at 05:41 PM

If I was good with photoshopping like some here, I was visualizing that GIANT JESUS south of Rosarito placed up there... when I read your post!

mcfez - 1-3-2011 at 07:42 PM

[Edited on 1-4-2011 by mcfez]

Geo_Skip - 1-3-2011 at 07:46 PM

Nice one mcfez...buy the rock reminds me a lot of that one in Arizona named "Molly's Nipple"! Seriously!

Church Rock

mcfez - 1-3-2011 at 08:07 PM

I could put a nipple on....but probably get kicked out of here :-)

[Edited on 1-4-2011 by mcfez]

Marc - 1-3-2011 at 08:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcfez
I could put a nipple on....but probably get kicked out of here :-)

[Edited on 1-4-2011 by mcfez]


Go for it!:o:o:o

b1 - 1-3-2011 at 09:50 PM

Here are a few more 'looks'. I have no clue what the back side looks like. b1







David K - 1-3-2011 at 11:32 PM

That reminds me of the place in Close Encounters of the Third Kind! Devil's Tower, Wyoming... yes?

LaTijereta - 1-4-2011 at 11:25 AM

Here some other approches..










[Edited on 1-4-2011 by BajaNomad]

LaTijereta - 1-4-2011 at 11:39 AM

As you enter the valley from the East



There is a small basic hotel you can use as a base camp to explore in La Purisma




Good luck with your climb.. I hope to get back over there in the Sring..

[Edited on 1-4-2011 by LaTijereta]

Bajatripper - 1-4-2011 at 12:05 PM

Nice photos!

Like everyone else here, I would assume that Cielomar means the Pilon at La Purisima. But there is another Pilon in the area, over on the road up to San Javier out of Loreto, named El Pilon de las Parras.
I bring this up since I seem to recall that Walt Peterson mentions climbing that one in his Baja book. Since I'm not at home, I don't have said book handy. But someone (David K?) could look up the La Purisima Pilon in it and see what info is provided, if any. Just a thought.

On page 200, The Baja Adventure Book

David K - 1-4-2011 at 12:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajatripper
Nice photos!

Like everyone else here, I would assume that Cielomar means the Pilon at La Purisima. But there is another Pilon in the area, over on the road up to San Javier out of Loreto, named El Pilon de las Parras.
I bring this up since I seem to recall that Walt Peterson mentions climbing that one in his Baja book. Since I'm not at home, I don't have said book handy. But someone (David K?) could look up the La Purisima Pilon in it and see what info is provided, if any. Just a thought.


Bajatripper - 1-4-2011 at 01:10 PM

Well, that post of climbing information on El Pilon doesn't sound very encouraging!

Maderita - 1-4-2011 at 06:28 PM

Don Jorge,
Are you sure that is a "class 4" traverse? From your description, it sounds more like Class 3.

Class 4 climbing requires technical skills: A competent leader, rope, belay anchors, and belays. It is assumed that exposure is serious and an unroped fall would result in serious injury/death. The leader might climb the entire "pitch" (rope length) without placing much, if any, protection between belay stations.

If it is truly class 4, then no one should attempt it without skills and equipment, unless he/she is a competent technical climber.

More likely that it is Class 3 (aka: "third class climbing") which is "exposed" (a body would fall or tumble some distance). A fall could result in injury/death, yet the mountaineer would likely climb unroped. One must be attentive to handholds and footholds, using care at routefinding.

For example: The standard route on Picacho del Diablo (Sierra San Pedro Martir) is class 3 to 4. Experienced climbers may be comfortable unroped if they stay exactly on the correct route. Most climbers would want a rope either for the ascent or to rappel on the descent.

Marc - 1-4-2011 at 06:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Maderita
Don Jorge,
Are you sure that is a "class 4" traverse? From your description, it sounds more like Class 3.

Class 4 climbing requires technical skills: A competent leader, rope, belay anchors, and belays. It is assumed that exposure is serious and an unroped fall would result in serious injury/death. The leader might climb the entire "pitch" (rope length) without placing much, if any, protection between belay stations.

If it is truly class 4, then no one should attempt it without skills and equipment, unless he/she is a competent technical climber.

More likely that it is Class 3 (aka: "third class climbing") which is "exposed" (a body would fall or tumble some distance). A fall could result in injury/death, yet the mountaineer would likely climb unroped. One must be attentive to handholds and footholds, using care at routefinding.

For example: The standard route on Picacho del Diablo (Sierra San Pedro Martir) is class 3 to 4. Experienced climbers may be comfortable unroped if they stay exactly on the correct route. Most climbers would want a rope either for the ascent or to rappel on the descent.


Class 4 can involve short steep sections where the use of a rope is recommended, and un-roped falls could be fatal.

motoged - 1-4-2011 at 08:40 PM

I might add that securing anchors in most of the Baja rock I have seen would be sketchy at best:o ....a lot of loose stuff where pro would rip out with little force.

I have seen some stuff that is inviting and have seen climbers around Agua Verde, so it is being done.

Climb On !!

woody with a view - 1-4-2011 at 08:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LaTijereta
As you enter the valley from the East




[Edited on 1-4-2011 by LaTijereta]


you can see the aquaduct on the left of this image. it is really amazing to see it in person. can't imagine having to hack it into the hillside in august, 250 years ago....

[Edited on 1-5-2011 by woody with a view]

Maderita - 1-4-2011 at 09:37 PM

motoged,
Any more info on climbing near Agua Verde? Is it in a canyon of the Sierra Giganta? I'm curius to hear more about it as I try to keep up on all climbing in Baja. Not that you will ever catch me climbing on choss (loose/crappy rock).
The high-quality granite for climbing is in the north, in the Sierra de Juarez and Sierra San Pedro Martir.

b1 - 1-4-2011 at 09:43 PM

Woody mentioned the aquaduct. It is really a large project. Here are a couple views of it:





And here is the manhole through the aquaduct:



And while on the topic of La Purisma, I thought I would take a little license here and post two photos of my favorite trees in La Purisma:

On the main drag coming into town


My personal thermometer... if its warm enough for these guys, it is warm eough for me:



b1

motoged - 1-4-2011 at 11:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Maderita
motoged,
Any more info on climbing near Agua Verde? Is it in a canyon of the Sierra Giganta?


Maderita,
I was riding into Agua Verde in 1995 and talked with two guys who were headed into the ragged mountains several kilometers south of the road in and about a third or half-way to the coast.

They were equipped for technical climbing and seemed to think they had some good route possibilities. I thought the hike to the first belay would be a trek in itself just for a day climb.

I have no idea what their experience was like.

The few years that I was into climbing was '84-92 and I was blessed to do it at Squamish , BC and some BC interior areas (Marble Canyon, Skaha Bluffs) where the rock was real:cool:

Good luck with jammin' cracks :biggrin:

Bajatripper - 1-5-2011 at 01:44 AM

Beautiful photos, b1. I especially like the carport one.

snowcat5 - 1-5-2011 at 07:52 AM

I have put in several routes off of the Aqua Verde road over the years ( since 1979). Most of the routes were technical and involved using some protection. Most of the rock is OK- not real granite but still pretty firm. It is worth taking time to find good, hard rock. Most of the routes are in from the Sea about 6 to 8 miles and involve an hour or more approach walk. There are also some good routes across the highway from the Tripui turn-off, also. Go up the canyon until the two track ends and then walk up stream, past the Indian petro.s and look for the bolts we put in about 15 years ago- I wouldn't trust my life to these old pro.! Some of the rock seems like old volcanic tufa and can be soft- look-out above for mountain goats. I've also seen two mt. lions in this canyon and a six foot long green rattlesnake (near the small stream). There is a nice campsite at the end of the two track and the stream usually runs in the Fall and Winter months.

LaTijereta - 1-5-2011 at 08:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by woody with a view
Quote:
Originally posted by LaTijereta
As you enter the valley from the East




[Edited on 1-4-2011 by LaTijereta]


you can see the aquaduct on the left of this image. it is really amazing to see it in person. can't imagine having to hack it into the hillside in august, 250 years ago....

[Edited on 1-5-2011 by woody with a view]



The aquaduct is still used along the "East Road" as you approch